Small craft warnings are up today, but the NY/NJ Bight marine forecast for Tuesday is west at just 10-15 knots. Should be time for fishing on calm seas!

rN.J. Boat Sale returns Feb. 17-20

The N.J. Boat Sale & Expo lost two years to the pandemic, but will be returning to the N,J. Expo Center in Raritan Center, Edison from Feb. 17-20.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has shut down the General category tuna fishery plus the commercial component of the Charter category as the seasonal quotas were about to be filled. They also closed the southern region Angling category trophy fishery for the same reason.

The Mimi VI from Point Pleasant has extended their open blackfishing with limited trips through Friday. Call 732 292-1051 for details and reservations.

A small craft warning is up through Monday afternoon. Northwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 are predicted for tomorrow.

My phone is operational once again. +

Sportfishermen can cheer on a fellow angler in tomorrow’s Super Bowl.

Clark Harris is the long snapper for the Bengals, and also the reigning Manhattan Cup striped bass champion. Clark is the half-brother of Fisherman magazine editor Jim Hutchinson Jr. and grew up in Manahawkin on the Jersey Shore. They fish the Manhattan Cup with Capt. Brian Rice every year and are always a top contending team.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar got out today and had some keeper blackfish plus ling, pollock and lots of congers and bergalls. They will be sailing Sunday,

T

The forecast is for north winds with gusts to 20. Light snow is a possibility.

Anthony Arcabascio opens the free seminars at Saturday’s Hi-Mar Striper Club Fishing Flea Market with an 8:30 presentation on how to troll Tony Maja lures. He’ll be followed by Capt. Jim Freda with inshore tuna fishing — and Gerry and Joe Zagorski of njfishing.com with blackfishing tips. The flea market opens at 8, in the Port Monmouth VFW on Rt. 36. Those going there can also check out the sale being held at The Tackle Box in Hazlet — with everything in the Rt. 36 store discounted.

A small craft advisory goes up at 7 p.m. up to Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow starts with southwest winds at 15-20 knots that drop to 10-15 in the afternoon.

My phone is still dead, so contact me at cristori@aol.com.

The International Game Fish Association has approved records set in 2021, plus one one carried over from August 31, 2020 when Hunter Keel (12) boated the male junior category dolphin of 65 pounds after a 17-minute battle in Washington Canyon.

The IGFA approved 217 freshwater and 205 saltwater records — of which 45 percent were released.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar got out Tuesday and reported a few keeper blackfish plus some shorts.

Tomorrow’s early forecast is fine with southwest winds at 5-10 knots before increasing to 25 knot gusts in the afternoon.

My phone has gone dead. Anyone trying to reach me can e-mail cristori@aol.com

Even if fishing is at a low level due to winter weather, Saturday will be a good time to get ready for the spring by loading up on tackle at the Hi-Mar Striper Club Fishing Flea Market which runs from 8-2 in the Port Monmouth VFW at 1 Veterans Lane. This is always a very big show, and also includes many seminars for the $5 admission. Kids under 12 are admitted at no charge.

With all that traffic coming to Rt. 36, the Tackle Box in Hazlet is having its own special sale with discounts on everything in stock.

The forecast for Thursday is southwest winds at 10-15 knots plus occasional gusts to 25.

The Jamaica from Brielle will be running weekend trips to far offshore wrecks through the rest of the month. Those trips board at 11:30 the night before and sail at midnight. The sea bass season is closed, but there are loads of jumbo porgies plus a shot at cod, pollock and weakfish. Reservations are required. Call 732 528-5014.

The Wednesday marine weather forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots and 2-4-foot seas.

Northwest winds of 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 should produce good fishing conditions later this week.

Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina says the cold has shut down most fishing, and the Ocean Explorer is the only boat fishing. They did have a 12-pound blackfish recently.

Catching a 1000-pound game fish is a great challenge, but not being able to find a scale large enough to weigh it has to be a disappointment. That was the case recently at Cabo San Lucas, the famed fishing port at the end of Baja California, Mexico.

There was no question about an IGFA world record as not only did two anglers in a charter party fight the great fish, but they did so on two rods as the marlin hit two baits. The 1000-pound estimate was based on comparison to marlin that weighed somewhat less.

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for northeast winds at 5-10 knots with likely rain or snow showers in the morning changing to rain in the afternoon.

Almost every place in Florida has changed greatly since I first started fishing in the Sunshine State, but that doesn’t apply to Chokoloskee in the southwestern portion of the state.

I was last there in March,1971, and don’t remember it looking any different. Paul Castelli spends most of the year in Atlantic City, N.J., but also has a winter home in Chokoloskee which Crazy Alberto Knie and I visited this week.

Fishing was off after the recent near-frost cold front, and a southeast wind didn’t help as we fished two half-days in Paul’s 24-foot Robalo flats boat. Fortunately, it’s possible to fish the Everglades area in almost any conditions as the multitude of mangroves break the wind and the shallow waters warm up rapidly. The cold front had dropped the waters into the 50s, but were back up over 66 by the time we left. Yet, the fish still seemed to be in shock.

Crazy Alberto stuck to casting a small paddle tail and kept picking away at small spotted sea trout (including one keeper) plus ladyfish, while I stuck with bait in hope of finding a bigger fish which I did with a 23 1/2-inch redfish (red drum) on a ladyfish chunk. Crazy Alberto turned those keepers into a gourmet fish dinner better than anything I’ve ever had in a restaurant.

Tommy Cox is visiting in Florida this week, and joined a neighbor in his small boat to catch a 32-inch redfish in Lemon Bay at Englewood.

Vinny D’Anton found some active sea trout near Sarasota on Tuesday and caught seven up to 17 1/2 inches on a Mirrolure.

The forecast for NY/NJ Bight is for northeast winds at just 5-10 knots before changing to southeast in the afternoon. Seas are down to 2 to 3 feet.

Paul and Al with redfish (Alberto Knie photo)