It’s not the greatest marine forecast, but President’s Day may be fishable — and southwest winds have pushed temperatures back up.

Today’s southwest wind drops to 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 by morning — and down to 5-10 by afternoon.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported lots of life on the bottom during Saturday’s blackfish trip which produced a couple of legal tog for two fares and one for some others. A few big tog were broken off. The seasonal pool is over $5,000

Capt. Kenny Namowitz reports a “go” tomorrow on his open trip with Mimi VI from Point Pleasant.  He’s fishing for blackfish at 7 a.m. on a limited trip for $8o. Make a reservation by calling 732 370-8019. He’s also sailing open on similar trips Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry for noting the SWABC flea market on the wrong day. I had it listed in my book for Sunday.

The Salt Water Angers of Bergen County will be running their big Fishing Flea Market on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Hasbrouck Heights Hilton at 650 Terrace Ave.

The New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo concludes tomorrow in the N.J. Convention Hall at Edison.

Today was the coldest day of the year, but it’s warming up. However, that warming is coming from a switch to southwest winds. gusting to 25 knots tonight. After a calm day, the forecast for Sunday that was noted here last night as light winds will instead be southwest at 15-20 knots before dropping to 10-15 in the afternoon.  Now it’s Monday that looks good with just 5-10 knots west.

The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council adopted regulations for the 2020 striped bass and bluefish seasons during their monthly meeting held in Manahawkin last night.

Paul Haertel of the JCAA was there, and noted that that well over 100 anglers were in attendance though there wasn’t enough space in the room for them. Even Tom Fote, governor’s appointee to the ASMFC, had to stand outside the room until he could go in to provide his comments.

Though the basic coastal regulation from the ASMFC was for one striper from 28 to less than 35 inches, the Council adopted a 28 to less than 38-inch regulation that meets the conservation equivalency standard for the state. That hadn’t been cleared by the ASMFC Technical Committee before today’s deadline, but Haertel expected that would be done in time.  Some anglers wanted to include a spring season closure in Raritan Bay, but were turned down because that effort to protect stripers full of roe hadn’t been studied and wasn’t in consideration.

There was a big change in the Bonus Program that is derived from the old commercial quota for what is now a gamefish state. That program had been providing a 24 to less than 28-inch bass during a fall season, but this year it will open on May 15 and continue all year if the quota isn’t filled.

The ASMFC regulations on bluefish were adopted. They provide only three blues to private anglers and five to those on for-hire boats. There is no minimum size or season though a closure which would provide a higher bag limit was turned down. Some of those commenting weren’t happy with the extra fish provided to party and charter boats, nor with the division between formally united private and for-hire sectors.

The weekend looks very cold, but should be calm. Small craft warnings are coming down at 7 p.m., but the west winds should have flattened the sea. The morning forecast is for north at just 5-10 knots before going southwest in the afternoon. That continues Sunday with 10 knots from the west.

The Jamaica from Brielle will be sailing to offshore wrecks for jumbo porgies, cod, pollock and hake at 1 a.m. Space is available by calling 732 528-5014.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had good blackfishing on it’s last trip this week, and will be back to it over the weekend.

The Mimi VI from Point Pleasant will run open for blackfish (photo above) the next three days at 7 a.m. with a 25-man limit and  an $80 fare. Call 732 370-8019 for reservations.

Bob Correll of Bay Head continues to be surprised by the variety of fish in back of the house he’s renting in Jupiter, Florida. After catching a 20-inch fluke or southern flounder a couple of days ago on a plug, he landed his first ever redfish (red drum) yesterday.

The New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo completes its run over the weekend at the N.J. Convention Center in Edison.

The Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County hold their big Fishing Flea Market Sunday at the Hasbrouck Heights Hilton from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult admission is $5, and kids under 10 are admitted free.

 

Maryland has made a big conservation change to protect spawning striped bass by pushing back the opening of their striped bass trophy season to May 1, and prohibiting  targeting of the pre-spawners, including catch and release fishing, before that.

New Jersey is getting ready to set their striped bass regulations at a 5 p.m. Marine Fisheries Council meeting in Manahawkin. I’ll have that info in tomorrow’s blog.

Bob Correll recently caught a bluefish behind a house he’s renting in Jupiter, Florida that was bigger than any he caught last summer in his local Bay Head surf.  Yesterday he did the same thing with fluke as a 20-incher hit the small plug he was casting. Actually, that was probably a southern flounder as they are the common flatfish south of North Carolina and hard to distinguish from the summer flounder of the north.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had a good bite of blackfish on Wednesday that even included a few limits plus some cod and ling.

There’s a small craft advisory up due to northwest gusts to 25 knots tonight. The morning starts with northwest at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

It looks a lot better for Saturday as the west wind will be down to 5-10 knots before dropping to just 5 in the afternoon with 2-foot seas. The Jamaica from Brielle will be running to the far offshore wrecks at 1 a.m. Saturday when it will be very cold  — but should warm up offshore where waters are much warmer.  They caught jumbo porgies, pollock, hake and even weakfish last weekend plus a couple of cod. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.

