Porgy and menhaden are more commonly known as bunker. These are typically the bait that is preferred by most anglers when they are fishing for striped bass. Bunker makes up about 80% of the diet of a striped bass, it is fatty, oily and is loaded with calories. One problem that is becoming more prevalent is the number of commercial entities who are seeking large schools of bunker. They are competing with anglers for bunker due to the sheer number of products that are being marketed with the oils from bunker, namely Omega-3. A trip to a local market will reveal that this oil is found in everything from medicines to foods we eat every day and even in our pets’ food. Because of this, commercial fleets are now snagging entire schools of bunker using advanced methods. One common method is known as purse seining which involves small planes passing overhead and locating schools of bunker, notifying their commercial fishing fleet by radio and then the commercial boat will lay a net, encircle the entire school and scoop them out of the water. There are some ecological reasons why this practice is having an impact on our waterways. Bunker feed by straining food matter and other suspended particles from the water since they are what is known as a filter feeder. Additionally, bunker tend to swim in large schools, some schools in fact number in the millions. Anglers have known for a long time that if they find a bunker in the area, they are certainly going to encounter many more in the immediate area. Bunkers typically find their way to smaller estuaries and back creeks as the summer heat takes control over the waterways. Once in these areas, they are responsible for large scale fish kills which occur when the bunker literally suck all of the oxygen out of the water.

Because bunkers are filter feeders, you will not be able to use traditional fishing methods to catch them. Traditional baits such as lures, flies and other alternatives simply will not work with bunker. In fact, the two most accepted methods of landing bunker are through netting and through the use of treble hooks. Netting is far neater, as treble hooking involves getting into the area where the bunker have schooled, using a treble hook to cast into the center of the school and basically hold on until you have landed a bunker. Some anglers enjoy doing this and leave the bunker on the hook, hold their rods in the water until the bunker (who now is impaled with the hook) sinks below the school and becomes bait for a striper. Remember, stripers are sharp and they will quickly identify wounded bunker and will come after it. Not only is this method of fishing effective, some find it very relaxing.

Another possible method is once you have identified a pod of bunker, consider using a gill net. A gill net is anywhere between 50 and 100 feet long, and generally 4 to 6 feet deep. You can attach small weights to the bottom to keep it stretched, and use floats to ensure that it stays on the surface. A gill net works because the mesh is just the right size for catching the head of the bunker as they tried to pass through the holes. It causes the gill plates to become entangled and when you pull the net back, you can remove the bunker. Most anglers have discovered that this is the easiest way to catch bunker. If you use a net with an eight foot radius, that is sufficiently weighted and has the right mesh size, you can literally snag about four dozen or so in no time at all. The critical steps that you need to pay attention to is the right mesh size, as well as sufficient weight. The ideal size mesh will be not smaller than an inch, and the ideal weight is 1.25 pounds of lead per foot of net. If you use less than this, chances are you will spook the fish and the net will be empty before it has a chance to sink. This is a great method if you have live wells to keep the bunker alive.

When you are starting out it is best to go in the early morning, in the area of a reef. Start in really shallow water and avoid using any weight. You will be astounded when you see the bunker run to the surface as they fight for survival. How often do you get to see a bunker fleeing for his life, get knocked 3 feet into the air, and then be swallowed whole? Just remember as the sun gets higher, boat traffic will increase. At this time, the bass will likely retreat towards deeper water. This is the time when you will want to strap on sinkers and a three-way rig and resort to the more traditional Porgy, Hickory Shad and eels. You may discover that the bunker has become so effective that the scent will stay on your boat and could disrupt the fishing plans of other fishing boats in the area. This is especially true if they were using bait other than bunker. Remember, once the striper gets the scent of a bunker in the water, it may be all they can think about.

When you are preparing to undergo a saltwater fishing experience, it is important that you have the proper fishing gear. Some of the most popular gear include Shimino Spinning Reels, Penn Reel, and Daiwa Reel.