Fishing a Blitz

What is a blitz?  Websters does not have a definition.  But in short, when large concentrations of bait stack up tight to the beach or in large pods, they will attract stripers and blues.  Sometimes by the hundreds and sometimes by the thousands, depending on how thick the bait schools become.  Once the bait is either trapped against the shoreline or surrounded by the larger marauding fish, the Blitz has started.  The larger fish are swimming through the bait, gorging themselves.  A blitz can be as small as a baseball infield or as large as 4 football fields.  It all depends on the bait and timing. 

Got Birds?  The first sign of a blitz might be increased bird activity.  I don't know any fisherman whose pulse does not quicken when they spot the birds and the splashes.  They are a sure sign that some action has begun.  Some blitzes will begin without them but the terns, gulls and even cormorants will show up to feast on the leftovers and fleeing bait fish. 

Click on the link below to view the birds in action.

Now you are calling every cell phone number in your contact list.  "Birds!  Birds! I see birds working the rip!."  Now you're either grinding the gears as you race to park the truck or you are sprinting through the sand in 3MM neoprene, tripping over your surf bag trying to get to the spot.  They are 25 yards out and all you need to do is pitch a lure or a fly.  The blitz is on...

Click on one of the links below to view a blitz in action.

The blitz may not be within your casting range for very long so you need to be prepared.  To enjoy the blitz to its fullest, here are some things to think about.

Tackle - The first thing a surf fisherman needs to successfully fish a blitz is good working tackle.  It does not necessarily need to be the best, it just needs to be dependable and work as it was intended.  A surf fisherman's tackle will be tested on every cast and hook up during a blitz. 

- Keep reels well oiled, check your rod guides for chips and cracks, and make sure your drag is set properly and is not sticky.  A sticky drag acts likes ABS breaks which will result in broken line or worse, a broken reel.

- After landing a fish, check your leader as well as your line for nicks or scrapes.  If blues are in the blitz, check the line regularly.  Bluefish are ferocious when blitzing and will bite at will and at anything, including line.  When using a lures, replace treble hooks with strong single hooks.  This modification will help you release a fish quicker so you can get back into the action.  It will also do less damage to the fish.

- Use a rod that is at least 9-10 foot feet long to maximize casting distance. While the blitz may come in close to the shoreline, you want to be able to reach it when it's further out.

- Tight lines!  Keep the pressure on the fish and make sure your line is tight to the fish.  Don't give the fish the advantage.

Working the Blitz - Cast accurately. Blitzes can draw a crowd of fishermen and it can quickly turn into a petting zoo so be careful not to cast across your neighbor's line.  The last thing you need to be doing during a blitz is untwisting lines or worse, breaking line off.  Although blind casts into the middle of the school will produce fish, there are advantages of placing your cast.

Try to cast in front of or to the side of the main body of the school, and move the lure away from the school, as if it were fleeing.  No baitfish, even in a panic mode, is going to charge into a school of feeding game fish, and the stripers and blues know this. 

I’ve had errant casts go over a school of voraciously feeding bluefish, and the lure was not touched until it passed through the school and was “running away" from the main body of the blitz.

During a blitz, bluefish are often mixed in with the stripers. Both the bluefish and the younger, more aggressive stripers will be on top.
The larger fish will usually hang below the marauding masses and pick off the scraps as they sink.  If possible, try to get your lure down under the frenzy and to the fish below.

Another reason to “lead the fish” with the cast is to reduce break-offs, caused not from the hooked fish, but from its
brethren. During a blitz, especially a bluefish blitz, it is important to move your fish away from the main body of the school.
If the school gets between you and the fish, you decrease your chances of getting your tackle back. I have fished in blitzes, where I broke this rule and lost lures because of it. 

I was once fishing a 9 foot conventional surf rod spooled with 14 pound-test line, a 95lb barrel swivel with a 30lb test fluorocarbon leader attached.  I tried bringing a fish in through the main body of the school and lost a favorite plug.  My line was cleanly clipped.  A reminder of how bluefish keep the lure makers and tackle shops in business.

Lure Choice - Matching the hatch doesn't seem so important when fishing a blitz. The fish are in a feeding frenzy and will hit almost anything.  While teasers would be very effective, I don't use them.  They will add some drag and reduce casting distance. With a teaser, you might hook a double header but it will be tough getting them through the blitz. 

Use lures that can be cast quickly and can be thrown far when needed.  Metal lures, pencil poppers and bucktail jigs
are all good choices but are not necessarily the end all lures.  During a blitz, it is a good time to try experimenting with different lures, flies and lines.  Try different retrieves.  Be aware that the fish may be stacked in like cord wood and you could foul hook a fish if your retrieve is too fast.