03.04.26 South Carolina moves to help the redfish....

     I've never ran a fish and take charter business. You know the ones, especially in areas where it's a big tourist destination. I'm not talking about head boats or a fly fishing charter. I'm talking about, but not picking on, those destination operations that cater to the thousands of summer, mostly, visitors that may want to jump on a half or full day charter. Dad, or Mom, or maybe the Grandparents, will make the arrangements and bring the family or just the kids out to catch some fish. For most guides, in most places, it's easy to get someone on the boat a bite, especially if you're soaking bait, mores if it still has a pulse. 

     And of course the Captain will hoot and holler when a sport on board hooks up with a, well anything, to make the experience complete and justify the cost by the paying customers. Jack or Jill, say they're the kids on board, just reeled in their gut hooked redfish and after a picture, or these days a video, the question is what to do with it? Of course a fish with an arterial bleed should be kept if it's legal but the question is what about all those other fish on so many charter trips? I'm not going to go MRIP on you but it's a question worth raising. And remember most tourists don't have a full kitchen and the required things to make a good meal out of a catch. 

     People love to eat fish. People love to catch fish. Some people love to catch and then eat the fish they catch. In a perfect world that would be great. It would even be great for an angler to take that long walk up Dunnfield Creek in Worthington State Forest and harvest a wild brook 

trout or two. Wait what? Taking a wild trout to eat? Yes, it can happen, and yes it can be good, it kind of thins the heard if you will. And that is especially true if the big fat slob of the tiny pool is harvested, it gives the others a chance to eat and grow. But the problem is in today's world, with so many anglers and so much intel, things would be cleaned out in no time if we didn't have strict regulations, with some smarts and ethics on the anglers side thrown in. 

     So back to guides and fishing and tourists, well let's say there's a mix of locals and tourists that go fishing. So yes, as stated, people like to fish and catch and eat fish, but do they all really? How much waste have we seen in the for-hire, well all, fishing industry both on the recreational and for-hire sectors? Remember those burlap bags filled of rigor-mortised gator bluefish you'd see coming off the head boats? Or how about the dumpsters at the marinas of giant striped bass racks still full of meat and cheeks that goes wasted with a lot of it spending their last days before the landfill welded to the bottom of the freezer?

     I touched on South Carolina and redfish in a post last week. Recently Senate Bill S.961 was released and will soon make it's way in front of the South Carolina Legislature for a vote to make changes in redfish regulations following the SCDNR and ASMFC stock assessments

which found that redfish were overfished and overfishing was occurring. That bill addresses three things, the slot limit, the bag limits, and the gear that would be required when bait fishing for redfish. It sounds like what we went through here up north with the striped bass. 

     Currently the regulations are two fish per day at 15- 23 inches, that would change to one fish per day, or two per boat, with a revised slot at 18-25 inches. Revising a slot is smart as it protects certain year classes of fish as they move into and out of the slot. We thought the ASMFC would do that with striped bass but they punted, after tons of push back from mostly the for-hire sector. In addition the new law would make using offset circle hooks a requirement when using bait, which is a go to for many anglers during fishing outings, either just going fishing or paying someone to take you out. Live shrimp and swimming baits are fish killers, no matter where you are fishing or what you are fishing for. 

     Taking these steps will reduce harvesting and protect spawning sized fish. Even though there's a slot, like with striped bass, the mortality, or F, that occurs when big fish are caught would hopefully be reduced with the implementation of the circle hook use requirement. While most redfish are small, there's the run of bull reds that occurs, that are targeted for catch and release fishing in and around South Carolina. But, like with striped bass, if you take all the babies, and have increased F with catch and release fishing, the SSB will reflect a species that is overfished with overfishing occurring. 

     These changes proposed in SC Bill S.961 seem to make perfect sense. It takes the weight off of the Captain by only allowing that "one for the table" and having to use gear, in 4/0 off-set circle hooks, to allow for catch and release fishing. This is all a far cry from the 1996 regulations regarding red drum in South Carolina waters, back then it was, 

     As you can see the slot was 14- 27 inches with a catch limit of five fish per angler per day. That means a charter with four people, plus the Captain and mate, could come back to the dock with 30- 25 inch redfish. I'm not sure how the regulations would affect gigging for redfish, which is basically spearing them, which is currently legal in South Carolina with seasonal closures. 

