International Game Fish Association Announces 2023 Tommy Gifford Award Winners Legendary captains honored by the global authority on game fishingDANIA BEACH, FL – February 6, 2023 – The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) today announced its 2023 Tommy Gifford Award winners, an annually-bestowed accolade that recognizes captains, guides, or crew members who have made extraordinary contributions to recreational angling through innovation, leadership, or outstanding accomplishments in their trade.Named for one of the greatest saltwater charter skippers of all time, Tommy Gifford Award recipients are selected through a rigorous nomination and vetting process conducted by the IGFA Legendary Captains and Crew Committee. This year’s recipients include accomplished journalist and offshore innovator Captain Karl Anderson; renowned billfish specialist and conservation catalyst Captain Gene Vander Hoek; boat-building innovator Captain Paul Spencer; seasoned saltwater authority and accomplished tournament winner Captain Ray Rosher; and renowned Key West charter Captain Brad Simonds. These industry legends will be honored later this year at the IGFA Tommy Gifford Awards Ceremony. Event details will be released in the coming weeks.“Captains, guides, and crewmembers are often the unsung heroes of sport fishing,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “The Tommy Gifford Awards allow us to celebrate those individuals whose devotion to their craft has led to remarkable achievements and continued innovation, paving a promising pathway for the anglers of tomorrow.”Tommy Gifford (1896-1970) is considered one of the most innovative blue water anglers and greatest game fish captains to have ever lived. Spanning the course of a 50-year career, Gifford cultivated an encyclopedic knowledge of game fishing techniques that led to serving as a guide and consultant to some of the most illustrious names in saltwater angling such as Ernest Hemingway, Michael Lerner, Charlie Lehman, and Van Campen Heilner. The spirit of the award pays homage to Gifford’s lifelong enthusiasm for the ocean and the creatures that inhabit it. As famed sportfishing author Raymond Camp wrote, “Big game angling has a brief history, but Tommy Gifford’s name is sharply etched on every page.”The 2023 recipients were selected by the IGFA Legendary Captains and Crew Committee, a distinguished panel of internationally renowned captains and mates chaired by Captain Skip Smith. Previous winners include Jose Wejebe, Allen and Buddy Merritt, Ron Hamlin, Charles Perry, Ralph Delph, Laurie Wright, Jimmie Albright, Bouncer Smith, Steve Lassley, Bubba Carter, R.T. Trosset, Billy Knowles, and more.“On behalf of the Legendary Captains & Crew Committee, it is a privilege to recognize outstanding captains, guides, and crew members from around the world every year,” said committee chairman and 2021 honoree Skip Smith. “It is an honor to celebrate their accomplishments and keep the history of our sport alive.”The 2023 Tommy Gifford Award recipients are:Karl AndersonCaptain Karl Anderson held his first paid mates’ job at age 13 and has since risen to become a globally-known figure in the world of big game fishing. Having fished the world over from Key West to Australia to Nova Scotia and beyond, he captains and manages several custom sportfishing yachts to some of the world’s finest sportfishing destinations, with thousands of billfish and tuna releases to his credit. Beyond his remarkable work as captain, Anderson is also an accomplished journalist whose writing, photography, and video work have permeated a sweeping list of industry publications and resulted in many national awards. Anderson also serves as an International Representative for the IGFA and chairs the Rules and Recognition Committee of the IGFA’s North American Regional Council.Ray RosherA third-generation Miami fisherman, Captain Ray Rosher has been captivated by the sea since boyhood. He launched his career as a professional crewman at the age of 16 and two decades later graduated as captain of his first charter boat, Miss Britt. Having spent more than 40 years working exclusively as a full-time fishing captain in both South Florida and international waters, Rosher’s chief objective is developing tactics to make sport fishing easier and more efficient, ensuring even inexperienced anglers can catch the fish of a lifetime. Leading with this passion for innovation and education, Rosher has contributed to advancements within nearly every aspect of fishing. Today, he continues to manage the South Florida three-boat fleet Miss Britt Charters and has more than 30 tournament wins to his name.Brad SimondsCaptain Brad Simonds was born and raised in Massachusetts where he grew up freshwater fishing with his family. When a high school summer job offered the opportunity to work in bluewater fishing, he said yes and never looked back. With more than 40 years of experience as a charter captain, Simonds has fished the world over from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to Nova Scotia and beyond. In 2002, he decided to open his own daily charter service out of Key West on his 43-foot Torres, Southpaw, which in the two decades since has developed a reputation as one of the area’s most experienced and best-designed fishing boats.Paul SpencerBoat-building innovator Captain Paul Spencer began his career in the industry at the age of 12, working during the summer as an offshore mate. Raised on the waters of the Atlantic, throughout his youth he gained offshore experience from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. Following a decade of running one of the best charter operations in renowned Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, Spencer set out to modernize the world of boat building in 1996, using his vast charter experience to trailblaze new ideas and surpass what had been done previously. The result is the world-renowned Spencer Yachts, recognized for their “Carolina Style” craftsmanship and unmatched sport fishing performance.Gene Vander HoekCaptain Gene Vander Hoek received his big break when his family moved to Kona, Hawaii, in 1969. By age 17 he caught his first marlin and has since amassed 32 IGFA World Records as captain, mate, or angler. An early pioneer in billfish conservation, Vander Hoek tagged and released the second marlin he ever caught. His creative efforts to compensate crew who previously relied on selling billfish for income helped lead the tag-and-release industry standard that is practiced along the Kona coast today. A mentor in his community, Gene is the only captain to ever land four Pacific blue marlin weighing more than 1,000 pounds. In addition to these impressive accomplishments, he is widely known for inventing the first plunger lure for marlin trolling in 1978.For more information about the Tommy Gifford Awards or to make a nomination, go to http://www.igfa.org/tommy-gifford-award/.About the IGFAFounded in 1939, The International Game Fish Association is a nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making, record keeping and recognition of outstanding accomplishments in the field of angling. The IGFA maintains world records in freshwater, saltwater, fly-fishing and junior angler categories. The IGFA has members in more than 100 countries.

