Thresher sharks were a surprise to striper anglers when Chuck Many of Annandale hooked two during Tuesday's fishing around bunker schools off Long Island from his Ty Man out of Gateway Marina in Highlands.Many had released a striper of about 20 pounds that was his first migratory bass of the season (with the distinctive purplish sheen) off the Rockaways before a thresher hit his live bunker and immediately cut off on the 30-pound mono outfit as it surfaced. I'd never seen a thresher in the fall bunker schools before, though they're common in the spring), but complained to Many that he didn't hang on to it long enough for me to take some photos. Sure enough, Many immediately announced that he'd hooked another thresher when we moved to bunker schools further east off the Jones Beach Water Tower, where I'd had a summer job checking the water pressure about 60 years ago. The first run almost stripped the reel, but Nellie Greer of Bethlehem, Pa. ran Ty Man after the shark that Many fought to boatside about 15 minutes later -- when I got the shots and the 100-pound class thresher was cut lose.It seemed as if there was only an occasional bass around those bunker schools, so Many ran back to the Ambrose flats where I released stripers of 28 and 29 1/2 inches on peanut bunkers. Many's quest for bass in the Hudson River wasn't rewarded, but he finished up in the East River with short bass on peanuts and spot that brought our final release count to 23 stripers, four small blues -- and a thresher.Though water temperatures have dropped under 65 degrees, it's still too warm for a strong migratory striper run. Most skippers don't expect much before November. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Striped Bass Advisory Panel met Wednesday in Baltimore to provide advice to the ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board that will be deciding on recreational and commercial restrictions later this month incorporated in Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 6 of the Striped Bass Management Plan in order to deal with falling catches and the decrease in spawning stock biomass (SSB). Ex-state Senator Lou Bassano (R-Union),sponsor of the Striped Bass Gamefish Law, and I are the N.J. recreational advisers. As usual, the commercial advisers insisted everything was just fine and there was no need for any decreases in harvest. On the other hand, most recreational representatives were cautious about the numbers presented and favored a one-year reduction to bring the SSB up -- rather than the three-year alternatives. A single bass at 28 or 32 inches found the greatest support, but Bassano noted the importance of a second bass to the party and charter boat fleets. A slot option that provides a 28-to-34-inch bass plus a "trophy" of 36 inches or more would probably be better for them. Check my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing for more information about that meeting. Though there had been some discouraging reports about canyon tuna fishing, the Jamaica from Brielle had one of their best trips of the year Tuesday to Wednesday with yellowfin tuna up to 80 pounds, plus albacore to 50 pounds, and a 130-pound swordfish. Rich Santos of Kenilworth had two yellowfins and an albacore, while Art Haluski from Edison boated his three-fish yellowfin limit along with a longfin. The Jamaica has room on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 22-hour trips departing at 5 p.m. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.The sea bass season reopens on Saturday. The Jamaica II from Brielle will be running an open 12-hour sea bass trip from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Capt. Stan Zagleski is also looking forward to the sea bass opening after his fares have been releasing lots of bass while seeking porgies from Elaine B. out of Bahrs in Highlands. Zagleski got into blackfish on Tuesday as everyone had the one tog that can be retained at this time. Bart Major of Howell won the pool with a 6-pounder. The Shore bluefish fleet has been doing very well with jumbo bluefish up to 18 pounds whenever they can get out. Jigs generally work best, but bait has also been effective most days. The Golden Eagle from Belmar got into those blues again on Wednesday despite nasty seas. That boat is chartered on Saturday. Surf fishing has suffered from big swells and discolored waters, but that should improve with the west winds in the forecast. Lots of small blues in the surf are still being reported by the Seaside Park tackle shops. Joe Melillo, at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, says the surf has been slow, but there are small stripers in Manasquan River -- and blackfishing remains hot in Point Pleasant Canal for the one allowed.Bob Matthews, at Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina, says Shark River offers a mix of flounder, kingfish, blowfish and blackfish. Striper fishing has been slow to develop in the surf. Though Climate Change hasn't brought back the red drum that dominated the central Shore fishery a hundred years ago, the first reports of overdue puppy drum have come from the Cape May beachfront. Matt Slobodjian, at Jim's Tackle in Cape May, said the first few are being taken mostly on mullet chunks along with some small blues.