MONSTER Beach Bluefish to 20 Pounds! 

John you have no idea how much I needed that. I used to hit the banks spring and fall for the migration. And used to be forced to taking breaks from fighting fish. There were thousands of blues caught in their 20's. Unfortunately I also got to see that all go away in the 80's and had my doubts I would ever get to see the fishery even get close to that again. Seeing you do this does some good to my soul that nothing else can replace. Thanks for sharing! Your friend is right, they do chase each other. I've watched them fighting over the plugs and had one pick up the back hook and have second get the front hook trying to steal it away. I usually used a short steel line to prevent being cut off by the other fish doing that. Vicious fish they are! Love em!

Watching this on my porch on July 3rd, 2022. Fireworks going off, just relaxing. That 1081L blank was my go to north shore rod for a long time. Great Bomber blank (showing my age). Can’t imagine a 20lb bluefish on that rod

A cracking session John. Super quality fish. Thanks for sharing .

Love watching ur vids John, wish we had that kind of action...no blues here off the Pacific Coast.

First time I see you fishing with many people around 👍👍 nice video

My arm is tired from watching that. Great stuff John.

Good fishing , another great video . Thank you.

You couldn't pay me to go swimming near those absolutely tankzilla monsters. Awesome video!

Such awesome action! Thabks for that video, I didn't get out much this year and I think I missed the last of it in RI. Going out monday and tuesday, hoping to run into some big blues before they're gone!

WOW

Another awesome vid! 💯💪👊LET'S GO!!!

When he's walking over with the fish at 9:00, you'd swear it was a bass based on the size and body shape. Those are proper fall fish.

Small world! I used to see Stan all the time and went to RPFS all the time as I grew up in RP. Heard Stan moved to FL, in part bc of getting frustrated with increasingly restrictive North Shore beach access. Stan loved his Penn 710 and as far as I knew, always used 10lb mono. Guy was a master.

Hello. Great bluefish fishing! Do you protect the leader or do you attache it directly to the popper? Awesome video👍

We are blessed to have such great fish available in public waters and from shore no less. I've been fortunate to fish a lot of places around the world and eastern LI ranks among the best places I've ever fished. Also, bluefish populations tend to be cyclical in nature and one would do well to target the big fish we have around now, because they may suddenly be scarce for a decade.

What keeps a man casting over and over, immediately after releasing 20lb Bluefish? 'I JUST KNOW THERE IS A 30 IN THERE SOMEWHERE... I just know it!' Awesome stuff John.

Love you videos dude.... I live in NJ and just started salt water fishing this year in the summer... Love it! Keep up the good work... What video editing software do you use? I'm looking for one but not sure what to get....

John, Another great video. Rather comprehensive and concise yet very entertaining as always. I do have one question. Always very upfront on exactly what tackle your using which is wonderful. I would like to know what kind/ make /camera setup you're using. Thanks in advanced John.

I don't know why people don't like catching bluefish. I'll take them any day..FUN!

I have always enjoyed your videos ,thank you for all the info's , can you tell me about your set up please?

20 lb, that is an awesome fish, in Florida when they catch a 5 pounder, they go crazy. LOL Great fishing and I wish all got at least one that day.

A school like this went through Brigantine Nj a few years back and it was the same thing every cast was a 12# plus blue the biggest I had was 17 # what a fun day Ill never forget it. I still have the two salt pro's I was throwing hanging up in my shop those lures look like they went through hell and back!

Hey so how do you know how to find the bunker??

I'm thinking how does that spot fish at night? Looks like a good spot for wake luring for bass.

Big Game is the best line of all time!

Great vid john was that dawn or dusk?

@John Skinner Fishing ....was your drag tightened all the way down for this trip? .....do you recommend tightening the drag all the way?

Awesome footage!Your popper rule ok! ;)

It was a super hunt.

The guy in the background at 6:23... Someone get that guy a fighting chair!

What a session, my elbow and shoulder got worn out just watching you pull on those biggins.

Ohhh, that is one fine reel. Out of my budget! However, I just picked up a Penn Spinfisher VI 5500 so I think that will suffice. Your rod isn't coming up. I realize this is an older vid, and the rod is an older custom, but as you mention it was a little whippy, I'm guessing it's in the ML category. Wonder if I should be going with MH for this application. Thanks! I've learned so much from your channel.

The fella u mentioned who built that rod he has since retired and now works at field and stream ?

Wow, never knew there was that kinda fishing up there on the east coast.