Capt. Clinton Lessard plans to run his SHOW-NUF from Cape Charles, Virginia with open reservations on Wednesday to troll for trophy stripers that will be tagged and released. Most of those bass are over 40 pounds, and this is a best bet for a “50” which many anglers never catch in a lifetime. The cost per angler is $300, which includes a tip for the mate. Reservations for the 7:30-4:30 trip can be made by calling 757-710-0098. The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for northeast winds at just 5-10 knots before going south at 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon. Capt. Dave Riback, skipper of the Queen Mary at Point Pleasant. moved his charter boat Purple Jet to Jupiter, Florida for family fishing fun this winter and quickly figured out how to troll a wahoo.

The weather was still brutal yesterday at Cape Charles, Virginia, but big striped bass seemed to be comfortable underwater, even if it took some time before they turned on.

Capt. Clinton Lessard reported from his SHO-NUF as follows:

You don’t know unless you go!!!!! Blustery and frigid but it didn’t stop Art, Carol, Jimmy, and Kenny from taking a shot at it! Not a bite until 2:05, but after that it was NUTS. We went 6 for 8 for the remainder of the afternoon. Biggest today was 49 pounds, but all 6 were over 40 pounds. Back at it Monday. Here are todays pics.

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots before increasing to north 15-20 in the afternoon.

Famed N.J. angler Kil Song will go anywhere and do anything for good fishing. He was in Florida yesterday and didn’t like the conditions. So, he drove his car to Texas to catch this bull redfish while casting from a jetty!

The following report from the ASMFC doesn’t provide much hope for NJ/NY Bight (SNE/MA stock) anglers — and they don’t even mention the seal invasion of Shrewsbury River which offers little hope for improvement. Remember when it wasn’t uncommon to catch 100 flounder in Raritan Bay or off Sandy Hook?

