Friday has been windy as expected, and the gale warning lasts through the afternoon before winds start diminishing.

By morning it should be down to 10-15 knots from the north with gusts to 25. However, looking ahead to Sunday the forecast is for just 5-10 knots northeast with seas down to two feet or less. As a result, the Ocean Explorer will sail from Belmar for cod on Sunday.

Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports they have bloodworms in stock.

Fishing prospects in NY/NJ Bight aren’t looking very good as the rain may discolor some inshore areas, and small craft warnings are up from 1 a.m. through Friday.

Friday’s forecast is for north winds of 25-30 knots with gusts to 45. Possible showers early change to snow or rain — but Sunday looks much better.

Raritan Bay shoreline anglers continue to catch some mostly short stripers and have seen some bunkers breaking. Last year the fishery for large stripers on bunkers broke open very early during the third week in March.

Winter flounder are a possibility off the Belmar docks, but sunny days with light winds are your best bet in that fishery. The Ocean Explorer is sailing for cod when the weather makes it possible and enough anglers show up — which wasn’t the case on the one nice day this week, A very rare fish was caught last Thursday on that boat — an Atlantic mackerel! There was no explanation of the photo, but I suspect it hit an empty hook being reeled up. That species used to be the most abundant in the Bight when they provided spring and winter migratory runs. They are never alone, but this one was here much too early to signal the return of a spring run.

After a little break it’s back to bad weather tomorrow. Though the morning starts with only 5-10 knot east winds, there’s a chance of rain followed by an almost 100% chance later. Northeast gusts to 40 knots move in after midnight.

I’m finally back! Optimum finally got my internet back — ust in time to get the first boat striper report. The striper shown was caught aboard Chuck Many’s Ty Man from Highlands despite howling winds.

Bob Matthews reports from Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina that a few winter flounder have been caught off the docks. The Ocean Explorer is fishing daily for cod when possible. It’s looking good tomorrow as the forecast is for northeast at just 5-10 knots. There may be some drizzle and patchy fog in the morning.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had an unusual problem Friday during this windy winter.They had so litle that the boat just drifted around at anchor. Fishing was poor, but the good news was that bait showed up and so did whales and dolphin. Lack of wind won;t be a problem today with northwest 15-20 knots increasing in the afternoon to 30.

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Stripers Forever. the internet organization fighting for game fish status, has proposed a 10-year ban on keeping stried bass both by commercial and recreational fishermen in order to rebuild the population. Catch and release fishing woud continue.

George Poveromo features patch fishing out of Marathon for a variety of specieson his Discovery Channel TV shpw on Sunday at 8 a.m.

The marine forecast is for west wnds at 15-20 knots with gusts to 35 though it will be sunny and mild.

Sorry about what Word Press did to my headline last night before I corrected it later;

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported another flat calm and warm day in the Mud Hole yesterday, and fish also cooperated. About a dozen cod were boated and some shorts released while a dozen ling were added to the fish box.

That boat continues t fish daily, though it won’t be quite as calm. A small craft advisory is posted through Friday morning, though at least it’s for west winds. Friday starts with southwest wind of 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 before dropping to 5-10 in the afternoon

There was a fire yesterday at theBelford, N.J. Seafod Co-Op, but it appears the damage wasn’t as severe as at first suspected. The marshes were blackened, but when Dave Lilly checked the area today the old building was standing and looked as if it would be operational.

Th Ocean Explorer got offshore from Belmar yesterday and found some of the targeted cod along with a few ling while fishing on a flat ocean in warm temperatures. They plan on fishing for cod daily. The marine forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots in the morning before increasing later to 15-20 with gusts to 25.

While looking through Facebook recently, I was surprised to see a post from party boat historian Mel Deak noting that Capt. Barry Goldman passed away on Feb. 22. I knew that Barry had been in bad health for a long time, but never got word of his death at 86.

Barry was one of the best-kown characters on the Jersey Shore when I started writing my saltwater fishing column for the Star-Ledger. He ran his charter boat Ol’ Salty II out of Belmar, and ended up his career as a second captain for offshore trips on the Voyager from Point Pleasant.Though born in Perth Amboy, he acquired his love of the ocean as a kid summering in Deal. While reading his obituary, I was surprised to find that he had a degree in Geology from Cornell University and worked in a wide variety of jobs. Leon Hess was a cousin, and Goldman joined him in the oil business for some time.Goldman left his son David to continue the family link to sportfishing, though Capt. David charters a Raritan Bay center console and specializes in striped bass as well as the tuna his dad preferred..

The weather is looking much better as tomorrow’s forecast is for sunny and mild with temperatures in the mid-forties as southeast winds will be only 5-10 knots. The Ocean Explorer plans to sail for cod from Belmar.

The Tackle Box in Hazlet reports there’s aleady been school striper activity with bass to 32 inches from Raritan Bay shorelines at Leonardo, Cliffwood Beach and South Amboy. Tommy Karindrakas of of Long Branch, who released the first keeper last week, did it again with a 12-pounder. Both bloodworms and sandworms are working.

Up Front Bait & Tackle in Keyport had their first bass to weigh as Bob Wavro had a 28-incher that went 8.6 pounds.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar found lively bottom Saturday that produced a keeper cod and two pollock plus a few ling from among the bergalls. With better weather, they will try to get out every day. The morning forecast is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 before Wednesday looks great with 5-10 east and seas at 2 feet or less.

Chuck Many has been releasng red drum at Hilton Head, South Carolina;