Kirk Gerbereux, a commercial fisherman in Southern New Jersey, maximizes his uses of his fishing vessel, the Pogy. Gerbereux leaves port from Bidwells Creek and fishes directly off of Reeds Beach, New Jersey.
Towards the end of the spring and through early summer, the Pogy employs gillnetting to target Bunker which are also known as Atlantic Menhaden. These species are found in large schools that fluctuate by size up and down the East Coast. Gillnets are large nets that are anchored on two opposing sides. The two sides are then connected together by a large net with a vertical pattern of holes. Gillnetters can choose what species they wish to target by determining and manipulating the size of the mesh of the net.
The video explaining the story of Bunker provides a clear visual of one way to catch this species. At Hooked Up Seafood, Bunker is not used for eating. Instead, Bunker is a primary source of bait along the East Coast, all the way from Maine to Florida. The Pogy’s product fuels Gerbereux family’s business, Jake’s Bait, which provides a bait supply to the recreational fishing industry here in South Jersey. And most importantly, Gerbereux uses his own Bunker product for his personal crabbing operation throughout the summer months.
Throughout Hooked Up’s season, Gerbereux sells his Blue Claw Crabs directly to our restaurant. For further information on the crabbing method, continue onto the next video featuring Kirk Gerbereux and the Pogy.