Women advancing in what used to be considered male-dominated positions has been headline news lately, but Madelyn Picone was way ahead of the curve as she served the sportsmen of the state during four four-year terms on the N.J. Fish & Game Council. Picone was 93, and living with her son Thomas P. Picone in Kingston, Ma. when she died on Jan. 22. She was born in East Hanover, but was a long-time resident of Cedar Knolls  before selling her home about 10 years ago. A skilled outdoorswoman, she became active with the N.J. Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs before being appointed to the Council.  Picone wrote the Trails & Tales column for the Federation newspaper, and became a member of the N.J. Outdoor Writers Association, where she served a term as president. After her husband, Louis J.  passed away, Madelyn had a long term relationship with my late Star-Ledger colleague Howard Brant, who wrote the hunting and freshwater fishing column  -- and she never missed attending social events of the Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association with Brant. Madelyn was a fine person in every way, and the sportsmen of the state owe her a great deal of gratitude for all she did for them. She was predeceased by her son John L. Picone. Her brothers, Clifford and Douglas Jenkinson survive along with a daughter-in-law and grandchildren.  A spring graveside ceremony will be held in N.J. The New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo opened Thursday at the N.J. Convention & Expo Center in Edison, and runs through Sunday. In addition to all the boats and marine accessory displays, there are seminars arranged by the Recreational Fishing Alliance and The Fisherman magazine. Tickets are $10, with those 16 and under admitted free. Friday hours are from noon to 8 p.m. The shows runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and concludes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For information and to save $2 on ticket purchases visit JerseyBoatExpo.com. Though I didn't get a press release, Allen Riley reported that the Jersey Shore Surfcasters are holding their annual Surf Day on Saturday at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an admission price of $10. The World Fishing & Outdoor Exposition will return to Rockland Community College in Suffern, N.Y. from March 1 to 4.  Even though mild weather has made it feel like spring this week, we're still suffering from the brutal early winter and consequent very cold water temperatures which even resulted in unusual striped bass kills in Chesapeake Bay. The Ocean Explorer from Belmar has battled the cold waters on a few days with light winds to find some bottom life along with a sprinkling of blackfish and cod that were mostly shorts. There was an improvement Thursday with a showing of cod, even though most of about 20 were shorts "but a good sign". There were also a half-dozen ling and a few small blackfish along with bergall bites proving that the bottom is once again lively. The Ocean Explorer is sailing Friday, and will do so over the weekend if the weather holds.  The Jamaica from Brielle is taking reservations (932 528-5014) for a 1 a.m. Saturday far offshore wreck trip. There were some jumbo porgy limits caught last Saturday, along with ling and a few mackerel plus some cod to a 18-pounder by Juan Cuautia from the Bronx -- and pollock to a 20-pounder for Dan Hospodar of Randolph. Saturday wreck trips will be run though March.  Saturday's Canyon Runner Long Island Seminar in the Huntington Hilton may be sold out. Check with Adam La Rosa at 732 842-6825. Capt. Deane Lambros is running the Canyon Runner off N.C. this winter and catching lots of yellowfin tuna while trolling for giant bluefins. He lost a heavy giant last week, but boated a smaller one. Perhaps Lambros should try even further south. There was an incredible release of an estimated 600-pound giant Saturday on the reef off Bud N' Mary's Marina in Islamorada, Florida Keys by Capt. Alex Adler's party which was seeking king mackerel from the Kalex. Adler had been seeing schools of giants pushing through the  reef in just 50 feet, and had a rigged mackerel ready when a school of about 100 showed up. Even in that shallow water, it took 2 1/2 hours on 50-pound tackle to bring the giant alongside for release. Adler is a world-class skipper, though I also remember fishing for sharks with him out of Montauk when he was a kid and an adult had to hold on to his belt in order to keep him in the boat while fighting a blue shark.  The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) winter meeting in Virginia resulted in approval of all three summer flounder seasons proposed by New Jersey. All provide for the same three fluke at an 18-inch minimum just as last year, but with slightly longer seasons of May 15 to Sept. 16; May 22 to Sept. 20; or May 25 to Sept. 22. The Marine Fisheries Council will choose one at their March meeting, with northern anglers probably opting for the latest closure while those to the south favor the earliest opening. Paul Haertel of the JCAA also reports that scup are in very good shape, and the state will be able to keep the porgy season open year-round.