     I searched "redfish gigging" and found an article on the Flylords website written by Dan Zazworsky, HERE. It told about a Florida guide who landed the above fish with a gig stuck in its head. While gigging is legal in Florida for flounder, it isn't for redfish. They gig for species at night using bright lights, and I guess it's more a form of hunting than fishing. 

     In the end they were able to catch and release the redfish after doing some skiff-side surgery. To the red drum it must have felt like taking off a weighted vest before swimming off freely. 

     I can't speak to much on anything that has to do with fishing and South Carolina but I am encouraged that the state is taking measures to protect the fish, and the fishing businesses that rely on that gamefish. While I have to come to love fly fishing for striped bass in waters that move from say left to right sight fishing for them will remain my favorite. But I can tell you after seeing tailing redfish amongst the grass I might be ready to move onto a fish that is better respected and managed than we see with the striped bass. Fly fishing for striped bass these days, for me, has lost it's magic, primarily due to the overall poor numbers and all the pictures of fish that surely won't make it when tossed back into the water. Time will tell if redfish replace striped bass as my favorite fish. 

03.02.26 The trains are leaving the station, or the basement...

     Well that was three days I'd like to have back. After decades of collecting, well mostly just storing, old Lionel trains it has come time to let them go. I started collecting in the early 90's just around when Craigslist came to be and before eBay and Facebook Marketplace. It was a time when the find, or the get, was the best. You either had a great find locally at an estate or garage sale, found it at train shop, or attended one of the big train shows. One big difference between train and the fly fishing shows, at least way back when, it that it was a hobby that young kids, both boys and girls, were into. 

     While I could make this a long sappy post about fatherhood and my boys and the life I used to have, I'll spare you. Most of the pictures from when I was a tot and the kids were tots too are already packed away in one of the yellow and black Home Depot bins. But I did find one just to go with this post. 

     That's Christmas 1999 when Sean was one and Ryan was three. The year each of them were born I bought them one of the starter sets that Lionel put out each year. Inside the box cover I wrote them a little note about how they should hold onto it and pass it on to their kids. Let me tell you, kids today don't have the same attraction to things of their youth nor the youth of their father, grandfather, or great grandfather. Looking at old pictures for me is a double edged sword. There's always something that bums me out. In the above picture I'm sporting a "Northern State General Contractors" shirt, that was a company, a legit LLC, that I started with a once friend from the firehouse. We did home repairs, built decks, and did masonary work. It was a chapter in my life I had thankfully forgot about. 

     So like anything else I hold onto it was sad going through everything. Most of these trains have been through a journey since I started collecting in the 1990's. They've went from West Orange, to Red Bank, to Ocean Township, back to Red Bank, to Middletown, and have settled in their final resting place in Titusville. They've been in storage units, garages, attics, and flooded basements. Collecting trains went from finding a bin in an attic at an estate sale to finding "Mint in the original box" online. Needless to say some have lost they've lost their sparkle and shine when I cared for them like they were my kids. 

     So I went through the basement and every bin and did my best to clean them up to display them for any potential buyer. If you've sold on Facebook Marketplace then you know what a pain in the ass it can be. I have the entire lot listed for $7,000 which will go towards paying for Cape May this year. Truthfully, from a mental health perspective, it would have been healthier with time better well spent if I just ordered a dumpster and tossed everything, the actual trains and the pain that touching them again, has brought. 

     Like my Pyrex collection that is now sitting down in Maryland I had to pick a few pieces to hold onto. One of Ryan's favorites was a set of Sante Fe 2383 diesel Post-War engines. I can remember working a little extra in order to afford them and the shipping after finding them on some train selling forum way back when. So now they sit all alone waiting to be packed up with another resting place to be determined. 

     Some of these trains, well a lot of them, come from a period called Pre War, or before World War II. And most are what they called Standard Gauge, the biggest and heaviest you could find. One train, a coveted 440e, is 32 inches long and weighs 15 pounds. Hence, why I'm selling it

in person and not shipping it. That piece alone is worth at least $1,000 so whoever has 70 - $100 bills should be happy. But, these days, who's really into trains and who has 70 - $100 bills that can be used for a hobby. 

     Now that I've set them all up for viewing and have listed them I just want them to all go away. What was once will never be again and it's time to end the madness and the holding on to the past. "It's over Johnny", and it's time to realize that was then and isn't a part of my life today. I'll just have to hold onto the pictures and the few pieces I kept for myself. Of course I did my own pick before I took pictures otherwise the potential buyer may ask, "Hey, where's those engines?". 

If you're interested or want to see the listing, it's HERE. 

