Along the eastern United States, it is found from Nova Scotia to Texas and visits the Chesapeake Bay region from spring to autumn. The bluefish is abundant in the lower Bay and common most years in the upper Bay, although it is rare north of Baltimore. Schools of like-sized bluefish can cover tens of square miles and undertake extensive coastal migrations. Adults overwinter off the southeastern coast of Florida and begin a northerly migration in the spring, following warmer water with local movements into and out of bays and sounds. Their movement patterns are complex and not well understood.
Younger fish appear to follow different migratory routes than older fish.
Bluefish have a worldwide distribution with occurrences recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Indian Ocean. Adult bluefish are found in a variety of habitats, usually in response to food availability and spawning cues. Bluefish are voracious predators and will feed on virtually any food they can catch and swallow, including butterfish, menhaden , sand lances, silversides, mackerel , anchovies, sardines, weakfish , spotted seatrout, croaker , spot , white perch , shad , alewife, blueback herring and striped bass . Due to their predacious nature, bluefish are in competition with adult striped bass, mackerel and large weakfish. They have few predators and can live 12 years and weigh up to 20 pounds.