Unique Bait Fish at Race Pt

[fishonnelsons]

This morning a large school of these baitfish, which I think are ballyhoo, showed up at Race Pt and Herring Cove. A gigantic school of blues, with bass underneath, chased them up onto the beach.

I saw them up here once before, about five years ago, but not since then.

Could I get verification as to identification? - thanks.

[big jay]

Those are "half-beaks" a species of Northern Ballyhoo.
Around here they are usually found in the warmer water out east of the Cape - Wildcat, Murray Basin etc. Tuna love them.

Pretty cool when they are being chased - they look like rain coming down.

[fishonnelsons]

Thanks - that's interesting. With all the strong Easterly winds we had the last few days it probably pushed them this way.

Do the normal ballyhoo have a beak from the bottom versus the top?

[Back Beach]

They usually show up mid to late august on the back/race etc. halfbeaks no doubt. More common than you think, but usually you don't see them right in the surf unless the wind is onshore with predators under them.

[Flaptail]

Hi Rich, we get them in the canal alot in the fall. Some years way more prevalent than others. Be out your way soon going out for two weeks vacation as of Friday so if you see the Senior Angler tell him I will be stopping by with hopes of sitting down and shooting the sh!t about the old days. Can't wait.

[Karl F]

Thanks for posting that!
They have been showing up at Nauset as well, and another guy and I got into it, he kept saying it was an Atlantic Needlefish.. and I knew it were'nt...

[Blinky]

Looks like a saury - Scomberesox saurus. Try googling the scientific name. The 5-6 small finlets in front of the tail, deep and thin body and the presence of an upper beak are the IDing marks.

Halfbeaks, sauries, and needlefish are three different families from the same order, with many individual species.

Sauries are sometimes called needlefish, which is confusing, since most anglers call Atlantic needlefish "needlefish" around here.