Where are the bunker

[ecosir6030]

Maybe this is common knowledge but where are the schools of full size bunker in the LI sound this year? I've seen peanut bunker everywhere, but very little of the big guys. Is it just sharks and dolphins on top of the usual predators as I've heard some people say? Is it a three year (or whatever) cycle? I've only been fishing this area a couple of years so maybe it's normal to have boom and bust years, but I just didn't see any most of this summer, and there are none at all now in the inshore inlets. This time last year they were covering the banks of local tributaries, with amazing stripe/blue blitzs pushing them. This month I found some schoolies chasing peanuts, but no big boys at all in the western Sound

 

[CELLFISH]

this summer , south shore beaches were overwhelmed with full size bunker… bringing in the sharks and such… sandeels may be moving in… cellfish…

 

[longcast]

Spent almost zero time in the sound, but they were anywhere from 7 feet to 70 feet of water outside of Moriches for the entire summer. Early on, the bass were all over them, as it grew warmer huge bluefish and some very hefty sharks.

 

[george]

Maybe this is common knowledge but where are the schools of full size bunker in the LI sound this year? I've seen peanut bunker everywhere, but very little of the big guys. Is it just sharks and dolphins on top of the usual predators as I've heard some people say? Is it a three year (or whatever) cycle? I've only been fishing this area a couple of years so maybe it's normal to have boom and bust years, but I just didn't see any most of this summer, and there are none at all now in the inshore inlets. This time last year they were covering the banks of local tributaries, with amazing stripe/blue blitzs pushing them. This month I found some schoolies chasing peanuts, but no big boys at all in the western Sound

I'm not sure what part of the sound you're fishing? There are huge schools of big bunker in the western sound but once you get to the mid sound, Smithtown, east they have been peanuts. I see this every year since the return of the bunker. In the next few weeks you will see a mix of adult and peanuts with big bass chasing them.

I'm hoping took get our later as this should be a great week for Albies! Right after the Harvest moon and in between blows.

Let us know how you make out!

 

[Matts]

I'm in the far west, and from the end of June until recently, we've had truly massive amounts of peanuts, but not many adults. I was looking forward to a great jigging and popping fall. But after last week's storm, I only see a small fraction of what was there 2 weeks ago.

 

[longcast]

I'm in the far west, and from the end of June until recently, we've had truly massive amounts of peanuts, but not many adults. I was looking forward to a great jigging and popping fall. But after last week's storm, I only see a small fraction of what was there 2 weeks ago.

And in the south shore bays and nearshore, I think the storms took a bunch of them away.

 

[wader]

apparently along the Jersey Shore.......................

Striped bass blitz the NJ coast, bluefin tuna join the frenzy

The menhaden bait fish were swimming for their lives this week as striped bass, whales and tuna chased them off the NJ coast.

www.yahoo.com

 

[longcast]

They are here too....... Some very cool videos from friends on the south shore.