Bluefish vs Blue Runner: What’s the Difference? 

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Anglers often get confused when comparing the bluefish vs blue runner…not only because of their similar name, but their similar appearance too.

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two fish.

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Are Bluefish The Same As Blue Runner?

Bluefish and blue runner are not the same fish. In fact, they are different species from completely different fish families.

Blue Runners are members of the widespread and diverse jack family, Carangidae, the same family as Jack Crevalle, Giant Trevally, and Moonfish.

Blue Runner

Bluefish are a much more unique fish and are the only remaining member of their family, Pomatomidae.

Bluefish

How to Easily Tell The Difference Between Blue Runner and Bluefish

To the trained eye, Bluefish and Blue Runners can easily be told apart at first sight.

  • First, Blue Runners have a very long pectoral fin that extends into the middle of their bodies. In comparison, Bluefish have a very short pectoral fin.
  • Second, Bluefish are a more elongated and narrow-bodied fish. Blue Runners have a deeper body and have a rounder look to them.
  • Lastly, the color can be quite different. Blue runners tend to be much more brightly colored. They have brighter, more vibrant blues and often possess a bright yellow tail. As juveniles, they may even have some vertical barring.

Bluefish in comparison are quite dull and pale in color. They are more of a grayish blue instead of the deep vibrant blue seen in Blue Runners.

Size is also an important difference. Bluefish reach up to 50 inches, while Blue Runner’s maximum size is around 25 inches. 

Habitat Differences

Bluefish are migratory fish that swim throughout the open oceans, and they can even come inshore for feeding, making them a favorite target when fishing from shore. They are temperate and subtropical species.

Blue Runners are considered a subtropical or tropical species. They are associated with reef habitats

Sporting Quality

Bluefish are world-famous gamefish for their extremely aggressive feeding behavior and incredible size and strength.

Blue Runners, however, are less sought after due to their smaller size, but they are also quite aggressive and are good fun on light tackle. 

Both species can be caught on artificial lures, including minnow baits, spoons, jigs, and topwater plugs.

Edibility

While bluefish are a ton of fun to catch, many anglers debate whether or not bluefish is good to eat.

Both species are edible and similar in taste and consumption value. They are both quite oily fish with a large bloodline.

Why Are They Commonly Confused?

These two different species are commonly confused for three primary reasons:

First, they have very similar names. Bluefish and blue runner. It is easy to see the name confusion between these two fish.

Second, they do look quite similar to the untrained eye. They are both blue-colored fish, so they are easy to get confused, especially with the already confusing names.

Bluefish vs Blue Runner: What's the Difference? 

They both have an elongated moderately compressed body with a silvery blue color. Both species have a deeply forked tail and pointy triangular dorsal and anal fins.

Third, they have a large range overlap. Bluefish are very wide-ranging migratory fish that run along the Atlantic coast and can be found in temperate and subtropical oceans around the world, except for the Pacific Ocean.

Blue Runners are distributed vastly in the Atlantic Ocean and can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, Central America, South America, Africa, and even in the Mediterranean Sea.

In simpler terms, wherever there are Blue Runners, Bluefish can also be found.

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