03.01.26 And we're off....

     It's March 1st, 2026. Today the "season" for striped bass opens up in the back bays and rivers of New Jersey. Right now, at 732 am, someone, somewhere, is driving around a frozen striped bass looking to have their catch registered at one of the many tackle shops that may certify it as the first striped bass caught in New Jersey. It'll most likely come from the waters of 

the Hackensack, Toms, Manasquan, Maurice or Mullica Rivers. While the ocean has remained opened year round I doubt anyone is fishing out front looking for that first bass of the year. I did a quick internet tour to see if there were any recorded catches but none as of yet. 

     If you're not out there soaking bait then maybe you'll be attending The Asbury Park Fishing Club's fishing flea market. It's one of the big plug shows that's like what The Fly Fishing Shows is to fly fishing but for surfcasters. There's Surf Day, todays show, and the Berkeley show to name a few. I remember when I first got a wind of the plug and plug making scene when I joined the APFC in 2010. The biggest difference is while people arrive early for TFFS these guys pitch a tent and wait overnight for the first shot at the latest plugs offered by some of the best plug makers in the business. 

     Makers would set up a table and watch as the beeline of buyers would make their way in and to the table where some would sell out in less then an hour, if that long. Being a fly fishermen and member of the club I really did know the hype or the drama and politics that came with the plug scene, and boy was and is there drama. And drama, while fun to watch sometimes, can ruin a good thing. You know how I feel about the internet, and eBay, and how it affects the find, or get, and throw in a little greed and there you go. 

     It used to be you would get there early, wait in line at the entrance, and then at the hottest table, to pick through what was left. Then the flipping thing hit the scene. Guys would buy several plugs only to put them up on the internet at a huge mark-up. While you could say it's Capitalism, it really put a bad spin on what was in a way a form of artwork. Yes, some guys fish these expensive plugs, other collect them and have huge displays. To combat that they went to a plug buy maximum and even went to a ticket system at the gate, because, we always find a way to f-things up. 

     Being the photographer in the club my duties after help setting up Friday and Saturday was to document the show. I did that for four years running before fizzing out of the club. Below is the video I made from the 2012 show, which was 14 years ago. Man, life goes by fast. If the kids today only knew how quickly life goes by. 

     I've seen the APFC show held in the Paramount Theatre, in the Grand Arcade, and in the Convention Center. What's interesting is the timing of each of these shows. Anglers only have such a certain budget for plugs, and fishing in general, with their spouse knowing it or not, so if you go all-in at an early show you might miss out a buying opportunity at a later show. So there's a strategy and tactics in getting what you want. 

     I hope this a sign that spring is in the air although here's plenty of winter left and a threat of snow coming in the next few days. While I'm a few months away from throwing flies with the possibility of actually catching a fish I hope to be able to find my gear in one of the many bins that are packed and stacked ready for a potential move. Time will tell with that, but we're moving in that direction, although some days the measure of progress is disheartening. So it's back to the Lionel trains today and getting ready for the big Facebook Marketplace listing, where hopefully they'll be train buyers like there are going to be at the Asbury Park Fishing Club's fishing flea market today. 

     Below is the show, in motion, from 2014....

02.27.26 Not more snow....

     Just when you might have thought we were done, well, forget it. It looks like March will start off with a bang as another winter storm is brewing potentially bringing more snow to our area. This weekend we'll see a warm up, which will melt away what's on the ground, only to set the table to be covered around the start of the new month, and the opener for striped bass season. 

     Yep, it's that time again. March 1st means anglers will be out on the bays and rivers in New Jersey looking for those hunkered down, and near frozen, striped bass that have wintered over. These are migratory bass but those that chose to ride out the deep freeze rather then have headed south earlier this winter. And when they wake up, or defrost, they'll be hungry. 

     The ads are already hitting the internet waves for bloodworms which are an early season must-have. You can forget your plugs or flies for some time as the fish are too cold to chase anything. What you'll find are anglers standing or sitting waterside soaking baits looking for the early season bite. It'll be during those days when tides and water temps come into play. Skinny water mud flats warm up on a lower tide bringing in bass rooting around for an early spring snack. 

     And while I'm out on tournament fishing for striped bass, well at least I used to be, the bounties are still around for the first fish of the 2026 season. But, unlike in the past when the biggest fish took home the prizes, anglers are stuck in that 28 -31" slot. So basically, those were going home for the table anyway. Is it good? Probably not, as the hammering down on just slot fish going on three years surely will deplete those year classes of fish that fall into the narrow range. But hey, I'm moving, and moving onto other fishes to obsess over, fingers crossed. 

