Tournament Brings Out the Blues

• The summertime blues, blue skies, blue crabs and bluefish are all part of the late summer fishing smorgasboard. Bluefish action will only improve between now and late fall, when cold water temperatures drive them off shore and south for the winter.
• This year blues have been present throughout the region in good numbers and in a wide range of size classes, with a higher than usual number of big, mid-teen sized choppers being reported from area shops since late May.
• This weekend thousands of fishermen will be scouring the waters of Long Island Sound in search of the largest bluefish, a monster menhaden chopper that could be worth $20,000 in Connecticut's longest running bluefish contest, "The Worlds Greatest Bluefish Tournament" which is celebrating its 25th birthday this summer.
• This major event is limited strictly to the waters of Long Island Sound, so don't expect to find a parking place at state launch ramps or very much room on the major reefs and bluefishing grounds, especially in the western end of Long Island Sound where most of the participants will be concentrated.
• This event, which was started in 1982 by WICC Radio in Bridgeport has thousands of participants kicking in the $35 entry fee which buys them a t-shirt and a chance at the big bucks with a hook set into the right fish.
• This year should be interesting, particularly, for anglers fishing in this end of the Sound. In the past, most of the tournament winners have come from contestants fishing in the western half of the Sound. I can only recall one first-place winner from this area a woman named Rendiero, daughter of a well- known Stonington commercial fisherman who caught a first place bluefish off Wicopessett Passage during the early or mid 1990's.
• With a couple of exceptions when there were not many big blues in the Sound, it has taken monsters weighing 18 to 19 pounds to capture the first-place cash.
• Even though many anglers talk about catching or seeing 20-pound bluefish, the fact is 20-pounders are very rare as this huge event has proven over the years. When working for the state of Connecticiut on their marine recreational anglers survey during the late 70's and mid 80's, I can only recall weighing in two or three bonafide 20-pound bluefish out of many thousands of fish measured during this major survey.
• This year, due to the presence of adult menhaden in the Thames River since May, Captain Jack Balint of the Fish Connection said there are potential prize winning bluefish right here in the Thames River. He said they've seen bluefish weighing 17-pounds recently at the shop and there's more big choppers in the river to catch.
• Jack added some sage advice for anglers looking to catch their $20,000 bluefish in the Race. Due to the fact that the flat, fishable water stacks up "in front" of the rips when the tide is running, the ebb tide, the best one to fish in the Race is the time to hit these riled waters. But be aware, the border line is a straight shot from Gull Island to Race Point, so if you cross it while playing a fish or get sucked through the rips, you may be disqualified. So fish honestly and wisely both in the Race and the Fishers Island / Watch Hill Reef Complex.
• The key to winning this year's event will be finding a school of menhaden that is being preyed on by jumbo choppers, live lining or tossing fresh cut chunks into the fray and being lucky enough to hook that fabled 19 or 20- pounder, which is what I think it will take to go home with a check for $20,000 this year.
• Bluefish Trivia:
  
• Swimmers have been bitten by bluefish in Connecticut waters. In all cases the victims were swimming in schools of bait (menhaden) that had bluefish feeding on them --- a very stupid move to begin with.
• The red band of muscle on a bluefish's side is what gives them their incredible endurance and long term fighting ability, while the white meat muscle provides short burst speed.
• This red muscle also adds to their strong flavor.
• It is possible to smell a school of bluefish. There is a distinct "cucumber like" scent with a hint of fishyness to it in the air, that is easily recognizable once its been experienced.
• Big "chopper" bluefish earned this name because they can take cookie cutter like bites out of a two pound bunker, another bluefish, fluke, or small striped bass. I even saw one bite a small, but legal sized blackfish in half a few years ago in the lower Thames River.
• Eating Bluefish
• For the best quality bluefish fillets, keep smaller rather than larger fish for the pan, one to three pounders are the best.
• Bleed any fish you plan to take home and ice them immediately.
• Remove the red muscle from fillets.
• To minimize any PCB's or other bad stuff from the meat don't eat belly meat, remove the skin from all fillets and broil or cook over an open fire so the meat is not sitting in juices. (Bob Sampson)