NJ Saltwater Fisherman Forums
NJ Saltwater Fishing Reports and Information => Tips, Tricks and Things to Consider => Topic started by: lost sailor on April 08, 2008, 04:27:32 PM
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New to the site----seems like a knowledgeable crew. I am also new to catching my own bunker. Last year I had limited success. Any tips from the gallery? I can throw the net, but catching the bait is another story altogether......
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Lost, there are a few from the Raritan area who will chime in when they see this. I am not from that area but I do remember them saying the bunker, expecially the peanuts, were all over the marinas in the Atlantic Highlands last year.
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Usually have found schools of bunker in the feeder creeks and around the marina's.Look for the fish to be breaking or being chase what ever the case.The net has to hit bottom in order for them to get trap when you retrive your haul.When the adults show up,you can snag them with a weighted treble hook and light tackle.That's alot of fun.
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Lost Salior
Welcome aboard......it depends on the time of the year and where you will find the schools, early on look in the Keyport/Perth Amboy area in the MArina's and feeder creeks, Great Kills Harbor is an excellant place, as time goes on The mouth of Comptons creek in Belford, Atl Highlands Marina, etc are good. Right now Bunkers are in the back of the Navesink River as well as the back of the bay TT^
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You should just about always be able to find a school of adults in or around the Sailboats in Keyport. As mentioned great Kills holds a bunch and there can usually be some schools found in Princess Bay along Staten Island as well.
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Thanks. I have to get my percentages up. Seems like a million empty nets for 1 good one. I fish out of Great Kills, Sewaren, and Keyport, and have ?caught bait? in both places.
Anybody have any tips on techniques?
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Best thing to do is practice........would like to have a dollar for every net I threw in my driveway, nieghbors that I was nuts rofla
try this video's: http://www.ausfish.com.au/castnet/
If you are throwing for Bunker, make sure you have enough weight on the net TT^
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the bunker are almost always there. You have to wait for them to school up and surface. Most of the time, early moring right before sunrise. When you see a swirl on the surface, odds are there is a pod under it.
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Welcome to the site LS
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almost forget.. Welcome
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My goal this year is to be able to get them when I can't see them. find them on depth finder and throw the net over them. Def need fast sinking net and def need like 40' of handline.
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i hope to get them this year without snaggin.. lord knows my buddies almost snagged me last year.. they caught my boat a few times though lol
The places the others mentioned are where i go to !
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Thanks for the tips. I am throwing a 2.5" mesh, 18 pound net----it sinks like a rock! I also agree that early am is the key. I fish during the week alot and I will post some reports in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again.
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My goal this year is to be able to get them when I can't see them. find them on depth finder and throw the net over them. Def need fast sinking net and def need like 40' of handline.
Mike, not that hard. In the AH marina, all I do is watch the fish finder and drive slowly around the sail boats. When I see a nice pod, just throw, you can't miss. Also, look for that lone splash or swirl on top of the water. It don't look like there is more then one fish there, but there are a bunch, only 1 bunker gave there location away. This is why you need to do this very early before the boats leave the harbor and spook everything. Once a boat passes, you have to wait 10-15 minutes for them to school up again. When you throw the net, it gets really heavy, so heavy that the next time you throw it, you hope it doesn't open all the way. Bunker at 1 lbs per fish, 70 fish to a good throw, plus the net, weights, and trying to lift over the rail.... it gets crazy.
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sounds like i need more muscle or back to gym ... screw that Luna or mboy your hauling it in for me LOL
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sounds like i need more muscle or back to gym ... screw that Luna or mboy your hauling it in for me LOL
rofla rofla
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sounds like i need more muscle or back to gym ... screw that Luna or mboy your hauling it in for me LOL
rofla rofla
cfzd thuddont think u are suppose to agree lol
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Practice Practice and Practice your throwing. Most of all done drive into the pod you want throw on. I have the best luck drift into the schools, even killing motor and coast into them then throw! Call me on 68 when out there I'll help you all you need! Starting May 1st!
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use your fishfinder. mark a ball throw the net and you wont have to wait till it hits the bottom it will float to the top of the water everytime.one throw 100-200 baits time to fish.As for a heavy net you dont need a heavy one they close 2 fast on the way down. Use a percy net its just right and floats down like a parachute.
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You probably need a second person on your boat if you don't have one already to nose you into the school. give the net a fast chuck off the bow. Don't follow every splash to see...look for flashes beneath the surface to tell you where the big schools are.
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I run out of Shark River. The schools of adult bunker do not come into the river but stay in the ocean. What would be a good net to throw on them in the ocean in 30+ feet of water.
I see the schools throw a net and they always give me the slip. The net does not sink fast enough to get them.
I have no problem throwing the net, just in getting the adult bunker into the net the open sea.
Tunaman, you mentioned a Percy net. Would this work for my situation?
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Know a guy who just bought one of his nets it was like 250 but they are suppose to be the best for this area.
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I know they are not cheap but, if they work, they are well worth the price. What you save in buying bait will pay for the net in just a couple of throws. TT^
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IrishAyes.. Percy Net $225 this year.. yes work great ocean side,, Has a 40ft lead nylon rope..1.5in mesh stretch is great..15lb mono mesh.. kept or soak in fabric softner before you go out.. Let me know I'm getting another this wek or next.
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dynamite always works well ! lil suckers float right to the top
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I run out of Shark River. The schools of adult bunker do not come into the river but stay in the ocean. What would be a good net to throw on them in the ocean in 30+ feet of water.
I see the schools throw a net and they always give me the slip. The net does not sink fast enough to get them.
I have no problem throwing the net, just in getting the adult bunker into the net the open sea.
Tunaman, you mentioned a Percy net. Would this work for my situation?
i came across tons of bunker in the ocean last year, so close to the boat that I can see there eyes.. I threw my 12' net, and when I thought I couldn't miss, i did.. more then once. The net just didn't go down quick enough, hell, barley at all with the current. So, had to take out the snagger.
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Same here Nick. Throwing the net meant nothing. Had to toss the snag hooks. That is fun in itself, but not as efficient as a net full of bait. TT^
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I couldn't even explain how close they were and right at the surface. You can see there entire body, eyes, and literly inched from the boat.. thousands... and as the net was in the air, they scattered, as soon as the net sank, they schooled back on top of it before i can get it up... I looked like a fool, when I thought it would be a no brainer... boy did I put my foot in my mouth.. uncle Luna made sure he laughed at me.
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Welcome to the site LS, sorry I can't help you but it looks like your in good hands. Good Luck.
Happy Catching
Paul