     March 1st arrives this Saturday at 0000 hours. They'll be die-hards out on the sod banks during the graveyard shift looking to catch and run to their local tackle shop. Historically, the Absecon Bay Sportsmen's Center always has a stack of money and gift certificates for the first weigh ins. Guys are already buying up popcorn to sit and watch the drama of who catches what and when, and then how many posts are made from various tackle shops with the same fish. Like, a guy catches a fish up in the Hackensack, and drives it down to Absecon to weigh it in, with a stop at a few shops along the way. Yes, it happens, and will happen again. Below are this years prizes as offered by Dave Showell down in Absecon, 

     While my early season fly fishing has changed from the salt to fresh waters in the spring I'll still be two months away from bringing one to hand. Last year, in 2025, my first bass was caught on April 24th. That was about a month later then usual. Hopefully all of this snow, and I'm sure the monsoons are coming, will fare well for this years spawn. The fish are starting to get horny and the ones that are ready, or choose, to make the spawning runs are starting to stage, probably somewhere where the waters a tad warmer. 

     Let's say my fish come 120 miles upriver to spawn. If they travel 10 miles a day that means it'll take 12 days after they cross the Delaware Bay line at Cape May. Before they get to me and when they'll eat flies they'll have to make it past those irresistible blood warms soaked in the waters in and around Wilmington and Philadelphia. The striped bass's spawning journey each year is remarkable. I can't imagine how the stock would be if we all just laid off the fish, in the three big natal waters, until after the run is over. It's not just harvesting that changes a fishes behavior, but angling pressure as well. 

     Soon the internet and social media will be a buzz with fish pictures and all the drama that comes with them. But first we'll have at least another round of snow so keep those shovels handy and some gas in the can for that snow blower. 

02.26.26 A pending N.J. State Record...maybe...

     Ice fishermen were in their glory after the above fish made it's way through social media yesterday. It's a 52.25 inch, 45.03 pound, 27 inch girthed muskellunge taken through the ice on Greenwood Lake.  But, like other tournament and record setting fish, this comes with speculation from the naysayers and conspiracy theorists.

     Why? Well Greenwood Lake is a border water body of water that is split by the state lines of New York and New Jersey. When it comes to state records, of course, it matters where the fish was caught, and that could be where the controversy comes into play. Let's say you left the Atlantic Highlands Marina and headed out to the Ambrose Channel, on the New York side. You throw out a BEAST Fleye because the bass are up on bunker and you land a 100 pound obvious World Record striped bass. Now, truth be told, you couldn't harvest that fish because it's out side of the 28-31 inch slot, but you get the idea. And you return back to the New Jersey marina with your catch. Is it a New York or New Jersey fish? 

     It should be an easy question and answer, "Hey bud, where did you catch that?", easy, "Over there". Does it really matter? Well, if you're looking for a state record then it does. New Jersey's record muskellunge comes in at  43 pounds 13 ounces caught back in 1997. New York's record fish came in at 69 pounds 15 ounces caught in 1957. So, it's a new state record on one side of the line and just a nice fish on the other. 

     According to the NJ DEP stocking reports in 2025 they released 3,000 muskies totaling 600 pounds with an average length of 10 inches weighing just under five pounds into Greenwood Lake. According to the stocking list for New York the NY DEC doesn't list Greenwood Lake as a body that receives stocked fish. So?, is it a Jersey fish then? Of the waters NY stocks it's mostly tiger muskies, which is a hybrid between a true muskellunge and northern pike. 

     

     And of course the angler, Victor Gelman, is getting skewered for keeping the record fish. In later reports Gelman states he wanted to release the fish but it was gut hooked after eating a 10 inch chub that was used for bait. While I don't doubt the guy was fishing legally I did look over the New Jersey regulations since I wasn't familiar with mucky rules. Of course the interpretation of the laws always calls for a double take, but it looks like one fish on Greenwood Lake over 44 inches. Most diehard muskie anglers play catch and release when fishing for these toothy and bony predators. 

     Amazingly, New York has similar regulations for muskies on the border water that is Greenwood Lake with one fish daily over 44 inches. That season is open all year long. I'm not 

sure if freshwater fishing licenses are reciprocal on border waters like they are on the Delaware River. If not, the angler would have to be dually licensed, or weigh and record that fish in the state where he holds his current license. 

