Bluey, otherwise known as Pacific Garfish, or Suary (think that’s how you spell it). I can honestly say ‘Yes’ John, but they are a controversial subject for sure. I have found them particularly good for bagging on small fish… dabs, whiting and small spurs in particular. I have also had some good rays on them. But, they are no super-bait, rather they are just another option. First off, most people do not use them correctly: for rays it is best to chunk them straight through the backbone; thereafter pushing the hook through the bone and flesh to keep what is a ‘soft’ fish bait on the hook. Worm/bluey tippets work very well for dabs, whiting and small codling. To get the best out of blueys ‘off the bone’: remove the fillets and generously salt the flesh 15 minutes before use. After that, cut baits to desired sizes and you are in business. I have also had decent numbers of flounders from the shore on worm tipped bluey and straight bluey.
The big question many anglers want answered without bias is: Are blueys better than mackerel? The truth, in my experience, is sometimes yes, but certainly not to any blanket degree. Time, place, situation, species, previous experience and confidence should all be factored into any potential application equation. Like all baits treat them as an option not any magic answer. Like I have said to lots of anglers, white ragworm, maddies and edible peelers etc can be brilliant at times in certain situations. At other times you will generally outfish them with more mundane offerings. Blueys will have their moments and their advocates; equally they will have their blanks and detractors. I say that both takes are valid so long as the standpoint is based on actual experience.
Shaun took a few down to MOG last year, by the time I/we got some they were mush… But the skin in very small pieces, worked brill for Black Bream,.... as did tiny bits of rag…we didnt tell them that tho’...LOL specially when they started casting into my boat!!!!
i would agree with what steve said , they are not the pinnacle of the bait world but do have a place in my bait bag caught many small species with them but also a few decent spurs
my brother got this near 15 pounder on bluey tail a few weeks ago…
After all the heated debate I thought I had to give em a try and found I had a problem keeping it on the hook, bit like trying to nail jelly to a tree. Frankly with all the alternatives available I would not bother again.
Having used them last week up in Iceland I suspect that a lot of the problems are caused by the handling in the UK. Best way to use them seems to be to thread the hook through the two sides so that they hang in a U shape rather than trying to thread them up the shank like mackerel.
I’d go with what Stevie says too, the salting tip is a good one.
I’ve found that they can make the differance between catching and blanking when thornie fishing on the west coast. Some days they catch…some they don’t and it macky the fish want.
something to have in the box ,but when you can fill a freezer full of mackie in a wee boat session for not a lot of money ,they will for me be a bait of last resort when nothing else works,apart from when i am after rays because for rays they are KILLER
Hiya, I was wayyy up the west coast a couple of weeks ago, and on one of my recces, on another loch, met a couple of Pike Anglers, who swear by them, they had a cool box jammed with the things,...the only thing they complained about was the price, they had them in big bags of six, and cost around £6.50, they were much bigger Blueys than I have seen before tho….
Hiya, I was wayyy up the west coast a couple of weeks ago, and on one of my recces, on another loch, met a couple of Pike Anglers, who swear by them, they had a cool box jammed with the things,...the only thing they complained about was the price, they had them in big bags of six, and cost around £6.50, they were much bigger Blueys than I have seen before tho….
the cheapest i have seen them are baits direct at £2 pound for two ,bigger than the baitbox ones ,i think it was on a trip to sunart one of the lads had 4 rays on the same bait before he had to change it ,they do seem to work for the rays
I`ll log in to the other chit- chat forum and tell you wot I`ve been up to in mid-Pacific for the past week or so.
Since I`ve managed to login from the only IE PC on the island, I thought I`d add to the thoughts about `Blueys`!! SHOCK! HORROR!
They`ve got them still flappin` on the boats here .. fresh as a daisy and about 30p each!!!! Domo Arigato!!
Bought a leetle 5m Shimano wand yesterday and a leetle Okuma Mangle!I`d like to share some photees with ya; but my FUJI needs its own software package when I get her home! (2 weeks). Some delightful parroty, bright yellow fishees bagged so far! Got two bigger-stuff boat trips coming up.
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the cheapest i have seen them are baits direct at £2 pound for two ,bigger than the baitbox ones ,i think it was on a trip to sunart one of the lads had 4 rays on the same bait before he had to change it ,they do seem to work for the rays
That was me who had 4 rays on the same bait, they certainly worked for the raymonds that day, having said that, I’ve fished with them since at the same mark and they have let me down,being out fished by Mackerel…..By the way, I buy mine from a predominantly course/pike tackle shop,and they are a lot bigger and not as dear as the Baitbox ones.
Better than? Think of it as another bait that ‘can’ outfish mackeral at the right times, I don’t think you can compare fresh mackeral to any frozen bait.
I’d go with what Stevie says too, the salting tip is a good one.
I’ve found that they can make the differance between catching and blanking when thornie fishing on the west coast. Some days they catch…some they don’t and it macky the fish want.
It’s another bait to add to the list IMHO
True - and a lot of fish baits can be improved by a short period of salting. Try salting mackerel fillets in the fridge for an hour or two before freezing them.
Don’t leave them too long (I don’t know how long is too long, but a couple of days definitely is) and do brush the salt off before freezing.
But the skin in very small pieces, worked brill for Black Bream,.... 
as did tiny bits of rag…we didnt tell them that tho’...LOL specially when they started casting into my boat!!!! 
