Anyone else see the jumping sharks show at west bank?

[O'Man]

Was out last Saturday near West Bank Light. The bunker were incredibly thick and there were sharks jumping & spinning over in the air. They would leap, roll over and land white side up. Never saw anything like it in RB. Lots of them.

[Duffman]

There not sharks.

[O'Man]

Sturgeon?

Heads looked kinda rounder and the bodies were more gray than the ones I remember being in a chum slick in the Chesapeake.

[Duffman]

Sorry should have elaborated....not saying you didn’t see sharks just that you probably didn’t. Sturgeon have always been breaching in Raritan and personally this year I’ve seen more than I ever have.

Just got out here in the last 20 min or so and already had 2 break water around Earle. Also already have seen 2 carcasses this yr with heads off. Clean cuts too. Also saw one like that two years ago. Strange. Prop damage?

State also has a sturgeon siting website. Check it out.

[Billfish715]

Don't blow anyone off with the idea that they are NOT sharks. They are, or can be! Yes, there are sturgeon in the bay, and have been for longer than I've been alive. But, the sharks are, or have been around too. I have video from last year of spinner sharks harassing bunker off Bay Head.

They put on quite a show and we could see them from quite a distance. We baited a few of them and my wife fought several to the boat for release. They were not huge by any means. They were in the 40-50 pound range but catching them on fluke tackle was quite a treat.

I can't say how many there were, but when my wife was fighting one, there were at least three or four others following. All of the while, there were many more jumping and spinning a distance from the boat. The sharks covered an area over 400 yards long.

While sturgeon seem to be the likely species you saw, if there were many leaping out of the water in short succession, and over a wide distance, they might have been spinner sharks. Splashes here and there are probably caused by sturgeon. Some say that it is a mating ritual. They usually take over Chapel Hill Channel in July and August.

[Detour66]

They are more than likely Sturgeon and they are there every year. Just be careful one doesn't jump in boat they are big fish!

[Billfish715]

I guess my recollection of the spinner sharks from last year has to be refreshed. When I checked my notes from last year, the sharks were offshore of the Axel Carlson. They were not eating bunkers, but, rather feasting on the schools of mackerel that were abundant last summer. The sharks were larger than the 40#-50# fish I mentioned. They were much bigger than that. We used 80# leaders and circle hooks to bait them.

If you are heading out to the ocean at this time of the year, be sure to bring along some heavier tackle and some pitch baits. You never know what you'll find even if you are only a few miles off the beach. The inshore sandeels are going to attract some unusual or exotic fish later this summer. I'm convinced. If a finger of warm/blue water spins off the offshore currents, we will be in for a real treat. Be ready.

I think our first reports of unusual catches will come from trollers in the Mud Hole. We're counting on Gerry to be the first to post a report of an exotic southern visitor.

[Skolmann]

I think our first reports of unusual catches will come from trollers in the Mud Hole We're counting on Gerry to be the first to post a report of an exotic southern visitor.

Last year by this time we already had several weeks of good, consistent fishing for bonito from the surf line out. With a good amount of spainish mackerel as well. False albacore showed up inshore in numbers by mid August. This year, although the spanish mackerel have shown up the bonito bite is very slow to develop.