Big stripers a trolling no-brainer?

Capt. Vinnie Vetere is ready to start chartering with his Katfish from Great Kills, but exploratory trips have revealed an influx of big bass into Raritan Bay which are a “no-brainer” for trolling. Vetere can be contacted at 917 693-8908

Party boats have been having a hard time getting hits from the many stripers they’ve been marking, but there were good reports of feeding schooliies in the bay before the winds got too strong.

The wind forecast kept most boaters in port today, but many will be itching to get out tomorrow with southwest winds down to 10-15 knots — though still with gusts to 25.

The west winds have been fine for surfcasters who have been picking away at mostly short stripers on clams while hoping to get into blasts of newly-arrived jumbo blues on poppers or any other lures cast to them. Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina says those blues have also been coming into both Manasquan and Shark River inlets.