The historic photo published here recently showed Asbury Park Fishing Club anglers with striped bass caught around 1910. I’m running that again in order to illustrate how fishermen dressed in the “good old days”. It’s been a long time since even party boat fishermen came aboard in coat and tie. The great NYC fisherman Vince Scotti showed me how he consistently trolled big bass with his long tube lure decades ago — and always arrived at his boat in an old suit before putting foul weather gear on top. Could that be the secret to catching big stripers?

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar reported about yesterday’s blackfish trip as follows:

“We made it out this morning in lumpy condtions but it did lay down and we had a comfortable day offshore…We had life to,,plenty of perch biting along with some short blackfish…handful of keeper blackfish onboard,,no Jumbos so your safe another day Timmy..No cod or pollock today,,guess they werent in the mood..Seasonal pool is 4400 bucks and wide open for the taking so come down and take a shot..We are fishing everyday unless weather stops us..See ya tomorrow.”

The forecast is for east winds at 5-10 knots before shifting to south in the afternoon. Seas will be 4-6 feet with a chance of afternoon rain.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar got offshore yesterday and reported as follows:

“We had nice conditions offshore today,,a little rocky but not bad with Northwest winds..Had decent life again with water temps up to 43 degrees out there….Lots of perch biting kept you busy…But also had a few keeper blackfish,.6 or 7 keeper pollock and a nice codfish and ling to…So not a lot of fish and not everybody caught but enough to keep you interested..Caught the cod on a jig again and double header pollock on jig teaser as well.”

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for east winds at 10-15 knots.

George Poveromo is bringing his Salt Water Sportsman Seminar Series to Ct. on Saturday Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Trumbell Marriott Shelton. Crazy Alberto Knie will be among the national experts along with many local pros. Call 954 755-6898 for tickets and details.

Anglers in NY/NJ Bight will be facing a northeast wind in the morning, but unlike most such winds it is forecast to drop off from 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 down to east at 5-10 knots in the afternoon.

NY/NJ Bight anglers have seen enough snow, rain and wind, but it looks better tomorrow.

A small craft advisory is up until late tonight before the morning starts with northwest winds at just 10-15 knots. As a result, the Ocean Explorer from Belmar is planning to fish for blackfish.

A bit further south, Charley Levine caught this fine mutton snapper while fishing with Capt. Chris Trosset at Key West.

A small craft advisory is up through late tonight in NY/NJ Bight with northwest winds to 30 knots which drop to 20 after midnight before shifting to southwest 20-25 plus gusts to 30 and 4-6-foot seas in the morning.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar cancelled weekend blackfish trips, but expects to sail on Monday.

The Philadelphia Fishing Show concludes today at the Expo Center in Oaks — as does the N.J. Boat Sale and Expo in the N.J. Expo Center at Raritan Center.

THE WAY IT WAS —posted by Tom Fernicola

The weather forecast for Saturday remains marginal for fishing, but a good one for talking fishing at the N.J. Boat Sale & Expo at the N.J. Expo Center in Raritan Center — or the Philadelphia Fishing Show in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks.

A small craft advisory is up until 6 p.m. in NY/NJ Bight. Saturday starts with just 5-10-knot northeast winds before switching to northwest 15-20 plus gusts to 25 in the afternoon. Snow is likely in the morning, and snow showers in the afternoon.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar found a lively bottom yesterday while fishing for blackfish. There were lots of bergall bites along with some short tog and three keepers. One cod was jigged and another followed to the surface — and one other hit a green crab.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) reports that their Striped Bass Management Board will be meeting on March 26 from 1-3 p.m., and that will be available to the public via Webinar. Details will be posted as the meeting gets closer.

A gale warning is up this evening through Friday afternoon in NY/NJ Bight. Friday’s forecast is for west winds at 25-30 knots shifting to northwest at 20-25 plus gusts to 35 in the afternoon. The shows also look like a better bet on Saturday. which starts out at west 10-15 with gusts to 20 before getting stronger in the afternoon.

After the clearing northwest winds, fishermen should be back in action this weekend — or can stay warm at a variety of shows.

Surfcasters will be well-served at Surf Day in Brookdale Community College on Saturday where Crazy Alberto Knie will be featured in a 1 1/2-hour presentation.

The Philadelphia Fishing Show in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks runs from Friday to Sunday and features many seminars. Call 732 330-5674 for details.

The New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo opens Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the N.J. Expo Center at Raritan Center – and continues to Sunday. Adult admission is $15, with kids under 12 admitted free. Parking is free. For info visit JerseyBoatExpo.com.

A small craft advisory comes down tonight. Thursday’s forecast is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots which shift to southwest in the afternoon.

The Ocean Explorer plans to take advantage of that forecast to fish for blackfish tomorrow.

The annual Surf Day presentation is coming up on Saturday, and includes a special 1 1/2 hour seminar by Crazy Alberto Knie.

Today’s snowstorm in NY/NJ Bight was hopefully the last blast of mid-winter before anglers start catch school stripers as early as March.

A gale warning is up until 6 p.m. Clearing northwest winds at 20-25 knots with gusts to 30 move in tomorrow.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had a nice day of bottom fishing yesterday which produced a few keeper tog up to 6 pounds. They will resume running after the ocean settles down.

A gale warning is up in NY/NJ Bight for Tuesday morning to afternoon as a northeaster moves into the area..

Winds will be northeast at 30-35 knots before moderating to north at 25-30 in the afternoon. Snow and rain in the morning will be all snow in the afternoon.

The Ocean Explorer from Belmar didn’t find much life while blackfishing Sunday, though a 10-pound tog took the pool — and a few other big tog were busted off. There were four keepers and some shorts plus a few ling.

AFTCO sent this shot of a big yellowfin tuna with the extended fins which used to be referred to as being Allisons and thought to be a separate species. It was caught off La. by Drew Mejia.