     I'm not familiar with muskie fishing or the fish themselves but I did find out there are two different New Jersey records, one for true muskellunge and one for tiger muskellunge. I'm not sure but the back end of the above fish looks a little tiger-like. You can see those records below,

     So time will tell before it's recorded as a state record, well that's if it's a Jersey fish. Otherwise the guy may get a "Great Catch" hat from the NY DEC. One thing is for sure that must have been a big hole in the ice to pull that beast out of. I wonder if he was using one of those light 

tip-up rods you commonly see anglers using while out on the frozen lakes. Forget the fish story I'd love to see that video. 

02.25.26 I can't....

     Well at least it's not rain because surely the basement would be flooded and the roofs would be leaking. I wasn't in the mood to post during our 2026 Snowpocalypse but I'm pretty confident in saying we came in at 18 inches. This morning I woke up to more snow coming down with a threat of another storm hitting next week. I know it's good for the earth, and the fish, but enough already.

     The grass isn't always greener but I did take a look to see how the weather was playing out down in Bluffton, South Carolina, where fingers crossed, we'll be calling home way more sooner than later. Here's what the week is looking like. And I like what I see.

     Hey, I'm not complaining that we got some snow. It's Mother Nature. It's happens. But what I'm kinda done with is the feeling that winter's bring. I love the spring and fall, but can do without the summers and winters, especially when they're extreme. But it's during the winter, when everything I love mostly shuts down, that brings out the worst in not only me but a lot of us. What keeps us alive, like a blood transfusion, is the countdown to when the clocks move ahead and the change of season into spring occurs. 

    As of today we're five days away from the opening of striped bass in New Jersey's bays and rivers, and 39 days until Easter Sunday, and 89 days till Memorial Day weekend. And in 108 days I'll be joining my buds up on Martha's Vineyard. And hope fully around May 20th, in 84 days, we'll be putting the house on the market. 

     For some people winter brings on a case of Cabin Fever, for others, a more serious case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. It's a diagnosis found in the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-V. It's s form of depression that occurs due to a reduced exposure to sunlight. Symptoms include persistent sadness, or depression, oversleeping, weight gain, and low energy, and not enjoying things you once did, or anhedonia. The changes in the circadian rhythms, which coincides with the clock changes, messes around with our serotonin and melatonin levels. So if you're a mess during these six months the sun may have something to do with it. That's why you might be doubling up on your Prozac or driving your therapist crazy. 

     Some folks go to Amazon to help their seasonal woes. Blue light therapy works when the user exposes themselves to the "blue light" usually in the morning for 15-30 minutes. It helps reset the bodies neurotransmitters and boosts serotonin (mood) and suppresses melatonin (sleep). The kicker is if you're a person with Bipolar Disorder it can activate your mood swings, so watch out. It would be like prescribing an antidepressant to some with Bipolar type 1, here we go again! 

     If you're a skier, snowboarder, or just a winterland lover then good for you, but the rest of us are suffering in silence while we put the winter 20 pounds on. When we're not trying to be productive we're camped in front of the TV binge watching something on one of the streaming services. We tried The Pitt, which you can't really binge watch, The Lincoln Lawyer, which we couldn't get into, before setting into Nurse Jackie. All the while eating anything and everything we can get out hands onto, and huddled up next to the wood stove, which has a voracious appetite for our dwindling firewood supply. 

     Going to work gives us a change of venue but the space heater placed next to the shower only does so much and those dreaded showers can occur with less regularity then when we're sweating in this big old house. And remember when you're out near Lambertville, or New Hope, or down in Cape May jealous of life in a big old 100 year old house, we freeze to death in the winter and sweat to death in the summers. Temperature control is very Bipolar like, instead of mood swings we have those temperature swings. But during those spring and fall windows our houses are just about as perfect as can be. 

     And if SAD doesn't hit you, it surely affects those you come into contact with. Coupled with the divisions we see in every aspect of life, peoples moods are just off during the winter months. Frustration, anger, less tolerance, nit-picky, is what we become. And tolerance is a big one especially as we get older. We don't want to deal, don't want to interact, we just want to be left alone. 

     The visions and dreams of a new start are palpable out here in Titusville. Yes, the grass isn't always greener and there's no perfect place, but as we tighten our lap belts for our descent into the last leg of this journey of life, something has to change. The routines of daily living aren't enough anymore, or they are too much. There's no more small kids as they're all adults and doing their own thing and finding their own paths. The idea that Titusville would be the family's anchor point isn't a reality anymore. And our families have addresses all over the United States- from Long Island, to Upstate New York, to Jersey, Texas, and Florida. Why should we be responsible to hold down the fort here in New Jersey? 

