There was very sad news for me last night as Capt. Russ Binns of Toms River, N.J. passed away. Russ was not only a fishing companion, but Marilyn and he were personal friends of Kathy and I.

Burke Honnold reported that Russ had a stroke at dinner on Saturday and was not given much of a chance to survive before being sent home for hospice care. Burke was able to get him talking, and noted that he could remember every fishing trip they had made before passing away. Russ did it all during his career as a private boat and charter skipper who fished in many tournaments and often was a winner. He was even better known as a boating instructor whose schools produced the certificates private skippers are required to have in N.J.

I particularly remember the early spring morning when my son Mike and I joined Russ to cast poppers for big blues in Barnegat Bay where there wasn’t a sign of activity. Yet. blind casting brought up jumbos on every cast until we were too tired to release any more.

I’ll have word about arrangements as soon as available.

The Queen Mary from Pt. Pleasant had been having great action with small blues until the last trip when jigging produced some blues, bonito, chub mackerel and sea bass plus a 38-inch cobia by Mike Payne which was hooked on a teaser hook that didn’t straighten out.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar opted to anchor in today’s wind. They had a steady pick of ling along with the one sea bass a man now allowed in N.J.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands is chartered on Thursday.

Capt. John McMurray of nyctuna.com has been fighting the weather to catch small bluefins, but got into big yellowfins today.

A small craft advisory is up through Thursday evening. The forecast is for south winds at 15-20 knots , plus gusts to 25. Seas may be up to 8 feet, and showers are possible.

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