Congrats #GOAT

Where on the east end ? Looks like southold

Great fighting fish blues...glad people don't like em...great fun. My first video in back bay Sea Isle..Sea Isle City Blues...lighter tackle several of these 20 lbers...exhausting...all on Sluggos!

I have an ugly stick 9' medium for 1 to 3 Oz lure heavy and a chimano 4500 spinning reel what spider wire line you recommend, 30 lb or 50 lb braid

Where have you been I wanted to watch videos of your fishing making me jealous

Sorry, didn't catch the water temp. what was the water temp?

Hey John, Are you like me, and prefer a Palomar knot to a clinch knot pretty much every time? If so, there's an easy way to attach your braid to your leader with a Palomar knot on each side of the swivel. Reply if you're interested.

Nice.. that's a gator right there

Do soft plastics and buck tails work as well as frozen or live baits?or should they only be used if you don't have real bait?

I caught a few blue fish yesterday off port Jeff harbor. They did however break my line and take my skinner bucktail!! Do you recommend using wire leader?

What location is this?

Tebrikler 👏👏👏

Man wish we could catch bluefish(we call them tailor) in Australia that big regularly

In South Africa we love Blue fish we call them Shad here, we never throw them back we eat them, so much so that they are protected now, with a seasonal bag of only 2 fish!

Are you fishing on Long Island

Hey John, do you by any chance know what ever happened to Stan's shop in rocky point? i notice its been boarded up the last 2 years or so.

3 and 4 lb Blues are Tasty and Fun on the North West Gulf Coast. ( Florida ) Super nice Fish. Great Vid !!! Thank You Sir. How Awesome is a no BS 20 lb. ?!?? =)

JSF is this a recent video. Should I make time to go out.

maybe we will get some action on the jersey shore soon

He was also, a big Lamiglass fan.

How many yards would you say you was casting

They are called elf in South Africa.We can only dream of elf fishing like this!

...could do wonders with a Rebel swimmer too.

whoa!

I grew up in Rocky Point and worked at stans That Gsb is perhaps the best all around rod ever Had mine stolen now I have to make a new one

Do you still use the original talkin popper or just the XD version since its come out.

Blues are fun but if you're day boat fishing you better have that rod in a GOOD holder or you'll turn around and it'll be in the drink

Great spot I know it

What year was this video?

I'll second that WOW. Looks like a great place to catch asian crabs.

Hi John, waz this near Orient Point?

WOW YOU GUYS STILL BANGIN THEM DOWN THERE KOOL REALLY NICE FISH BELIEVE IT OR NOT LOVE BLUE FISH TO EAT SOME CALL THEM TRASH FISH NOT I GOOD EATIN GUYS .

The big bluefish blitzes of the '90s and early 2000s no longer seem to be occurring; anecdotal on my part of course. No longer present are the sunlit 20 pound wave runners of October. Must be (hopefully) cyclical as my other thought pertains to the overall health of the stocks of bluefish and striped bass. Post-Superstorm Sandy, the bass stocks seemed to have enjoyed a breather with much of 2012's fall run cut short from Sandy's disruptive influence. Then even the surge which rolled through into the fall of 2016 kinda dwindled down after that.

Great blues! Remove the front treble. Safer for you, easier on the fish.

My biggest to date was 22lb in Raritan bay Nj

Best lure was and still is a Roberts Ranger,a tear drop shaped wooden lure that's encased in plastic which has more action on top than any popper devised.Killed them in 1970,will do the same in 2017 and beyond.

how do you get to these spots

Anybody notice he wasnt holding the line inbetween his thumb and forefinger😁

I wish jersey was that clear...

Its been over a month since i have caught consistently like that. I'm getting depressed.

Yea I found the spot nice

Your in my spot LOL you picked a great year to move to the north fork

Nice! Check out the water clarity, nevermind the belly!

I'll take a dozen blues like that over one big bass that's just me

I was in similar action last week, Looks like someone has bass thumb!

!!!!

ugh, bluefish

Thanks John a true fisherman.......what beach was that.....

u can share that spot? if u don't mind

there be whales captain

with a 700$ reel the fish should just jump on it right......

I always love your videos, but dare I say that was a little long? On the talking pppers I use for blues, I favor a single siwash at the back, it makes unhooking faster. Also this past spring I did as well perhaps better with a bucktail and a 70 sea strip on it. After a number of fish there was no hair on the jig, so it was just a lead head and the pork rind. Was hooking up like crazy