Holiday Weekend Outlook: Schoolies and Bluefish Abundant

Bluefish have been around in good numbers
in the Bay this week.

It's been a long time since I have said this, but BOTH bluefish and schoolies are around in good numbers. The surprise of the spring for me so far has been the abundance of bluefish in the Bay.  It's now May 24, and already I have landed more bluefish this year than all of last year. It could be the places I am fishing, and it could also be that there are many more of them than expected.  The blues are running 3 to 6 lbs. for the most part, but I had a bigger one tonight that was pushing 8 to 9 lbs. The hot lure for the blues has been a Rebel Jumpin' Minnow which seems to be outfishing everything. I was using a blue back model tonight, a lure that has been hot in the Bay for stripers and bluefish in recent years.
There are still good numbers of schoolies around in the Bay and along the oceanfront.  I'm guessing this cool weather and cool water is keeping the fishing going at a good clip.  I landed good numbers of schoolies this week while fishing the Bay. Most of these fish went 20 to 24 inches, but I had one fish that was a near keeper.  I ran into a number of other fishermen in the evening and at night all week, and I did not see a keeper caught from shore. The hot striper lure for me has been a 6 1/2 inch sinking Sebile Magic Swimmer (165 SSK) in a ghostescent color.  My son Jon also landed a number of stripers on a 3 1/2 inch sinking Sebile Stick Shad, one of his favorite lures.
In addition to the schoolies in the Bay,  I hear that stripers are on worm hatches along the south shore ponds. And, I guessing that everyone has heard about the 52 lb. striper that was landed on a pogy this week from the Bay. So, lots of options this weekend if you are looking to get out and fish for  stripers.