Bob Longo of Brick had a 14-pounder plugging at Manasquan, and Jesse Shore from Point Pleasant caught a 12 5 8-pound bass on a teaser at Bay Head. Bob Matthews, at Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina, reported lots of bass caught by boaters while surfcasters cast plugs and teasers at night to hook shorts plus a few keepers up to 15 pounds.

Capt. Rob Semkowyc has been jigging a mix of short and keeper bass plus large blues on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, though every day is completely different as he's fished from Raritan Bay to as far east as Debs Inlet. The huge 2011 Chesapeake Bay year class should be providing a lot of small bass along the coast, but I never saw any until Tuesday while fishing with Chuck Many of Annandale on his Ty Man from Gateway Marina in Highlands.

Both bunkers and striped bass returned to the Shore today after a very tough weekend. Quite a few large bass were hooked in bunker schools, but party boats generally had a hard time jigging them.

The Jamaica is also leaving earlier for stripers this Monday to Thursday at 6 a. m. -- and has added an afternoon sailing from 2 to 8 p. m. those days The Shore has produced few stripers the last several days, but Capt. Rob Semkewyc ran east the last two days with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands. The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported making a long run to get into some keeper bass plus blues on Saturday, but on Sunday it was mostly shorts and many fewer blues.

The event begins at 1 p. m. Northwest winds gusting to over 30 mph kept most boats in port today, but the Golden Eagle from Belmar continued the search for ocean stripers. The Jamaica from Brielle is sold out Saturday and Sunday.