I am 44 and I grew in NH. Every summer we would charter a boat from Maine or Mass and fish for striper and blues. This was in the late 80’ and early 90s. 2 years ago I went to Wells Beach in Maine and hired a boat for a half day hoping to catch some inshore stripers. The captain told me that they had not seen a good run of blues in 10 years.
Caught Jacks in Galveston tearing into mullet pods! But have never seen jacks run fish onto a beach like I did at the OC pass in Maryland 80's while fishing for tautog on the jetties! Someone pointed the choppers feeding on butter fish birds swirling everywhere then a cloud? In the water about 500'-600' feet wide came racing towards the beach and next thing 6" butter fish flopping all over the beach! And the ones not on the sand were being brutalized by packs of chopper blues 2'-3' long! Eating and regurgitating them back up! People ran down to the beach with 5 gal buckets and filled them up with butter fish! I took a 9' surf rod with a Mitchell 402 and a large silver spoon cast it out almost as soon as it the water! I was on but the blue got off but the spoon got hit again and I reeled in the chopper but it made a run in the near ankle deep water, had the drag too tight and not in free spool, the chopper pulled so hard it snapped that surf rod in half right above the reel seat! After that I just walk the chopper into the beach! 33.5 inches and 19 & 3/4 lbs! And turn it into dinner for braking the surf rod! Like Jacks? Not sure about that! Those big choppers are the devil! And when in a feeding frenzy anything in front of them will be destroyed! You keep fingers, toes and any other body parts that they can bite! The fish that size wasn't the best table fare even after cutting the blood line out! But someone was going to pay my rod being broke! I took a picture of the & rod still have just to prove how badass those blue fish are!
I have been reading your comments and they are the same am going to post, brings me back 40 years here in Connecticut, the bluefish were so thick and plentiful they would chase the schools of bunker up on the beach . Great times 👍🏻
You took me back 20 years ago when I rented a boat out of City Island. I had my son out with me. After just a couple of hours we headed in because our arms were exhausted from the big gators. Great memories
Dude! You're bringing back old memories of several ChrisCraft Invitational Bluefish tournaments in NH I fished 35 years ago, with those boiling schools of big choppers! Nothing lights up the blood pressure like a school of blues busting some bunker or herring. I laugh every year when catching Florida blues in winter, as they are tiny by comparison. Are you going to take a run to the Finger Lakes and bag some salmonids again? It's great to have you back in the area again!
When I was really young, my Grandad would take me surf fishing at Rodanthe, N.C. and I remember Him and my uncle catching two at a time the size of the ones you caught. They would lay them out under the jeep to keep the sun off of them. He was in the coast guard in the 30s and 40s out of Chickamacomico station. He was a descendant of three Irish guys who were shipwrecked there in the 1800s.
I'm old school and I always loved fishing for blues to me stripers are just in the way and there good eating as a kid I used to fish at the jetty at shoreham powerhouse and fishing was good there for pretty much anything from the area. Later when they started running the plant they cut off the area and it also scarred the fish away but now yrs later I hear fish are back
Great time on the water. We use to fish blue’s blitzing from shore in the Outer Banks NC. It was a common thing back in the 70’s. It’s great to see them coming back. Thanks for bringing us along. Cheers
I remember in the early eighties my buddy and I would slay big blues in the Chesapeake Bay when they started moving in to the bay in May. Huge schools and Hopkins lures would hardly hit the water when it was inhaled by really big bluefish.
Hah! I’m from Florida and I know that light! Been by it many times! I was just up there in Glen Cove 2 weeks ago! Murdered the school bass on plugs! Had a blast,enjoy! About to go fish the big snook on the beach! Yeeew! For the dream!
Elias - so appreciate your comments - yes, bluefish in clear water, Throggs Neck Bridge in background, helicopters flying - a lot of our younger years - had only come back in dreams.....and now in your videos. Thanks!
Epic video! There really is nothing like getting into those gators. I've experienced nothing even close down here. Love the film work on this one. I imagine it's less pleasant from the shooters perspective using the head mounted camera, but the product is vastly superior to the chest rigs. The viewer can see so much more of the fight, and less of the shooters wrist. Best video I've seen in some time. Thank you Elias!
