Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring has its captains meeting Sunday at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City before entrants fish three out of nine days next week for a huge purse. Those not familiar with offshore tournaments may wonder how those days are selected.

Weather is the overriding concern, but if that works out everyone wants to fish on Friday as the soft spots on the leaderboard may influence the location the skipper may head to and how he will fish on that final day. Most boaters also like to fish the first day in order to get something on the leaderboard before the weather may turn for the worse. By then selecting Wednesday, it’s also possible to to give the crew a break by not having to do any back-to-back canyon runs.

Of course, that ideal schedule doesn’t always work out, and if a fishy area is found one day it may be wise to go back the next day before conditions change.

Tomorrow’s party at the Golden Nugget runs from 4-9 p.m. For info visit questfortheringac.com. Boats will leave very early during the week to be at their goal for lines in at 7:30. Lines out is at 3:30, and the scales are open from 5-9 p.m.

No live bait is permitted, and IGFA rules apply except that’s it’s allowable to immediately pass the rod with a fish hooked on the troll to another angler. Blue marlin must be 105 inches for weighing, while whites must measure at least 68 inches. Minimum weights for weighing are 50 pounds for tuna and 10 pounds for dolphin and wahoo.

Capt. Ron Santee thought the largest fluke of the year was coming up on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands this morning. The heavy throbbing had him expecting a 9-pound fluke, but “Bob” actually had a remarkable doubleheader of a 4-pound sea bass and a pool-winning 4 1/2-pound fluke. Santee got into some keepers and more shorts early in the trip, but conditions changed and the rest of the day was tough.

Vinny D’Anton only managed one small striper casting into the Monmouth County surf this morning before switching to fluke and making his day with an 18 1/2-incher on a pink slime Gulp Grub. Vinny said the continuing southeast wind hasn’t helped the surf fishing.

The forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20. Showers are possible.

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