by Tim “The Fishman” Coulson

Tackle

8-9 ft rod rated for line up to 20 pound test, Steel leader (24 inch minimum) if bluefish are the predominate fish

Some bait used other than artificial lures are clams, bunker, Sandworms all of which can be rigged as shown in the illustration below.

Basic Saltwater Lures and Applications

For Striped Bass and Bluefish there are multiples of lures and approaches to take. In general there are three types of lures…

There are surface lures which float on the surface and the fisherman needs to “work” such as popping it along the surface to imitate a wounded baitfish. These types of lures are deadly when there is a feeding frenzy on the beach (lure on the right yellow and red popper in the photo). The action is awesome to watch as the predators come up on the lure and smack it.

The second type of lure would be a bit under the surface say 3-6 feet, these are swimmers that you cast and retrieve at a steady pace(the middle yellow/black swimmer in the photo). The lure does all the work as it swims back and forth, the fisherman only needs to retrieve and wait for the strike. The speed of the retrieve can be changed and sometimes makes all the difference. In colder water the slower the better sometimes…however sometimes if you pause while reeling in..this will also trigger the strike.

The other type of lure is “metal” (the left a Diamond jig and a crocodile) which will allow you to get lower in the water column….metals work very good for bluefish combined with a steel leader so that you don’t lose your expensive lures to the toothy blues. The metal lures will also allow you to cast out far and reach a school of fish on the beach. The fisherman just needs to cast out and let the lure sink to the bottom…before starting the retrieve…the again the speed of the retrieve can be changed and could be your secret.

The best approach it to get out there and get a line wet.

Enjoy! You may just get hooked for life.