Pomatomus saltatrix
Are you looking for bluefish? They are found in temperate and subtropical waters around the world. They are also known as tailor, shad, elf, chopper, and anchoa. Bluefish are sport fish, but they have been overfished in various areas. Restrictions have been established, however, and have helped to rebuild bluefish populations. Bluefish are often caught and used as live bait for tuna and shark. They have a powerful bite and are incredible fighters.
Bluefish can reach a length of 45 inches and live up to 12 years. The average fish measures 30 inches and weighs up to 25 lbs. They are greenish blue with silver sides and a white belly. Bluefish reproduce during the spring and summer months, and most fish begin spawning by age 2. Spawning takes place offshore, and then the juveniles move inshore. Juvenile bluefish also grow quickly.
The fish have a pointed snout with a large mouth. The lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw with sharp, triangular shaped teeth which serve this predatory fish. Bluefish eat a variety of other fish and invertebrates. Their primary diet consists of sardines, weakfish, mackerel, spotted sea trout, croaker, and squid. It is common for them to strike at any object in the water, and the species is a cannibalistic one known to eat smaller bluefish.
Bluefish are aggressive eaters and are extremely strong. They attack schools of fish and continue to charge even when full. Bluefish are known to chase and attack fish in very shallow water. Their habit for attacking makes handling these fish dangerous, and attacks on humans have occurred.
Bluefish migrate along the Atlantic coast, traveling north in the spring and south in the fall. The abundance of fish is cyclical based on migration.
