The Native Titan 10.5 may be touted as a bass rig first and foremost, but let’s be honest, for those living in the Northeast, it’s also a great fishing yak for bluefish.
Now, bluefish are remarkably cooperative whenever they’re in the area, and can be even easy to catch.
Plus, this super-stable, fast, powerful yak is a great one to take in the salt (for those very reasons).
And now is the time to get in the surf looking for bluefish. Here’s how to target them from your Native Titan 10.5.
When and Where to Fish for Bluefish
Bluefish are present along the surf in the Northeast from May until October in the mid-Atlantic states. They show up and leave a little later and earlier (respectively) in New England.
They tend to follow schools of bait along the surf and congregate around inlets where they can feast on bait buffeted by the tides.
You can catch bluefish all day, but they tend to be most active during the low light hours of dawn and dusk.
During these low light times of the day, take your Native Titan 10.5 into the wash, as the bluefish will be gravitating towards shallower water. You can also focus on inlets as there will likely be bluefish there.
What to Throw and How
Now that you have some general notes on where to find bluefish, here are some techniques for catching them.
- Live and cut bait: Live and cut bait, including bunker, spearing, killies, minnows, eels, squid, and clams can all be effective for bluefish. Remember to use circle hooks in any areas required. If you experience a lot of break-offs, consider switching to a wire leader. These rigs can be fished on the bottom or allowed to drift with the current. Live-lining can also be effective.
- Metals: Metals, including spoons and diamond jigs, are among the most effective and high-performance of all lures used to target bluefish. Catching a bluefish on a metal is as simple as casting and retrieving as quickly as possible. This is called “burning” a lure. There are other effective techniques with metals, but a straight retrieve also offers proven performance. If you see an area where bluefish are feeding, cast a spoon or jig into the blitz and bring it back as quickly as possible. The other great thing about targeting bluefish with metals is that they won’t be able to do much damage to the lure.
- Plugs: Plugs, including diving plugs and poppers, can be very effective against bluefish. Straight, twitching and stop-and-go-retrieves can be effective, fished in much the same manner as spoons and jigs. Plugs are also popular because they are usually made of synthetics or wood, both of which materials are relatively tough.
- Soft baits: Soft baits, such as Gulp Swimming Mullet and Slug-Go lures, can be effective when rigged on a jighead or a bucktail. These can also be used with a straight retrieve, but a darting retrieve or hopping the lure across the bottom can be effective. Soft plastics are often popular because they are versatile and the scents can help improve catch rate. The one drawback to soft baits is that it’s easy for bluefish to destroy them.
Why the Native Titan 10.5 Is a Great Yak for Bluefishing
While there are lots of things that make a Native Titan 10.5 a great kayak for targeting bluefish in the salt, there are two main things that sell it for this application.
One is the space paired with stability. This is a wide-open yak that has a lot of room for essential tackle, and is stable enough to fight and land big fish without the risk of rolling.
Second, and most important, is power. This kayak is equipped with a powerful Propel pedal drive system that makes it effortless to cover a lot of water in short order. This is essential for targeting bluefish as they are highly itinerant, cruising species that don’t really stay in one place for long – they follow the bait.
