Following is Friday's column as submitted: SL3-21-14 RISTORI FOR FRIDAY WINTER FLOUNDER OPENS SUNDAY by Al Ristori The winter flounder season opens Sunday but, instead of closing in May, it will remain open until Dec. 31 with the same limit of two per day at a 12-inch minimum. Unfortunately, the lengthening of the recreational season by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) doesn't have anything to do with restoration of the fishery. There has been no recovery, and there isn't likely to be one as long as John Bullard, Administrator of the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region, continues to allow destruction of the remaining stocks by draggers that are allowed 5,000 pounds a trip. When a management plan was being developed for the rapidly declining winter flounder stocks, a deal was made between the ASMFC and NOAA Fisheries for the public to give up its fall recreational season in return for a moratorium on commercial catches in the ocean when flounder are at sea in the summer. The recreational sector has been cut down so far that New Jersey's catch in 2012 was listed by the survey as a mere 40 pounds. Fyke nets in N.J. caught only about 7,000 pounds of flounder that year, little more than a single dragger trip can take. Even the ASMFC couldn't justify preventing retention of a few flounder by the public while special interests continue to prevent any recovery of the stocks. The Jersey Coast Anglers Association (JCAA) is sending letters to both NOAA and Gov. Chris Christie protesting Bullard's actions in regard to winter flounder plus his leadership in forcing summer flounder regionalization on N.J. -- an action that was unanimously opposed in the public hearing here, and which will result in much stricter regulations this year. Paul Haertel,president of the JCAA, points out that federal representatives attending ASMFC meetings traditionally don't vote on allocation issues among the states. Yet, it was the federal votes that determined what amounted to a reallocation of fluke from N.J. to N.Y. Haertel estimates that will decrease the N.J. fluke catch by over 41,000 fish, which could result in an economic loss to the N.J. recreational fishing industry in the millions of dollars. The JCAA is calling for Gov. Christie to request that the ASMFC chairman place a N.J.motion on the agenda to make the Federal Commissioners ex-officio members without the opportunity to vote -- as was intended in the original compact. Even in cold waters, Shark River usually provides a couple of days of good flounder action with heavy chumming when the season opens. Bob Matthews reports his skiffs at Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina are ready to go. Also at that marina, the Ocean Explorer reported finding water temperatures offshore as high as 42 degrees last weekend as a few keeper and short cod were picked along with some ling, dogfish, and congers plus bergalls up to almost 2 pounds. Joe Melillo says he will have worms in stock at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant by Saturday. He noted that Mickey Sweeney has been catching some stripers on seaworms both to the south and in Raritan Bay. The Somerset Saltwater Fishing Expo was a big success, with more exhibits than I could cover in one day. Though it was noted in last Friday's column that only the first 100 who attended my Saturday seminar would receive a Tady jig, Gary Quon of Tady Lures made sure that all of the seminar crowd in excess of that received one of his jigs. Capt. Arthur Stokes was showing off photos of Capt. Robert Melton,'s new Jersey Nutz, which he'll be running out of Manasquan Inlet this season. It's a 53-foot Spencer that cruises at 30 knots. Along with Cockpit Chief Cody Melton, they'll be running tilefish charters shortly before getting into stripers, sharks and canyon fishing. Check the boat out at Jerseynutzsportfishing.com. Tsunami has come up with a surf rod that's perfectly suited to casting the small lures we normally use in the Jersey surf in a very light 8-foot, 8-inch Airwave Elite model with the finest components -- but at half the price of competitive rods. Nick Cicero was also showing off a new line of short Shaphire XT inshore jigging rods that look like ultra-lights, but have lots of power to handle stripers as well as fluke.They come in 5 2/3-and-6 1/4-foot models, both spinning and conventional. Canyon Reels was showing off their new DJR5000 spinning reel, which provides the power of the DJR6500 spinner in a smaller size. G&B Fishing Systems followed up the introduction of 3-speed 80-pound class Avets last year with 3-speed 50s in the EX 50-3 and EXW 50-3. Lamiglas has added four models in their graphite Surf & Jetty series that are built to the specifications of world record holder Greg Myerson. They come in both standard and roller tip versions. Viking has a line of impressive industrial rainwear, especially the Bristol Bay extra heavy series featuring .75 mm pvc outers with cotton twill lining. Okuma was showing their series of Makaira Elite Lever Drag big game reels that run up to a 130 that will be available shortly. Shimano's Spheros SW spinners are high-speed models that feature four ball bearings and a roller bearing with a gear system that provides greater power transmission efficiency The Spring Lake Live Liners held their awards dinner Saturday night in the Lobster Shanty, where Tom Brown led the way with a 32-pound striper that was the largest from the surf on an artificial. Awards for the largest inshore (including canal and rivers) stripers went to Anthony Pellegrino on artificial at 26 pounds, and to Bob Matthews for a 19 1/2-pounder on bait. Though this is basically a shore-fishing club, there is a boat bass award that went to Joe Melillo Jr. with a 20 1/4-pounder that was only kept because it was bleeding. Kayack pro Gregg Oliver had a 10-pound doormat fluke, and Marty Westerfield led in weakfish with a 6 1/2-pounder. The Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County, founded in 1937, held their annual Past President's Dinner Tuesday night in Mountainside Inn, Clifton. John Toth is serving as president for his eighth year over the course of three decades. Bob Cameron topped the big fish awards for 2013 with a trophy 15.37-pound blackfish. Chris Kaman, N.J. member of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, had the big fish with a 41-pound striped bass caught during a spring evening at Shrewsbury Rocks. Barry Paull won with both a 15 13/16-pound bluefish and a 4-pound, 3.5-ounce sea bass. Matt Christensen was tops in fluke at 8 pounds, Harry Vogt had a 2 5/16-pound winter flounder, and Tom Siciliano entered a 17.25-pound cod. The Fishermen's Conservation Association holds their 9th annual Charity Banquet Dinner next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Historic Old Bermuda Inn, Staten Island. This year's honorees include Dick Ketchow of Gateway Marina in Highlands, N.Y. State Senator Andrew Lanza, and Tony Nttellas of the NY/NJ Wounded Warriors Project. The $70 tickets can be ordered by calling 718 948-5104. The 17th annual IGFA Fundraising Banquet & Auction will be held on April 4 at Doolan's Shore Club, Spring Lake from 7 to 11 p.m. The $75 tickets are available by calling Jeff Merrill at 908 451-1110, or by e-mail at jeffmerrill2@verizon.net.