I remember fishing for blues in Cold Spring Harbor in summer of 1968. On an umbrella rig having three on at the same time was the most fun I ever had fishing.
I miss your content from when you were in the Northeast you always had the best kayak fishing videos you should visit us more often you are very talented at catching fish in this area
Getting bit by bluefish that size would be NO JOKE! Your segment brings back happy memories of days gone by fishing for blues in So. Jersey: Point Pleasant/Manasquan/Mantoloking in the 60s & 70s ….We used to eat a TON of them, mostly broiled or grilled….wasn’t a fan of the dark meat….Blues NEVER GIVE UP!!!
You truly appreciate the bluefish fishery on the island after you move away and come back. My wife's first fish ever was a 36" bluefish on a pencil popper out of the southshore!
Yeah - Been fishing central NJ for 60 years. Been about 20 years since I was in a blitz like that. Hope they're back before I go. We would have a good blitz every two to three days 80s & 90s Sept till Thanksgiving.
Comparing those bluefish to what we saw back around 2013. What a difference. The bluefish back then looked anorexic. Those bluefish you got look very healthy and it shows what conservation can do after a rough few years. The industry has rebounded greatly after that very cold winter we had that killed a lot of reds and specks as well as other species. Great vid man.
These fish remind me of fishing with my D.O.D it the ‘70s. Good times I never thought would end. I’m in Florida now, but I think of him with every cast. Seize the day, everybody. Life isn’t long; it’s up to us to make it good!
You just reminded me of many years ago in Boston Harbor. Big Blue fish. We had an old frig converted to a smoker. Man did that fish taste good with a King Snedley Beer. Good times.
Great action! I think blue fish are pretty good eating; bleed them n ice right away, and use them asap. They def don't store/freeze well at all. As for the blitz, that's special. Last one i encountered was in an inlet in S Jersey, w/ some friends off the jetty. The water was super clean that day, and you could see them chase the lures. Pretty soon, the game was to try NOT to catch them....what a blast, and they were gator size too. Thanks for the vid!😁
I wish we had blues that big down here in NC. I did try a blue I caught earlier this year. Bled it and put in an ice bath. Cooked it on the grill for supper. I thought it was dang good.
@@EliasVFishingsome old timers used to tell me that you could cook the cheeks and they were like scallops. Never tried them but the bluefish would blitz the lower Chesapeake in the late 70s , early 80s. Man , you got into one of those schools it was nonstop catching on every cast. Haven’t seen anything like it since then. Great day on the water Elias!
The last time I saw them here in North Carolina it was about six years ago Easter Sunday. We caught them all night long and all day on everything and then they were gone. Biggest one was 14.
Those are legit Slammers> Great words " Don't take these fish for granted and respect the fish" . AMEN. More words of wisdom " you don't want two sets of trebles with Bluefish"
We used to go out on the party boats out of Brielle and Belmar, and by 11-12 o'clock we'd be tired of catching the blues. That fishing held up for most of the spring, summer and fall. It hasn't been like that in a few years now. Hit or miss at best. This year they're back a little bit, but most of the trips ive only seen small fish. Most of the time they switch over to bottom fishing or mackerel after a couple hours of hunting for blues. I miss the old days. Those suckers would wear you out like nothing else around here.
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I am 44 and I grew in NH. Every summer we would charter a boat from Maine or Mass and fish for striper and blues. This was in the late 80’ and early 90s. 2 years ago I went to Wells Beach in Maine and hired a boat for a half day hoping to catch some inshore stripers. The captain told me that they had not seen a good run of blues in 10 years.
Blues = the Jack Crevalle of the northeast 😂
Yup and hickory shad are the micro tarpon
With teeth!