     Living here in Titusville, or any other address you may call home, thinking that your'e holding down the families fort, to me, seems delusional. Now, if you have that perfect Beaver Cleaver life, and one that I'm jealous of, then good for you. But if you're like the rest of us who have chosen, or been dealt the "Blended Family" life, then you know what I'm talking about. Long gone, at least for me, are the visions or reality that I'd maintain a home base with the kids within a short drive of the house. That would make for easy drop-bys, those delusional Sunday family dinners, watching the future grandkids, be within a short drive with a truck full of tools to holler out its projects, or the holiday get togethers. These days, straight forward or blended, family get togethers usually bring an attendance rate of 60-80%. Kids move out and on, so why can't we, the parents? 

     I'm dreaming of a new start, a new life. And I'll throw in that a new truck. But then I ask myself do I need a pick-up truck anymore? And how would my new neighbors like to see and hear my Sanford & Son half-homemade 2002 pick-up? My new life won't call for me having way too many tools, most I'll never use, and no need to take trips to the dump nor pickup mulch or topsoil for the beds or lawns. I'll just pay my monthly HOA fees and leave it to the experts. But my new ride will have to be able to tow around what will be my newly refurbished Jones Brothers 19'10" with four wheel drive to handle those low tides in and around the ramps of the Lowcountry. And it will be able to be cleaned out and up for Theresa and I to take a road trip and plant ourselves at one of our families or kids houses for an extended stay, if they like it our not. 

     I guess I'm tired of being a slave to the grind, to the taxes, and to the routine of daily life. These days, and I'd say it's the same for most 60-plusers, life is just moving too fast, and we're not getting any younger. I'm tired of tripping over our past lives every time I go down into the basement, up into the attic, or even into the closet. We just recently purged all of the clothes that don't fit, are out of whatever style we thought we had, and more shoes than Imelda Marcos had. And yes, I even had shoes that I couldn't find a second to. And holding on to every picture, project, and memory...later. While I have been eyeing up a 20 yard dumpster I'm planning on 

going big and getting a 30-yarder dropped in the driveway. Outside of drop-offs at the local church thrift store and Facebook Marketplace listings I've come to the realization is nobody wants our shit, and moving it from room to room for a big Estate Sale is delusional. It doesn't pay to trip over stuff that brings us five dollars, that's even if someone buys it. I find it just keeps a crabs grip onto our old identities and from things in our past. And I have to remember when I croak, none of this will fit into the burner that will reduce my bloated body, well it won't be down in South Carolina because we have three gyms I will go to, to ashes. 

     In a big move I went though my beloved Pyrex collection. I packed away pieces I couldn't part with and made up sets for each of my family that wanted some. The rest was listed as a big lot on FBM which garnered over 2,500 clicks. 

     It was a young woman from Maryland who drove 3-1/2 hours last Friday night to claim her prize. She arrived at 11pm and felt like she had just scored the mother lode. While it was a little sad it felt good to release my Pyrex collection to someone who would appreciate all of the yard, garage, and estate sales I had hit over the years only buying pieces that were free of chips, scratches, and signs of use. Next up, my Lionel trains. These aren't your fathers Lionel trains, but your great grandfathers trains, as most of them are from the Pre-War ( WWII) years, like over 100 years old. 

     I either start or end each day on Zillow looking at the action down in Sun City Hilton Head. There's a few things I've learned. Being 735 miles away and dreaming of buying a place is just a dream, or a delusion, and we're further away from even that. 

     We watch as homes come to market only to be swallowed up by people who are more ready to make a move. They're ready in a financial way to buy before selling in their natal locations. For some it's a place they will one day move into, or, for others, they're down there with boots on the ground and a checking account full of money with a check that once written won't bounce. And then there's the flippers, yes, they have them down there as well. 

     Very often we'll see a place we like, even those that are a bit outdated, only to click on it later in the day or a few days after it's listed, to see a "pending" label in the corner of the picture. So, while torturous, spending time on Zillow keeps us motivated and hopeful. If things go right, some poor person's left ventricle is starting to act up and by the time we're ready...... well you know where I'm going. 

     So enjoy the coating of snow today, with more coming next week, and the dreams of picking up sticks in the yard in a month or two, and the deluge of traffic that comes with living in and around New Jersey. Soon you'll be driving around looking to feed the meter at your favorite Jersey Shore town and eatery, while all the while just trying to take a break from the old life you hang onto, while the candles and Christmas decorations melt up in your attic. 

