Chub mackerel have been carrying the Shore bluefish fleet this summer, and those fish were in fine form today. The Jamaica from Brielle reported a slow start before everyone caught loads of mackerel. There were also a few small blues and legal sea bass. The Golden Eagle from Belmar also was covered up in mackerel which drew several sharks -- some of which were hooked. Small peanut bunkers have moved into the Monmouth County surf, and small stripers have become active even though they're not showing in the schools. Vinnie D'Anton released several small bass  (mostly only about 18 inches) this morning after hooking a few larger schoolies on his Chug Bug the previous afternoon. I did some casting this evening and got only one hit on a Cordell popper, but it was a spectacular strike that hooked up and took some line before getting off as I led it into shallow water. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all!