• More

Management Track Assessments Find Winter Flounder Stocks for the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Not Experiencing Overfishing

Aol/Inbox

• Management Track Assessments Find Winter Flounder Stocks for the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Not Experiencing Overfishing Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Winter Flounder Management Board reviewed the results of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s (NEFSC) management track stock assessments* for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder stocks. These assessments found GOM winter flounder is not experiencing overfishing while the SNE/MA winter flounder stock is not overfished nor experiencing overfishing. The overfished status for the GOM stock remains unknown. The management track assessments for both stocks include data through 2021. SNE/MA winter flounder experienced a change in stock status from overfished to not overfished due to a change in the years of recruitment estimates used to estimate biological reference points. Instead of drawing upon the entire time series of recruitment estimates, the projections now only use recruitment estimates from the past 20 years (2002-2021). The SNE/MA winter flounder stock is most likely not capable of achieving the high levels of recruitment that were observed prior to 2000 due to changes in environmental conditions; therefore, using a truncated recruitment time series of only the past 20 years better reflects current stock condition. However, despite a change in stock status; trends in survey indices and model estimates all continue to indicate the SNE/MA stock is in poor condition.
   The GOM stock uses a modeling method that incorporates survey indices of abundance to obtain area-swept biomass and exploitation estimates. There have been time series lows in fishery removals (harvest and discards) for GOM winter flounder in recent years. Overall, the indices of abundance have not responded positively to the large declines in commercial and recreational removals since the 1980s. However, there were increases in the fall 2021 and spring 2021 and 2022 area-swept biomass estimates, which, if they continue, could be the beginning of a response to continued low fishery removals. It should be noted, however, that no survey data is available for 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, which is a source of uncertainty in this area-swept assessment that relies on survey data. Given this information, specifications recommended by New England Fishery Management Council, and recommendations from the Technical Committee and Advisory Panel, the Board maintained 2023 recreational and commercial measures for the GOM and SNE/MA winter flounder stocks for the 2024-2025 fishing years .The next management track assessments for both stocks are scheduled for 2024, and the next research track assessment, the equivalent of the Commission’s benchmark stock assessments, are scheduled for both stocks in 2026. As part of this analysis, the NEFSC will attempt to incorporate climate data into the SNE/MA winter flounder stock assessment. The management track assessment reports for GOM and SNE/MA winter flounder are available on the Commission’s website at
  http://www.asmfc.org/species/winter-flounder under Stock Assessment Reports.
• A shift to southwest winds will warn northern areas. Sunday’s forecast is for SW at 20-25 knots with gusts to 35.

With brutal cold expected in northern areas this weekend, a swordfish photo sent by Capt. Nick Stanczyk in Islamorada, Florida Keys proves that there are better alternatives a short flight away. As a kid I could only dream about catching a swordfish sometime during my life to join a very select group of anglers. Yet, the daytime deep drop fishery pioneered by Nick’s father, Richard, has made that quest almost routine. Indeed, that sword was one of four that hit baits dropped by Nick yesterday –and all were caught!

In order to book a trip on Nick’s Broad Minded, call Bud N’Mary’s Marina at 305 664-2461.

The NY/NJ Bight forecast includes a freezing spray advisory through Saturday afternoon. Northwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 in the morning drop to west 10-15 in the afternoon.

The following post by SHO-NUF in Cape Charles from yesterday follows:AMAZING . 12 BITES. 11 BOATED. 2 more 50 pounders. Best day of the season for us so far today. Alex and Eric made it happen. Of course the fish were chomping too. What a great season so far and we are not done. We have caught, as of today 154 ROCKFISH and 33 have been over 50 POUNDS. CRAZY GOOD. 757-710-0098

If you need more urging to go south, check out George Poveromo’s how at 8 a.m. Sunday on Discovery Channel as he fishes at Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas.

Jim Hutchinson Jr. of the Fisherman magazine reports all the governing agencies have decided that New Jersey will have to maintain status quo fluke regulations for the upcoming season. Though those regs probably worked out well for party boats and casual anglers, dedicated fluke fishermen generally hated throwing back fluke over 18 inches which they have become expert at catching while having to settle for a limit with smaller fluke.

The Tackle Box in Hazlet will hold their Super Saturday Sale on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with everything reduced up to 50%. That will also be the final chance to enter their Striped Bass Raffle — and Bobby Back Bay Lures will be selling 100 custom metal lip plugs.

The Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County will be holding their annual Fishing Flea Market on Sunday from 9-8 at the Hasbrouck heights Hilton. A blackfish seminar will be presented at 9, and a surf fishing seminar follows at noon.

A small craft advisory goes up at 6 p.m., and changes to a gale warning from Friday morning to night. The forecast is for northwest winds at 25-30 knots with gusts to 35 plus freezing spray.

Vinny D’Anton has been doing well with spotted seatrout while wading flats around Sarasota, Florida. There have also some ladyfish, and he even caught a blowfish on his MirrOlure. Southern puffers seem to be more aggressive than the similar-looking norther puffer. Vinny got a surprise when a dolphin chasing a mullet almost bumped into him.

Chuck Many with another Cape Charles striper on Show-Nuf before release with a Gray tag and the spring spawn

It’s hard to believe that anglers can enjoy what may be some of the best Mid-Atlantic sportfishing of the entire year right now in mid-winter — if they are willing to travel.

Capt. Mark DeBlasio reports from North Carolina that bluefin tuna fishing has been more productive on his Water Proof in the last few days than it was throughout January. That charter boat from N.J. is finishing up its commercial season, and will be taking both charter and open reservations during a period when anglers have their best chance to boat a trophy tuna. They are catching 10-15 tuna under 73 inches while seeking giants, and more recreational-size bluefins are moving in every day. Mark says the 50-85-inch bluefins are best for stand-up fishing or for jig/pop excitement. Call 201 988-5475 for info and reservations.

The following report from Capt. Clinton Lessard about yesterday’s

striper trolling off Cape Charles, Va. fishing sums it up.:”What a day with Chuck Tyman Manny 16 Bites today, Crazier, 10 fish boated, 3 over 50 pounds. 2 Hooks in one fish. Nuts. Watched a rockfish play with planer board for 20 seconds. Hard to beat a day like today but we dam sure gonna try again on Thursday. Crazy we had 25 bites the last two days. . 757-710-0098

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported good Tuesday blackfishing despite some drizzle and sleet on a calm ocean. There were lots of shorts, and some keepers turned on late.

The forecast is for west winds at 5-10 knots before going southwest at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25 in the afternoon.

Chuck Many used to pull out of Cape Charles as the pre-spawning big stripers seemed to stop hitting in January, but that doesn’t seem to be the case during this relatively mild winter. SHO-NUF from that port reported a “wild” day of trolling in flat waters as four up to 47 pounds were released with Grey tags! Charters will continue as long as the bass cooperate.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar enjoyed flat seas yesterday along with a south current which provided a good blackfish bite. Some anglers had limits plus releases, and there were lots of shorts.

The forecast is for north winds at just 5-10 knots and possible snow showers before going to northwest in the afternoon.

The amazing numbers of double digit blackfish from the southern end of N.J. through Delmarva being caught this winter have included the largest ever by a woman and many multiple daily catches by individuals.

New Jersey pro Dante Soriente reported even dead whitelegger crabs worked on his Magictail jigs as his crew aught 10 in the 11-14-pound range. Fish Bound from Ocean City, Md. reported a challenging bitelast week, with Sunday being an especially tough grind. However, the opportunity is there for dedicated tog anglers. One group had five up to 15 pounds along with three-fish boat limits of smaller blacks despite having to fish through lots of sea bass which are out of season.

Tautog of that size are very hard to come by in heavily fished northern areas. The Big Mohawk from Belmar reported lots of tog action yesterday with shorts plus an occasional keeper up to 6 pounds plus a couple of keeper cod. They’ll be taking a break until April’

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for north winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20.

Capt. Greg Mercurio says it looks like the wind gods will permit the Yankee Capts. to get out of Key West for great variety bottom fishing and jigging.