     We tell our kids to "Get out of here" and live life. So why don't we take our own advice? 

02.24.26 No more Little Red Book....

      Ah the good old Captain's license. It's a license that comes with mystery, drama, and lot's of confusion. And while there are basic requirements that are needed after sitting for the exam, what's not included is a road test, like you see when you get a motor vehicle license. So you can be great on paper but not so great out on the water. 

     I took the Captain's course starting in February 2012. My course ran Friday evenings and Saturdays and Sundays from 8-5 over the four weeks. It wasn't easy and neither was the test that I somehow passed. What I had then was the entry into practice mariner's license which allowed me to be a "for-hire" charter boat Captain. The OUPV license, or Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel, or "Six-Pack", is required when a boat owner or charter Captain charges people to go out on their boat on most waters in the United States. That's for sightseeing, water skiing, and fishing. If you charge someone to fish, you need to have a Captains license. Period. Or so they say. 

     Besides the preparation course and a passing score on the exam, candidates will need to apply for a TWIC card, or Transportation Workers Identification Credential, take a First Aid/ CPR course, pass a physical exam and drug test, have documented sea service time, and be at least 18 and a United States resident, or Resident Alien. Getting all that done takes time and money, and definitely some organization. After you do all of that you'll receive your MMC, or Merchant Mariner Credential, issued by the United States Coast Guard National Credentialing Center. The license is valid for five years before the dreaded renewal process begins. 

     I'm no expert in all of this, as most people aren't as well, and that's where the confusion comes in. The Captain's license, or OUPV, or six-pack, allows the bearer to operate a for-hire fishing charter, or other recreational operation, on a boat with less then six paying customers and under 100 gross tons. For ever, people have been operating bogus charter operations without the required licenses and insurances. Taking people out fishing and saying they are "just friends" or "are splitting the fuel, ramp, and shuttle costs" is one way people get away without being on the up and up. I saw this several times, and was stopped and checked at the take outs, when I guided on the Upper Delaware River. 

     It would either be the law from PA or NY that would separate the operator of the boat and it's occupants and ask for the required guide licenses, from both states and the NPS, or National Park Service, which allows for "commercial" guide operations on the Upper Delaware. They'd ask questions like "How many kids does he have?" or "How long have you known them?", to see if you were truly buds or just trying to get away from being legit. And if you operated a drift boat and put on a trolling motor, which becomes a vessel under power, and for pay, for those long stretches of slow moving water on the lower Main Stem, then you better have had a Captain's license. 

     There are "guides" who try and side step the system by purposefully sidestepping the meaning of "for hire" and things like navigable waters. The Captain's license is a Federal License, and navigable waters are under Federal watch. And this is where different waters and different licenses come into play. For the navigable waters there's a few classifications. Inland waters cover bays, sounds, rivers, and lakes. There's the Great Lakes. And there's the Near Coastal- out 100 miles for an OUPV license and 200 miles for a Master's license. 

     While these Federal, navigable waters, are covered under Federal Law, like needing a Captain's license to run for-hire operations, there's local and state laws that cover other waters. Basically it comes down to having people on board that are paying, or not. If you're just a boat owner taking out friends on the water then you'll just need a Boating Safety Course certificate, with the boats required safety requirements met, to be legal. If you're on a body of water that doesn't fall under USCG watch, then that same safety certificate might be all you need. 

     Some "guides" will operate charter businesses skirting the requirements which are in place to protect themselves, their sports, and others while on the water. They'll have a states guides license prominent front and center, but not the required "for hire" Captain's license. Again, while guiding on the Upper Delaware I needed to have both New York and Pennsylvania guide licenses, the former requiring testing, the later just an application and a check. And then there's the federal National Park Service CUA, or Commercial Use Authorization, which all guides have to have when operating a commercial operation within a national park. Surprisingly, New Jersey doesn't require a guide's license to operate in New Jersey, which could surely be an easy money grab. While those licenses may meet the requirements for each state, operators must meet the Federal requirements and licensing to operate "for hire" charters on most, well almost all, waters.  

