When all else fails, there's always bluefish
RON NUZZOLO Fish On
Blues and more blues. With rain and winds blowing for most of the week, anglers moved around in pursuit of those big bass they have been hearing about. The weather messed things up for the most part. Rain and steady winds mudded the bay waters up pretty good. Anglers are trying all different techniques from bait to the troll only to pick fights with big bluefish. It seemed that the blues were everywhere and to get to the bass you needed to fight the blues. For all of us, this is a good problem to have.

The bluefish always gets a bad rap, but when you stop and think about it they are always a trip saver. For a beginner, the bluefish will build your confidence and wear you down at the same time. Pound for pound they are the top contender in the bay. I know most of us have memories that will last a lifetime thanks to the bluefish. If it weren't for the bluefish, most of us might not be hooked on fishing.Youmight bemowing the lawn or waxing your car instead. You might not have had those priceless moments with your kids, friends and family.

When all else fails we love them when we are fighting them and hate them when they don't show up. They can turn the worst day of fishing into the best in matter of minutes. So many of us have had our share of fighting these relentless predators that we just want something different. Weakfish and striped bass are more sought after because they are a bettertasting fish and tougher to find. If it were just as easy to catch a bass, then we would want something else to pursue. In all, this is what makes the sport so great. The thought of not knowing, the possibilities of hooking into a trophy fish is what keeps us going.

Over the years as we play catch and release with these fish I can't help but think what if we did the same on all species? Would the bay be loaded with just as many bass, weakfish, flounder and fluke? This is just a thought.

I'm very thankful we have a huge variety of fish all year round in our waters and thankful the bluefish stocks are healthier than ever. Fish on.