Mention heavy metal, and some fishermen might wax nostalgic about their (misspent) musical youth, reliving that badass Motley Crew concert at the Cap Center, at which they had front row seats. Today, most have swapped out their faux mullet for the baldpate look so common among males of my generation. I, too, like a shot of classic metal on the rare occasion. In fact, I’ve witnessed one of PropTalk’s finest doing a little mock head banging boogie when I briefly cranked up AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” during a lull in a winter staff meeting. Ok, sorry. I’ve wandered off track. What I’m really trying to say is throwing, or trolling, metal lures for bluefish and (occasionally Spanish mackerel) that visit the Upper Bay this month is a helluva lot of fun. Bluefish are probably the most vicious predators, pound-for-pound, that we have in our Bay. In the late summer, Spanish Mackeral can be mixed among bluefish and will take trolled spoons or cast metal lures. Photo courtesy of Captain Jeff Popp, Vista Lady Charter When the feed is on, they are voracious, rapacious, downright ornery and mean and could care less who knows it. Bluefish are slasher-style predators, meaning that unlike rockfish that swallow their prey, blues rip at their meal, in pack-like frenzy when the blitz is on. And as such they treat soft plastics like out-of-control shoppers do the must-have consumable at the big-box stores during Black Friday. Although bluefish enter the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn, they’re most abundant above the Patuxent River July through mid October. As fall begins, they’ll migrate out of the Bay to winter over in warmer waters off the Carolinas or Florida. They typically are categorized into three class-sizes, though they sometimes go by different names depending on the region. Here’s what I go with: snapper, the most common size in the Upper Bay, under two pounds; tailor (Taylor) up to 30 inches, three to eight pounds; chopper or slammer, the largest of the blues. Casting lures might be the most exciting way to catch a blue, but by no means the only effective method. If you don’t see an obvious blitz, trolling is the best way to locate a school. Boat speed is generally in the six mile per hour neighborhood, maybe a touch faster if you’re after Spanish mackerel. “While trolling, I use a #0 Drone or similar size Clark spoon,” says PropTalk contributor Eric Burnley. “I run them on 15 feet of 15-pound test line behind a trolling sinker or planer. When either fish is feeding in the summer, they are on small shiners so the small spoons imitate the bait.” So in anticipation of the blues swimming in our waters in catchable numbers, here are a few lures I’ve found to be effective on summer blues, in no particular order of preference: Lil’ Bunkers (3/4 to two ounce; silver or chartreuse)—I like this metal jig for a few reasons: 1) it comes with a slight curve built in, so you don’t have to be an expert to make it dance; 2) the paint has a tough finish; and 3) it already has a single hook, making releasing bluefish easy. Bonus: rockfish will hit it, too. Crippled Herring (1/2 to one ounce; nickel/neon green)—A longtime Bay standard, I’ve found this lure is best fished vertically. Because it has good action, you usually don’t need to impart a lot of rod action to draw strikes, as you do with some soft plastics. Simply drop over some good fish marks, and the built-in sweeping motion sends the lure into free fall that often brings the hit on the drop. Li'l Bunker Hopkins Shorty (one-ounce single-hook bucktail): Had I left out this Chesapeake standard, I’d probably turn in my Outdoors Writers Association card. This venerable metal lure packs a big punch in a stout package. To the toothy assault from snapper bluefish it holds up well to the blues’ nashing chompers. Its cousin NO=EQL is a close second. Sea Striker Gotcha (three inch, one ounce; white with gold head): Okay, I might get some push back that this lure isn’t really in the metal class. But you can chuck it forever, which is a good thing if you’re fishing from a pier, the surf, or shore. Typically, a fast retrieve with a slight yet sharp jerk of the rod tip, kept at a low angle, makes a bluefish mad. Quick Tip: If you're using lures equipped with treble hooks, do yourself a favor and swap out for a single hook. Or at least clip off one or two of the trebles. And mash down the barbs - I swear you won't miss strikes, and you'll save time while reducing injury to the fish and potentially yourself. Bonus: Bluefish blitz attract flocks of birds that feed on the bits of anchovies or silversides not consumed by the bluefish. Odds of snagging a bird's wing are reduced if you work your lure at the edge of a surfacing feeding school rather than casting directly into or across the melee. by Capt. Chris D. Dollar