Caught Jacks in Galveston tearing into mullet pods! But have never seen jacks run fish onto a beach like I did at the OC pass in Maryland 80's while fishing for tautog on the jetties! Someone pointed the choppers feeding on butter fish birds swirling everywhere then a cloud? In the water about 500'-600' feet wide came racing towards the beach and next thing 6" butter fish flopping all over the beach! And the ones not on the sand were being brutalized by packs of chopper blues 2'-3' long! Eating and regurgitating them back up! People ran down to the beach with 5 gal buckets and filled them up with butter fish! I took a 9' surf rod with a Mitchell 402 and a large silver spoon cast it out almost as soon as it the water! I was on but the blue got off but the spoon got hit again and I reeled in the chopper but it made a run in the near ankle deep water, had the drag too tight and not in free spool, the chopper pulled so hard it snapped that surf rod in half right above the reel seat! After that I just walk the chopper into the beach! 33.5 inches and 19 & 3/4 lbs! And turn it into dinner for braking the surf rod! Like Jacks? Not sure about that! Those big choppers are the devil! And when in a feeding frenzy anything in front of them will be destroyed! You keep fingers, toes and any other body parts that they can bite! The fish that size wasn't the best table fare even after cutting the blood line out! But someone was going to pay my rod being broke! I took a picture of the & rod still have just to prove how badass those blue fish are!
Swim shads getting chopped by chopper blues under the Chopper ~ choptastic video back near your OG stomping grounds \^^/
“It’s like reliving a good childhood memory except with much better tackle” damn that was very well said
I have been reading your comments and they are the same am going to post, brings me back 40 years here in Connecticut, the bluefish were so thick and plentiful they would chase the schools of bunker up on the beach . Great times 👍🏻
You took me back 20 years ago when I rented a boat out of City Island. I had my son out with me. After just a couple of hours we headed in because our arms were exhausted from the big gators. Great memories
I was there back then also.. my biggest was 19 and 1/2 pounds.. I wish Elias weighed his fish I'd like to know
Dude! You're bringing back old memories of several ChrisCraft Invitational Bluefish tournaments in NH I fished 35 years ago, with those boiling schools of big choppers! Nothing lights up the blood pressure like a school of blues busting some bunker or herring. I laugh every year when catching Florida blues in winter, as they are tiny by comparison. Are you going to take a run to the Finger Lakes and bag some salmonids again? It's great to have you back in the area again!
When I was really young, my Grandad would take me surf fishing at Rodanthe, N.C. and I remember Him and my uncle catching two at a time the size of the ones you caught. They would lay them out under the jeep to keep the sun off of them. He was in the coast guard in the 30s and 40s out of Chickamacomico station. He was a descendant of three Irish guys who were shipwrecked there in the 1800s.
I'm old school and I always loved fishing for blues to me stripers are just in the way and there good eating as a kid I used to fish at the jetty at shoreham powerhouse and fishing was good there for pretty much anything from the area. Later when they started running the plant they cut off the area and it also scarred the fish away but now yrs later I hear fish are back
Yes sir out in Long Island that spot is awesome
Needed to see this. Those were my home waters for 41 years. Miss it everyday.
Love seeing you back in NY... good stuff
Liking that Atlanta Brave Spencer Strider mustache ya be crafting Elias !!! :)))
Hammer Time @ incredible Fishery
Great time on the water. We use to fish blue’s blitzing from shore in the Outer Banks NC.
It was a common thing back in the 70’s. It’s great to see them coming back.
Thanks for bringing us along.
Cheers
Nothing beats that good old bluefish workout, that old school Blitz will get your Adrenaline pumping..
I remember in the early eighties my buddy and I would slay big blues in the Chesapeake Bay when they started moving in to the bay in May. Huge schools and Hopkins lures would hardly hit the water when it was inhaled by really big bluefish.
Hah! I’m from Florida and I know that light! Been by it many times! I was just up there in Glen Cove 2 weeks ago! Murdered the school bass on plugs! Had a blast,enjoy! About to go fish the big snook on the beach! Yeeew! For the dream!
Elias - so appreciate your comments - yes, bluefish in clear water, Throggs Neck Bridge in background, helicopters flying - a lot of our younger years - had only come back in dreams.....and now in your videos. Thanks!
Epic video! There really is nothing like getting into those gators. I've experienced nothing even close down here. Love the film work on this one. I imagine it's less pleasant from the shooters perspective using the head mounted camera, but the product is vastly superior to the chest rigs. The viewer can see so much more of the fight, and less of the shooters wrist. Best video I've seen in some time. Thank you Elias!