 

 

New Jersey 2020 creational regulations for striped bass and bluefish will be set tomorrow during the Marine Fisheries Council meeting at 5 p.m. in the Stafford Township Municipal Building, 260 Bay Ave. , Manahawkin.  The public is invited to that important meeting.

As noted previously, the N.J. Boat Sale & Expo opens tomorrow at the N.J. Convention and Expo Center in Edison.

Sorry for no blog last night, but something was wrong with Word Press and I couldn’t get into my site.

A small craft advisory is up for tomorrow, though it starts at only 10-15 knots from the south before going to west with gusts to 25 in the afternoon. Rain is likey in the morning.

The N.J. Boat Sale & Expo opens Thursday at the NJ Convention & Expo Center in Edison, and runs through Sunday.  More about that later in the week.

The annual World Fishing & Outdoors  Expo is set for Feb. 27 to March 1 at its usual site in Rockland Community College at Suffern, N.Y.

Today was a blowout, but small craft advisories are coming down tonight. Tomorrow’s forecast is for east winds at just 5-10 knots before shifting to northwest in the afternoon. Light rain is possible.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported decent blackfishing during Sunday’s trip.

After an unusually calm mid-winter day, a small craft advisory is going up at 2 a.m. and up to Monday afternoon. The morning forecast is for southwest winds at 20-25 knots with gusts to 30 plus 4-6-foot seas and rain.

It appears that anglers will get a break on Sunday before bad weather starts moving in that night.

Tomorrow should be fine for the Big Jamaica’s 1 a.m. trip to far offshore wrecks for jumbo porgies, cod, pollock and hake. There is room available on that sailing. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.

The Ocean Explorer will resume daily trips for blackfish from Belmar in the morning.

The morning forecast is for southeast winds at a mere 5-10 knots, though that will switch to south at 10-15 with gusts to  20 knots during the afternoon.

Needless to say, there’s been no fishing going on while the wind has been howling, but that shouldn’t be a problem by Sunday — and there’s lots going on shoreside tomorrow.

The forecast is for west winds gusting to 50 knots tonight before diminishing to 30 knot gusts later on with 9-12-foot seas dropping to 7-10 feet. By morning it will be down to 15-20 with gusts to 30 knots. The Sunday forecast is for east winds at just 5-10 knots, which should be fine for the Big Jamaica’s 1 a.m. trip from Brielle to far offshore wrecks for jumbo porgies, cod and pollock. Reservations can be made by calling 732 528-5014.

George Poveromo is back in N.J. with his Salt Water Sportsman Seminar in Atlantic City at Resorts Casino Hotel.  Nick Honachefsky is the co-host, and there will be many local pros on hand to provide vital info from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The SWS Seminars are well worth the admission, and there are also lots of valuable door prizes. The $55 tickets are available by calling 800 448-7360.

Though I didn’t get a press release, I’ve confirmed that the Hi-Mar Striper Club Fishing Flea Market & Seminars is on for tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Port Monmouth VFW on Rt. 36. Adult admission is $5.

Capt. Vinny Vetere will be there with his Ho-Jos and bunker spoons — and also out on Long Island for the 2020 Expo in the Hilton at Melville.

Winds gusting to over 50 knots were also predicted to the south today, and resulted in a second straight postponement of the Bassmasters St. Johns River Tournament which will now be contested from Saturday to Monday.

With marginal weather predicted for Saturday, the Big Jamaica  has moved their offshore wreck trip to 1 a.m. Sunday. Space is available by calling 732 528-5014.

They didn’t have a specific report for last Saturday’s trip, but noted that porgies, cod and pollock were caught.

Unfortunately, the Jamaica also had sad news as their lead deckhand, Dominic Wines, has passed away.

A small craft advisory is up for tonight, and that becomes a gale watch Friday. Friday morning starts with south winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 and rain before shifting to the west in the afternoon at 25-30 knots and gusts to 40 and 7-10-foot seas. Those winds drop to 15-20 knots by Saturday morning — and further to 10-15 by afternoon. Sunday is looking good with east winds of just 10 knots and seas down to 3 feet.

There was a lot of wind to the south today as Bassmaster, in a very rare fresh water move, had to postpone the opening day  of their St. John’s River Tournament due to a forecast of winds gusting to over 40 knots.

Bob Correll was casting off the dock of a home he’s renting in Jupiter, Fl. yesterday evening when he was surprised by a 4-pound bluefish hitting his Crystal Minnow. That was much larger than any of the very small blues he caught last summer casting in his home surf at Bay Head, N.J. That blue was larger than most caught inshore in Florida, but some years there is a brief offshore run of very long, but skinny, blues moving to the north during the winter.