The 3 Blitzes

[Stripercoast1]

We all see them, birds thick above them, water splashing every where and bait flying out of the water. How many know that there are actually 3 different types with distinct personalities?

First is the Bluefish only.
This is the one that is least predictable. Bluefish will circle under the school of bait, as I have witnessed while scuba diving, and drive the bait to the surface. They concentrate and herd the bait, while pods break off to feed. Bluefish do not need to trap the bait, and therefore will stay out in deep water as long as they can keep the school controlled. It is when the bait gets an opportunity to break out of the corral that they move into the shoreline as the bait seeks the protection of structure or shallow water.

Bluefish blitzes will happen in shallow water and surf zones when the bait is either found there, or when the bluefish gain control there.
Bluefish blitzes are characterized by mixes of shorebirds more than any other and not dependant on the size of the bait. Bluefish cut everything up and the smaller birds are able to feed on bait they normally would not be able to pick up. For the most part, with occaisional exceptions, the birds do not land on the water, and the Cormorants will vacate the area as they too can be targets of the razor blades in the Yellow eyed devils mouths.
Another indicator of Blues is the splash of the tail on the surface. Its more of a snap, usually smaller than the boil of a Bass. Bluefish seem to become airborn more than Bass, with the exception of small bass. Blues will target the bait by leaving the water and coming down on top of them.

Bass only blitzes differ from blues in a few ways.
The birds tend to be larger, as Bass do not cut up the bait. Unless of course the bait is small, then the smaller birds will be in the mix as well. Look for birds sitting in the water waiting for bait to get chased to the surface. The birds are not woried about losing a foot to a Bass. It is also not uncommon to see the Cormorants swimming in the mix of the whole thing either.
Bass will also corral the bait at the surface, but tend to push the school toward structure. They use sand bars, reefs, and shallow areas to hold the bait against to make feeding easier.

Bass will sometimes leave the water as they chase the bait from below, not usually like a blue to target the bait from above. The splashes of Bass are usually larger and more of a boil, as the larger tail of a Bass throws water with more power. Bass will also slap the bait with its tail to stun them before feeding as well.
It is not uncommon for Bass to be in the wash of the first wave on a beach feeding, while blues tend to stay in the deeper runs between the outer sand bars of the second, third or fourth wave. It still amazes me how shallow a large bass will go when feeding. Litterally seeing half the fish exposed above the water, is not uncommon. I've been bumped while standing less than waist deep while fishing.

The mixed blitz, is usually created by a Bluefish feed with the Bass working the fringe and below.
This one can be tough to read and most times fisherman will mistake it for a Bluefish only Blitz. If your wanting the Bass, you need to get below the Blues, or stay down current from them. The Bass are usually picking up the head chunks, especially with large bait, that the Blues do not eat.
The appearance of the Blitz is usually the same as a blues only, with the birds hovering rather than landing, sometimes you will see ths Cormorants following behind the school feeding amongst the Bass.

This one is hit or miss, as you will have to work to get past ole razor lips to get to the ones with the sand paper mouth. If the blitz is on the beach, fish the wash at the shoreline, a bucktail being a good choice, and if it's a mix thats where the Bass will be.

Although situations differ from time to time, and I have seen schools of Blues and Bass swimming side by side during a feed, these examples are a good guideline to start with.
Happy hunting, and remember subsurface blitzs on Bass can be had hours after the Blues have left, as the Bass come in and clean up the heads left by the Blues. Another interesting thing I learned with a jug of air on my back.

[surfwalker]

I have experienced the “mixed blitz” you mention on many occasions. I get excited when I see a blue blitz, not for the anticipation of catching blues, but to see if I can get under them or stay behind the blitz and pick up some casual Bass that are following them. I don’t run after a blues blitz, but rather casually walk behind using a metal, bucktail, shad or teaser. I stay out of the blitz and actually hope a blue doesn’t hit my offering so I can get under them, crazy, not wanting to hook a fish in order to catch a fish. While others are done casting to the blues as it rapidly passes, I work the water low, in close as mentioned and have been rewarded many times with Bass, for quite a while. The Bass aren’t always underneath, but it sure is fun trying to find out. Good read, some times we take things for granted.

[7deadlyplugs]

Very nice and informative to see it all laid out like that. I like the mixed blitz because I feel it is more intense, the bass are there but you have to be clever if you want one. Thanks very much for sharing stripercoast.

[DarkSkies]

I would have to pick the mixed blitz because many people don't know how to read it. They will think it's pure bluefish because of the frothing and the carnage, and run for miles down a beach after it until their arms are tired from catching many bluefish. That's great too, I love big bluefish.

The real treat is staying behind, plugging steadily, or bucktailing. The more carnage there was, the better chance of a bigger bass being picked up as they slowly cruise the troth looking for those abundant scraps. Great post, Ed!

[lostatsea]

Fantastic read stripercoast1, thanks for sharing this with us.

[Monty]

Great post. This is an area I really need to work on, when bass are cleaning up after the blues.

[buckethead]

I think you nailed the dynamics of the blitzes there. Thanks for posting that, very helpful.

[basshunter]

I usually keyed in on the bluefish, now based on your breaking it down I see that I could do better. Good read.

[Stripercoast1]

As always, situations cause me to think about things, and fishing the night before I posted that, caused that.
With the onset to the fall run you will see all 3 situations at the same time. That was what happened that night/morning. With 3 visible schools of crashing fish, I identifyed 1 as Bass only, by the way the birds were working the school.
Watch for it, and it will help you save some time and tackle.

[cowherder]

Thank you stripercoast, that was a very informative read.