Left AH at 6:30, snagged bunker in the harbor along with several charter boats. The bunker were rising and then disappearing but I was able to get 12 of them. Headed south to Asbury area looking for bunker activity. Finally found them opposite the old convention center about two miles out. A lot of party boats from Belmar and Manasquan working the pods for bluefish. Spent two hours feeding the blues live bunker and replacing hooks. Did not see anyone boat a bass. decided to try fluking while drifting the bunker thinking maybe the big fluke was sitting down there eating all the left overs. Unfortunately blues eat everything. More rigs and hooks..
The weather turned rainy and I decided to head north to the fluking area while I figured out the enclosure puzzle on the new boat. Some advise, try them out on a day when you do not need them and when the humidity is low. Love the boat, hate the curtains, they should get rid of the guy who designed them. Found the fluke near Sea Bright and drifted north along the beach. Picked away at the shorts until I passed the Highlands bridge and picked up two keepers 21" and 23", usual trash robins, skates and dogs. Non stop fishing with the two keepers hitting the green/chartruse skirt with a pearl flash backer. Used a squid strip with a smelt, same bait as the first keeper.
Saw some bunker pods working their way south at the cedars and found out the only hungry things under them were more bluefish!
Stayed out till 4 and then headed in with two keeper fluke out of 36 caught. Weather left something to desired but overall a catching trip. If we could keep 17" as last year I would have easily had 8 fish.
