While there are plenty of bluefish to go around throughout Delaware Bay, a couple of spots hold bluefish throughout the summer. One such spot is Brandywine Light. The ship channel passing through the bay and eventually into the Delaware River varies in depth between 35 and 50 feet. Brandywine Shoal rises up to 4 feet, jutting out into the channel and creating a sizeable amount of turbulent water.

This area holds large amounts of forage fish, which attract all types of predators, such as stripers, weakfish and drum, in addition to a mixed bag of blues, ranging from 1- to 2-pound choppers to 10- to 15-pound slammers. Most fishermen will use cut baits for the blues when they are not feeding on the surface. But it's not uncommon to see blues surface-feeding early and late in the day.

FIVE FATHOM BANK
For our second pick, let's travel several miles out of Cape May Inlet to the Five Fathom Bank, which lies in the middle of several bluefish hotspots, including the South Shoal and Codfish Lump, both of which have similar characteristics.

Around these two areas, some sections of the bottom are shallower than the surrounding waters. This makes them ideal holding spots for forage fish and thus, excellent feeding grounds for gluttonous bluefish.

The Five Fathom Bank is right on the edge of deep water. During any given year, it's not uncommon to see blue water moving along the bank's outer edge. When that blue water arrives, it brings bluefin tuna, dolphin and albacore, often boated by bluefish anglers as an added bonus.

Boats sailing from Cape May, Delaware Bay ports and lower state ports such as Ocean City, all fish this area. Like some of the other places we're highlighting here, the Five Fathom Bank is both a daytime and evening hotspot. Being located in the more southerly portion of the state, it receives the first schools of blues in spring, most of which swim through the area on their way to northern hotspots.

Once the first schools of blues move on and the waters warm up, other bluefish will move into the area for good and stay right through the summer. Most of these fish found at the Bank will range in size from 5 pounds to 15 pounds and up.

MANASQUAN INLET AREA
Turning to central state picks, anglers chasing bluefish have several choices. But one place that stands out is the Manasquan Inlet.

If you enjoy light-tackle fishing, or want to get some youngsters hooked on fishing, the Manasquan Inlet is a top bet.

Blues start moving into the inlet and river in the spring. The Manasquan River/Inlet is unique in that it is flows past the north end of the Point Pleasant Canal, which runs from the Manasquan River into the top of Barnegat Bay, north of the Metedeconk River. Blues that swim into the Manasquan River move into not only the river, but also the canal, upper Barnegat Bay and the Metedeconk River.

Several areas of the Manasquan will provide great bluefish action. The first is at the mouth of the canal where there's an 18-foot hole. Boats launching in the upper bay or at the free launches on the canal and at the end of Bay Avenue can usually find cocktail blues (12 inches to 3 pounds) feeding at the mouth of the canal.