The Raritan Bay area striper report was better today after a slow start with lots of birds and good readings, but only a pick of small bass on shads with very few keepers - and some big blues. Capt. Rob Semkewyc said that all changed on his last two drifts in the afternoon as bigger bass up to 25 pounds were caught on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands. Capt. Ron Santee of the Fishermen from that port  had a similar report. He checked inside the bay after the slow start but found only bait and a whale. Moving back to the ocean when the current started did the job as bass of 15, 19, and 20 pounds plus other keepers were boated on jigs and eels. The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant reported good early striper life with some keepers before it went dead when the south wind started honking. The Golden Eagle from Belmar noted that the ocean was nasty and only a few short bass were hooked. Tomorrow looks like a better day. Capt. Joe Massa of My Three Sons from Morgan Marina joined ex-Assemblyman Vito Talerico on his Jersey Patriot from Jersey City on Saturday as they only picked at small bass on jigs to the east before coming across good readings on the way back. Rock Candy spreader rigs were deployed to check out those readings and they ended up having a great bite of bass up to 38 inches. The two they kept had adult bunker in them. Vinny D'Anton of Wall fished a local beach this morning, and along with Frank Manzi picked away at mostly very small bass on the Tsunami Sand Eel until a school of small peanut bunkers arrived. A switch to Tsunami Shads and a Zoom jig continued the pick. I arrived later and caught a 23-incher on the new Castaways Super Teaser and lost another, but with the tide way out and the south wind blowing harder I left for lunch. With the "black cloud" out of the way those small bass charged the beach and provided a hot bite for everyone still there -- though none were over 24 inches. Capt. Tom O'Connor of South Amboy says it was freezing Saturday morning, but he fished off the bulkhead in Shark River by Fisherman's Den. After 25 minutes he had a doubleheader and was limited.  Sunday was a beautiful day at the same spot and O'Connor returned with his wife Lori, stepson Aidan Wilson (14) and neighbor Pat Puchalski as all limited on sandworms including Aidan's 16-incher. O'Connor fished South Amboy beach during the week and managed one keeper bass of 30 inches and three shorts on the late Gus Geant's popper that was lost to a fish he never saw.