I remember fishing for blues in Cold Spring Harbor in summer of 1968. On an umbrella rig having three on at the same time was the most fun I ever had fishing.
I miss your content from when you were in the Northeast you always had the best kayak fishing videos you should visit us more often you are very talented at catching fish in this area
Getting bit by bluefish that size would be NO JOKE! Your segment brings back happy memories of days gone by fishing for blues in So. Jersey: Point Pleasant/Manasquan/Mantoloking in the 60s & 70s ….We used to eat a TON of them, mostly broiled or grilled….wasn’t a fan of the dark meat….Blues NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Great video. That area is still lit up with monsters
You truly appreciate the bluefish fishery on the island after you move away and come back. My wife's first fish ever was a 36" bluefish on a pencil popper out of the southshore!
Brings me back. Nothing like a gorilla blue blitz!
Noise from the trucks on the bridge can be noisy. Nice to see those choppers back after disappearing for about 7 years. Heard last year was good also.
Awesome seeing those choppers do their thing! Reminds me of the 70's in the Chesapeake. Dare we dream of a resurgence?
i love how you bust out the topwater and its instant mayhem. my favorite fishing gets the adrenaline pumping. keep up the good work!
Gheez, I'd love to get into those feeding blues with my 8 wt flyrod.
Makes my day to see your videos, Elias. Hi to Meg.
I did it in Hatteras at Odens dock in the bay… some big ones on streamers. Damn, it was fun.
Welcome back to choppertown, brought back some good memories for me too. Great video thanks for sharing
That style of beard looks cool on you. Keep it.
Awesome Video! Brought back memories of the late 80s getting into those big choppers out of Hempstead Harbor with my dad.
With the shades and the stash you make a great fish detective. Thanks for the video
Smaller Blues fillet on the grill with mayo !!
Elias you are the Man! No one on YT can do it like you Bro! Tight Lines man.
Yeah - Been fishing central NJ for 60 years. Been about 20 years since I was in a blitz like that. Hope they're back before I go. We would have a good blitz every two to three days 80s & 90s Sept till Thanksgiving.
Comparing those bluefish to what we saw back around 2013. What a difference. The bluefish back then looked anorexic. Those bluefish you got look very healthy and it shows what conservation can do after a rough few years. The industry has rebounded greatly after that very cold winter we had that killed a lot of reds and specks as well as other species. Great vid man.
These fish remind me of fishing with my D.O.D it the ‘70s. Good times I never thought would end. I’m in Florida now, but I think of him with every cast. Seize the day, everybody. Life isn’t long; it’s up to us to make it good!
I can watch bluefish fishing videos for hours.
I was waiting for the bluefish "war" story! If you catch enough of them, you are going to lose some blood!
Love your content you keep it simple.
when you called him green i could have sworn i heard the fish say 'kiss my blue ass' as he splashed lmao
That reminds me of my trips to Montauk! The light house!
Big blues in the mid Atlantic/ northeast never gets old! Electric action
Thanks Elias; Great nostalgia video Love those gator Blues,good to see a comeback with them ...Thanks for sharing
Fun day E! Good to find a blitz.
I'd wonder if any of those seagulls lose a foot diving on blue blitzes like that haha
Old timers told me they’d find them in bluefish stomachs occasionally.
Really enjoyed the video! Thanks for the filming!
Awesome trip back in time, all we need is the red yak, the tiny apartment, the hip friends, and the bad haircut and we’ll be back at the beginning.
nice seeing ya fishin by the whitestone....back in the day you could fill a boat up with giants...hope they are back
Love the northern videos... like old times 🤙🏻
You just reminded me of many years ago in Boston Harbor. Big Blue fish. We had an old frig converted to a smoker. Man did that fish taste good with a King Snedley Beer. Good times.
Loving this northeast trip. Great stuff.
You may be the best fisherman on TH-cam.
Being from Jersey brings back memories thanks Elias
Love those big blues, so much fun. I usually get them on the eastern end of Long Island, mid May timeframe.
You know in the OBX Taylor Blues are a dime a dozen,with a Gotcha plug- at the end of a pier.
That pink Elias shad is my favorite jigging soft plastic to use.
