With 60 mph northeast winds lashing the Shore, there's no local fishing news today, but Capt. Pete Grimbilas of the NJOA had some hopeful news about the fluke problem as DEP Commissioner Bob Martin has scheduled a rally for Friday at 10 a. m. in the parking lot of Fisherman's Supply in Point Pleasant Beach. Ric Gross, one of the regulars at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, fished out of Clearwater, Florida with his son on Two C's II during fine weather Wednesday that permitted a 13-mile run offshore to catch lots of hogfish up 7 pounds along with grunts, sea bass, porgies and puffers.

The New Jersey Boat Sale Expo runs from Feb. 16-19 at the N. J. Convention Expo Center in Edison. I fished Monday with Capt. Rick Stanczyk in his flats boat out of Bud N' Mary's Marina in Islamorada as he ran far out in the back country where we fished light spinning tackle with small jigs topped with live shrimp to release snook, redfish (red drum), black drum, spotted sea trout, ladyfish and mangrove snappers .

Yet, sailfishing had been good Monday, and it was quite fishable for Capt. Scott Stanczyk on Catch 22 from Bud N' Mary's Marina. Unfortunately, there wasn't much action and the sails were very small -- making them difficult to hook on the balao they preferred.

Following is a eulogy for the late Don Ecker which was submitted by Sergio Radossi of the Hudson River Fisherman''s Association Fisherman and Hudson River Fisherman's Association Original Don Ecker's name can be found alongside Pete Barrett, Vic Alasio, Matt Staropoli, Dom Perrone and Doc Helden at the H. R. F. A. 's N. J. Chapter's the first organizational meeting in Rockleigh, NJ in 1969. (Those of you who remember newspapers, will remember how important these writers were to our sport)Finally Don Ecker founded the East Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited in 1971.