Make right bait choice

Clams over bunker, it is not a recipe, but a decision most anglers find tough to make at game time.

With a massive invasion of bluefish swarming both the Raritan and Barnegat bays, anglers are faced with a choice of baits to use. With the love-hate relationship, most anglers have a choice: use bunker — the bluefish will never leave but the action is steady — or use clams and wait patiently for the bass bite to turn on.

Conditions were very good this week despite heavy rains at times. The wind was a non-event, keeping bay waters flat as a board.

Capt. Ron's Fishermen is back and sailing daily from Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor. Capt. Ron was able to wrangle up a few limits this weekend along with big blues in the mix, keeping patrons coming back for more.

Aboard Fins on Feathers, Capt. Frank is picking bass on the in- and outgoing tides using clams. Capt. Frank landed fish up to 36 inches before swarms of bluefish showed up and took over.

Magic hours aboard the Misty Morn are always a solid bet with Capt. Jerry and crew. The Misty Morn has been working the flats on the Staten Island side where he has been reading bait and marking big numbers of fish most of the week. Most anglers are doing well right before the sunsets and before the bluefish show up.

Capt. Joe G. aboard Sykk Physh charters had reels screaming on the night bite playing catch and release with up to 50 bass from 26 to 33 inches. Capt. Joe has been consistent with the in- and outgoing tides most of the week.

Aboard the Killer Byte, Capt. Keith Bush from Morgan Creek Marina has been landing fish on the troll using what he calls a guarantee bass lure, the Mann Stretch 18. Most fish were landed by the Great Kills bug light on the in- and outgoing tides.

In the weeks to come, we should see bigger fish as not many trophy fish have been landed as of yet, that is unless you can avoid picking a fight with the relentless alligator blues.

Fish on!