The Garden State Outdoor Sports Show kicks off the winter sportsman's show season as it returns to the N. J. Expo Center in Raritan Center, Edison from Thursday to Sunday. I'll be doing one at noon Saturday on striper fishing from both boat and shore in Raritan Bay and along the northern Shore.
There was fishable weather today, but no reports which tells you all you have to know about the results. There might be a shot on Monday before we fall into another deep freeze.
There appears to be a brief period of fishable weather, and there should be some anglers taking advantage of it Sunday. The water temperature offshore is down to 40 to 41 degrees -- which should be fine for mackerel.
It's a three night, six hour class that covers everything from start to finish involving custom rod-building. Students will learn finding the spline, installing grips and seats, guide placement, decorative wraps, final coating and everything in between.
Following is Friday's column as submitted SL1-3-14RISTORI FOR FRIDAYHUGE BLUEFISH WERE A 2013 HIGHLIGHTby Al RistoriPart Two of the 2013 fishing year review As noted last Friday in Part One of the 2013 review from my fishing log, my first surf striper attempt of the season produced a 28-incher on May 6. I never had a hit at Point Pleasant and Sea Girt on New Years Day morning, and Jerry Lasko did the same morning and evening at Bay Head and Belmar -- though he met fly rod pro Bill Massey of Wall at Belmar where he'd caught a 28-inch bass that morning.
He'll be fishing on New Years Day from 7 a. m. to 4 30 p. m. The Jamaica from Brielle will sail to far offshore wrecks for jumbo porgies at 1 a. m. on Saturdays in the winter after the sea bass season is closed on New Years Day.
They'll be sailing for cod every Saturday all winter at 3 a. m. Keep in mind the fact that the sea bass season closes on Jan. 1. The fee is 10 for a shot at a 300 Grumpy gift card.
Small striped bass remained active in the surf last January almost to the end of the month, so it should be no surprise that Bob Matthews reported from Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina that surfcasters did well the last two days in Monmouth County waters. Betty Nick's in Seaside Park actually weighed a keeper bass today, though at just 8 3 4 pounds the bass beached at Island Beach State Park by Brett Brounstein must have barely made it.
It was just a start, but a huge improvement over the first trip on Friday, as the Golden Eagle from Belmar picked some mackerel and herring while searching from Scotland to 17 Fathoms. Capt. Jimmy Elliott said anglers working hard at the gigging managed about a dozen mackerel and about as many herring.
Ken Smith of Jersey City was high hook with four keepers. There were no surfcasting reports, but Pete Connell of Avon saw some very small stripers being caught this week from his local surf.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.