They said the Berkeley Surf Club was holding its catch-and-release contest that was producing lots of shorts in the Island Beach State Park wash. Mark Roy tried to get out Friday with his Release Me from Raritan Marina, but the northeast wind even had Raritan Bay rolling and he finished out his season by trolling for awhile.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc reported good news about striper jigging yesterday as he got into lots of life with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, and many bass were jigged before everything went dead about 11 30. The Jamaica II reported a sluggish trip last Friday with only ling on deep wrecks, but Saturday's 24-hour trip was excellent with big sea bass and porgies plus a few cod and pollock.

Bad weather today resulted in lots of cancellations, but many boats will be back at it on Wednesday. They also noted that there was a striper blitz at Gillikin's in Island Beach State Park the previous afternoon as school bass were chasing peanut bunkers onto the beach.

The Tackle Box in Hazlet weighed a huge 17 1 2-pound blackfish boated by Bob Fecso of Freehold on a whitelegger at Sandy Hook Reef from Ryan Burlew's Thelma Sea II. The Jamaica II from Brielle reported a sluggish Friday with only some ling on deep wrecks, but an excellent Saturday with big sea bass and porgies plus a few cod and pollock.

Yet, Santee did find lots of stripers even if almost all were shorts. The bass weren't finicky on jigs, and three anglers each caught over 25 despite the rough seas.