Capt. Rob Semkewyc said there seems to be more bait and more stripers in Raritan Bay every day -- and today anglers on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands also got their first good shot at jumbo blues in the bay. I checked the surf from Sea Girt to Bay Head this morning, but didn't cast as it was rough and off color.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc, of the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, said the bass were pushing adult bunker to the surface, and the largest boated weighed 27 pounds. Capt. Russ Binns of Toms River put his crew into three stripers up to a 30-pounder full of bunkers while live-baiting off Asbury Park with his Mar-Lin on Sunday morning, but did better by leaving the mob scene to troll bunker spoons a couple of miles offshore for steady action on both bass and jumbo blues.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc said it was gorgeous by 10 a. m., and the birds stayed up all day as fares on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands caught lots of 28-to-34-inch keeper stripers plus 24-to-28-inch slots. The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant reported plenty of 12-to-13-pound blues, but only a few stripers.

Getting out for the early bite is usually so important for the Shore striped bass run that even some party boats are moving up their sailing times in order to be on the grounds when stripers are most likely to be feeding. Sandy Hook Channel has been producing stripers on eels at night, but came alive during the day on Wednesday as both blues and stripers attacked bunker schools coming through.