I fish Narragansett Bay from my kayak and everything rel mentions in his post is right on.
In the kayak, I stick with the 8wt and just vary the lines, pretty much the same as he says. When fishing from shore, I'd have a back-up 10wt. in case the wind is up.
In a boat a 10wt might be handy if you're casting heavy grain lines.
You don't need a fancy reel, just something that won't blow up when the drag is singing.
Summer season is tough. The water is warm and the oxygen level is low. But if you're planning to fish the bay from late August through the fall, plan on fishing the bluefish blitz.
Blues will corral the bait, usually peanut bunker (immature menhaden), pushing them up to trap them on the surface. Then they'll rip through the bait in a feeding frenzy until the bait school breaks up or some numskull in a powerboat puts them down.
Then they'll reform, push the bait, and do it again, usually far enough away that you need to keep an eye open for where they went.
Contrary to popular opinion, bluefish can be very selective due to their excellent eyesight, so you need to push their buttons. They like "fast food". The best way to entice them is to try to play keep away. You can't move that fly fast enough.
You're going to need wire. 4 inches is enough. A heavy mono shock tippet is a waste of time and flies.
Flies should be tied to be tough or you can use old beat-up flies or rejects. Blues will tear them up anyway.
Poppers are the most fun. Gurglers are cheap and easy. Just use superglue at each step when tying them
Last edited by dudley; 07-23-2011 at 05:39 PM.
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
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