Memorial Day Fishing Update

Anglers scoring big on striped bass; fluke and blues also coming over boats' rails Anglers starting their fishing seasons on Memorial Day weekend jumped into a striped bass fishery that has been on fire and only getting hotter, most fishing reports indicated. Party boats have reported strong catches of striped bass from Shark River to Barnegat inlets over the past week, and as Memorial Day weekend began, there have been particularly good catches reported on the Big Mohawk out of Belmar and the Gambler out of Point Pleasant Beach. Most of the reports have indicated that snagging - and livelining - bunker has been the ultimate ticket, and bunker schools have been plentiful outside of Manasquan Inlet for several days. Boats could be seen hanging between the inlet and the sea buoy over the weekend, and catches have included a gigantic striped bass boated on board the Big Jamaica party boat out of Brielle. There are still loads of bunker and bass in our area, Capt. Howard Bogan reported Friday night. Bass up to 32-pounds were boated on recent trips, and the boat is sailing every day at 7:30 a.m. for the stripers. During the weekend, bluefish trips leave the dock at 7:30 p.m.