Raritan Bay stripers as good as they get

Raritan Bay water temperatures are finally warming up, and the already great striped bass bite seems to be getting even better.

That’s the consensus from many reports, and Capt. John Contello summed it up on his Just Sayin boats as follows:

*Next Open Boat Sunday Easter morning (Back by Noon)* Private charter availability text 732-670-1919

The fishing could not be any better this morning! As good as it gets eating everything we put in the water! Both boats filled the boxes quick and played catch and release all morning with several fish in the 40” class!! These fish are here and fired up!

Chuck Many concentrated on looking for big bass yesterday with his Tyman from Highlands — and as is usually the case that’s exactly what his crew did.

Capt. Vinny Vetere has plenty of time to get ready for the N.Y. season, but did some exploring yesterday with his Katfish from Great Kills and released a 42-pounder on a live bunker.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar will be running a bottom fishing trip at 7:30 a.m. — unless they come across stripers in the ocean. Also at Belmar, both the Big Mohawk and Ocean Explorer have been finding a lively bottom bite with some keeper blackfish plus lots of shorts and a few cod.

A dense fog warning is up until 6 p,m. — followed by a small craft advisory to Thursday afternoon. The forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20, There may be afternoon showers or even a thunderstorm.