With a prediction of west winds at 5-10 knots, Monday looks like a winner in N/NJ Bight- and the week also looks generally good.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reports their seasonal blackfish pool is up to almost $5,000. They had a slow start yesterday with wind, swell and cold water, However, all that changed later and a shared his latest column as follows: decent bite developed as they ended up with some keepers including a few of 5-7-pounds. ((Photo below)

Jim Hutchinson Sr. shared his latest column as follows:

“

The 2022 LBI Surf Fishing Classic is now a memory for Long Beach Island anglers, but their thoughts of many are on its spring cousin, the 21^st annual LBI Spring Derby.

The Spring Derby runs from early April to the last week in June. Anglers cast lines from shore in hopes of catching that big striped bass or bluefish that will earn them a cash prize.

The problem now in mid-winter is surviving until the beach action begins. While the choices below may not be as exciting as a rod with a big striper on the end of the line, these activities may supply that needed fishing fix, and perhaps improve your angling skills.

This is a great time to examine your fishing gear. Did you just throw everything in a pile or jam into a tackle box last fall? If so, take everything out and make sure you are ready for that Spring Derby.

Everything, including waders, rods and reels, terminal tackle, and anything that might have come in contact with salt water last year, should be rinsed in salt water. Next, check your gear and inventory what you will need in the coming months.

Check your rod guides and reels. Replace line as needed. If anything needs professional attention, this is the time to do it. The experts at our local bait and tackle shops are not as busy as in the summer. They can tend to your needs in a timely fashion. Have them take those reels apart and get everything working properly.

In baseball lingo, winter months are termed the “hot stove league.” This refers to fans hashing previous seasons while they wait for the upcoming season. While the term is not used to describe fishing activities, it could. There are events where anglers can join like-minded folks and swap fish stories. They might even pick up some new fishing tips.

There are a plethora of fishing and boating shows in winter within an easy drive of southern Ocean County. If you have never made it to one of these shows, you are in for a treat. Once you pay a nominal fee, you enter an area filled with like-minded people. There are booths where various businesses are available to answer your fishing questions as they try to sell you a variety of items ranging from magazine subscriptions to guided fishing trips to sunglasses.

See what you can learn from these onsite representatives as well as other anglers on site. Who knows, a surf fisherman from Long Island, New York, make give one from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, the tip to land a winning fish in the spring derby.

Most shows also have seminars conducted by fishing and boating experts. Often you can pick and choose the topics that most interest you.

Then, there are local fishing flea markets. These are smaller versions of fishing shows with booths set up selling a wide variety of fishing gear, both new and used. Once again, with a room filled with fishing fanatics, how can you not get enthused about the upcoming fishing season?

As a bonus, most of these shows are run for some type of benefit. Local high school fishing clubs conduct theirs to raise funds for club member activities. As a matter of fact, the Southern Regional High School Fishing Club will be holding its annual market on Saturday, February 11, at the Middle School in Manahawkin.

One other way to calm your winter jitters is to stop in at a local bait and tackle shops. Although their days and hours are limited compared to in-season, there is usually someone there willing to swap fishing stories.

You are welcome to continue counting the days until the LBI Spring Derby opens up, but you now have a couple  of ideas to make the time pass by a little faster.”

Anglers in NY/NJ Bight may have an early window of opportunity Sunday morning with south winds at 10-15 knots before picking up to 15-20 knots in the afternoon. Blackfish continue to be the best bet inshore. The weather looks good enough to load up with jumbo porgies on the Jamaica’s trip to far offshore wrecks which departs at 11 p.m. Check 732 528-5014 for reservations.

Gangler’s Fishing Lodges in Canada has a booth at the Fly Fishing Show in N.J. Expo Center at Edison which concludes tomorrow. I fished at their camp some years ago and even this saltwater guy enjoyed the action in a beautiful setting.

Capt. Monty Hawkins got out from Ocean City, Md. yesterday with his Morning Star, and had good tog fishing despite a rough sea. The pool fish was 28.5 inches. Monty uses measurement so anglers can participate in the pool and still release big spawners if they choose to. He noted that they could have limited on sea bass if that season was open.

Chuck Many fished his boat at Hilton Head, South Carolina for large red drum, but had to settle for lots of variety This amberjack or similar almaco displays the distinctive black feeding stripe on the head which appears when feeding. Grouper, sea bass and little tunny were also caught.