The bluefish belongs to the family Pomatomidae, the only fish in this family. While the average weight is around 2 lbs, they can reach 20 lbs. They have a greenish, iridescent blue shading into silver on the sides. Baby bluefish, called snapper blues, are more flatish, and are found in the local lagoons from late May through September. The base of the pectoral fin usually has a black blotch. There are two dorsal fins, with the front dorsal being more spiney.

Bluefish are a popular gamefish and can be caught by a number of means, including trolling, chumming, and jigging. Many local party and charter boats feature night time chumming trips to hot spots such as the Mud Hole and the Barnegat Ridge throughout the summer. The largest bluefish are generally taken in this manner.

While bluefish are not generally regarded as a highly desireable food fish due to their dark, oily meat, the smaller ones (under 2 lbs.) are actually quite good eating as their meat is still mostly white. Unknown to many anglers is that the best part of a larger bluefish for table fare is a nice chunk of white meat found on the cheek of the bluefish.