Crazy bluefish action. Send them to Brooklyn 😂😂😂🙌🎣
Great action! I think blue fish are pretty good eating; bleed them n ice right away, and use them asap. They def don't store/freeze well at all. As for the blitz, that's special. Last one i encountered was in an inlet in S Jersey, w/ some friends off the jetty. The water was super clean that day, and you could see them chase the lures. Pretty soon, the game was to try NOT to catch them....what a blast, and they were gator size too. Thanks for the vid!😁
Nice video! How do you get bluefish to bite the paddletail? What type of retrieve? On the surface or off the bottom?
Bro, I love the 70’s porno star moo-stache! Hope you had a nice time back in the ol’ Hood
I wish we had blues that big down here in NC. I did try a blue I caught earlier this year. Bled it and put in an ice bath. Cooked it on the grill for supper. I thought it was dang good.
Smaller ones can do well on the grill. These big ones I'd 100% pass on.
@@EliasVFishingsome old timers used to tell me that you could cook the cheeks and they were like scallops. Never tried them but the bluefish would blitz the lower Chesapeake in the late 70s , early 80s. Man , you got into one of those schools it was nonstop catching on every cast. Haven’t seen anything like it since then. Great day on the water Elias!
That white topwater, if not a knockoff, is a Heddon Zara Spook...our favorite topwater snook plug in west coast central Florida.
"Walk the dog."
Man, I wish the blues down here in Florida get even half that size, so jealous!!
Nice to see you back on the old stomping grounds ...
Man you could have had a RIDICULOUS thumbnail and title involving that helicopter and it wouldn't have even been a stretch
The last time I saw them here in North Carolina it was about six years ago Easter Sunday. We caught them all night long and all day on everything and then they were gone. Biggest one was 14.
Blue fish are my favorite fish to catch. When you get into a good blitz you'll be tired out after 5 fish or so
Would love to see what Mario could with bluefish ... maybe change some opinions... the lake trout smoking video were awesome
Being from long Island I miss Smoked Bluefish.
...the helicopter bite!
The mustache goes hard, lol!
Those ate some serious blues
pumped to see you making some long island videos again!
Was a great visit 👍
I have never seen blues this big.
One of the best eating fish there is down here in nw fl
I wish ours got that big
I found a White, walk the dog, lure like that one hanging from a tree limb in a creek in the Ouachita Mountains!
I miss fishing city island waters i moved to Georgia and theres no were to fish over here it sucks 😞
This year's class of LiS bluefish is wild, snapped a tuna rod on one that decided to go wacky on me
Those are legit Slammers> Great words " Don't take these fish for granted and respect the fish" . AMEN.
More words of wisdom " you don't want two sets of trebles with Bluefish"
There's actually a commercial fishery for bluefish now. Some company is making cat food out of them.
Brah, you landed right on top of 'em. Big, Strong Fish.
Welcome back to the northeast 😊
Wow man, those Blues are huge compared to anything I’ve caught in Swansboro
We used to go out on the party boats out of Brielle and Belmar, and by 11-12 o'clock we'd be tired of catching the blues.
That fishing held up for most of the spring, summer and fall.
It hasn't been like that in a few years now.
Hit or miss at best.
This year they're back a little bit, but most of the trips ive only seen small fish.
Most of the time they switch over to bottom fishing or mackerel after a couple hours of hunting for blues.
I miss the old days.
Those suckers would wear you out like nothing else around here.
Hopefully that part of the coast gets them back next.
That was an awesome trip and video
Nice to see you in the north east! What month was this?
Sick bluefish bite. Happy to see you back in NY waters. What do you think fight harder, blues or reds?
I think reds are more powerful overall.
Yellow eyed devils…..I know a lot of people who think they’re a nuisance but you can’t argue that they’re fun to catch
Thanks Elias
So well said. Never take it for granted.
Well done crushing barbs and removing trebles. You’re always fun to watch !
issa big o brufish!!!
You spin me right round bluey right round...
I know you like fishing more then anything but you gotta get a drone for these blitz
Now that was an epic freaking day
Fun to watch!
The Bronx ! Where did you launch out of ?
Doesn't get more fun than that!!
Always good stuff 👍
Them are some big azz blue fish!