bunker

[Menz]

Hey guys I was just wondering, since I?m new to this striper game, and for my first two outings I have managed to catch NILL. Can some one please tell me how to catch bunker? How to locate them? Where do they like to hang out? Do you find that you guys find bunker on a consistent basis? Please HELP?.I really don?t want to buy frozen bunker, I feel I will get the best chance with fresh bunker.

[sea sea rider]

What area do you fish.

[Menz]

i fish raritan/sandy hook bay nj

[sea sea rider]

I can't help you but the N J boys will I am from cape cod.

[Striper777]

Hey menz i also fish in raritan/sandy hook but never had luck with bunker it is always clams for me.

~Good Luck

[Striperjim]

Menz most of the tackle shops in the area sell fresh bunker for a buck a piece. If your on a boat look for splashes in the water. When you see a lot of them busting the surface that is pods of bunker being chased by predators. You can throw a net or use a treble for snagging them. These you can live line right in the pod. Or bring em in and save em. Sometimes they will even be in casting distance from the shore. On a boat try Flynns Knoll and Romer shoals for stripers thats where they are now.

Always watch the water for different things like splashes swirls and oil slicks. The slick could have been made by a recent bluefish and striper banquet.

[LivestoFish]

Fresh snapper and porgies are a good bet when in season too and easy to catch(especially the snappers if you don't have blood worms for the porgies). A lil clip of the dorsal fin and your in business. I think Jim said it best last year, "big fish eat smaller fish". 8) And that has always worked for me.

LTF

[tpalm5]

menz, go right into great kills harbor....the whole place is full of bunker. You can snag and cast net all you need in 5 minutes. Why pay money when its free?

[Striperjim]

Tpalm

I use to snag em everyday at 5 PM in the summer right from shore by the bouys on crooks point. Hit and miss for spring though but I hear they have been thick every day. Bass and blues all over. im ginna try my luck tomorrow. I hope. 8)

[tpalm5]

striperjim, thanks for the welcome, this is a great site!

Yeah they've been pretty thick every time we're down there. Like you were saying guys were snagging them from shore off crookes. Also, all you guys say you don't have good luck with bunker....thats all I use. They're so abundant, just cut them in half ( head side ) with a nice 2 ft fluorocarbon leader mated with an 8/0 gamagatsu octupus hook and your in business. Last weekend I was about 3/4 mile south of great kills near the channel in 22 feet of water and boated about 15 nice bass and countless blues. There were two that were 30 pounds and full of eggs. The key is to use the heads for big bass.

[hooked4ever]

I went to the Hook on Sunday, and snagged a good sized bunker on a diamond jig fromt he shore. The hook caught it right behind the head. Though it worked I probably still wouldn't suggest it as a way to catch fresh bunker.

[Fishman]

Hi guys.......new here....can anyone help with keeping bunker alive..?

[eagle eye]

I fish the rariton bay. I snag my bunker with a 2 once treble hook. Believe me the bunker are loaded up in the bay, you won't see them unless somthing is pushing them to the top of the water, if you are on a boat you can net them.

[Fishman]

Ok heres the question.......after snaging a few bunker, and put them in a round tub....will an airerator work? Or will i have to pump fresh water in ?

[Striperman1845]

To keep bunker alive in a tub, an airerator is the first step. It would depend on how long you want to keep them....24-48 hr ok. After that depending on the number and size of the fish, and the size of the tub. I would worry about the ph, salinity, ammonia, and there waste products killing the fish.

Just my thought....can anybody verify this?