     While it seems pretty cut and dry when it comes to guiding or running a charter operation in and around salt waters, it's those freshwaters that can be a bit confusing, but there's an answer if you search for it. We have some big lakes here in New Jersey, like Lake Hopatcong, the Round Valley and Wanaque Reservoirs, and Greenwood Lake. And then there's the Delaware River. It's sticky because it's long, 330 miles, running from the Cannonsville and Peapacton Reservoirs up in the Catskills down to the Atlantic Ocean. It's tidal up to river mile 130-ish, around Trenton, which adds to some of the confusion.

     Navigable waters were determined by the United States Army Corp of Engineers (Corps.)and the United States Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) in 1972 when the Clean Water Act was established. That gave Federal jurisdiction over these "navigable" waters as determined by the EPA and the Corps. and put into law by the United States Congress and the Supreme Court. The picture below is from the Philadelphia District's designation of navigable waters for New Jersey, while also covering New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. 

     If you look at the Delaware River and Bay and the East and West Branches are termed "navigable", which would place them under Federal watch, like in the United States Coast Guard, hence, the OUPV, or six-pack, requirement for guides, fishing charter, and for-hire operations, would apply. Well, maybe. If you look under "Miles Under Authorized Project" it states 134 miles, which on the Delaware River mile marker, puts you about where the tidal section ends, at Trenton. 

     I spent 2-1/2 hours on the phone between various New Jersey State Police Marine Bureaus, the PA Boat Commission, and the United States Coast Guard Delaware Bay Sector. I can tell you this, my questions, while appearing simple, are very complex. Question one- "Do you need a USCG license to guide and run for-hire operations on New Jersey's biggest lakes?", (ie, Hoptacong, Round Valley, Wanaque, and Greenwood), and two, "Do you need a USCG license to guide and run a fire-hire operation on the Delaware River, and if so, is there a line?". The line being navigable and non-navigable. 

     All in all I got varying information and answers. Obviously the yes's and no's came quick, but then they circled back to, "Let me get your contact information and I'll get back to you?", or, 'Hold one let me talk with my superior?". After a few hours, and some calls to fellow Captain's, I just about gave up. The NJ State Police Marine officer called me back after clarifying and said that you don't need a USCG license to guide on those big four bodies of water I described above. When it came to the Delaware River is was a semi-solid, "I think so", and that was after I pointed out the whole navigable water thing, and Federal oversight, like the United States Coast Guard. The PA folks passed me around letting me know they had a PA State Guides license that a guide must apply for and have in possession when on the water. As far as the Delaware River, and where was the cut-off, or that line, "I'll take your number and get back to you". 

     The most sense came from Mark Grosetti who is a consultant for USCG licensing. I have used him since 2012 for all things Captain's license related, you can see him HERE. He stated the following, a USCG license is required when providing any service for paying passengers for all navigable waters in the United States. Navigable waters are designated by Congress to waterways that acoomadate commerce between two states. Lakes entirely in, or sit on the border of two states, do not apply, but some big ones, Like Lake Champlain and Lake Mead do. Any river, like the Delaware, that empties into a tidewater or a bay or sound is navigable, to a point, or a line. He advised me, if I wanted to know, to contact my local USCG Sector. 

     I got a call back also from the USCG Delaware Bay Sector, and once I started babbling they said they would take my questions back to their superiors and get back to me. We agreed you need a USCG license for for-hire operations, like fishing, on big waters like the Delaware, but what about that sticky and confusing waters they call navigable? I was assured I would have an answer today. They asked me to put my question in writing, and I did, and it's been five days waiting for a response. I thought it was an easy question, but I guess it's not. I'll fill you in when I get an answer.

     In 2023 I applied for a Merchant Mariner Document of Continuity which basically allows the bearer to put their license on hold. Covid kept many people off the water so that was months without any sea service time. If license holders don't have their ducks in a row when the five year renewal process hits they can apply for the DOC, but can't operate as a charter Captain. So last summer I began the renewal process and this week my new MMC arrived in the mail.

     Gone are the days of the "Little Red Books", or passport style MMC's. Starting in March 2024 the licenses are printed on a single sheet of 8.5 x 11" waterproof paper. You can fold them up and hold them in a waterproof holder for extra protection. The most important thing is one, you have one, and two, you have it on you when you are stopped by the Coast Guard or marine police. 

     The premise of having licenses is about maintaining standards and safety. There are those that believe they are above the law, not all but some. If you're thinking of becoming a guide, on any water in any state, do your due diligence and make sure you have all of your i's dotted and your T's crossed. Bad things happen in an instant and being legit can save you, your clients, and your house, if something were to go sideways. And just don't rely on a cheap U.S. Boat liability policy if you're running charters, you may not be covered in the end. 

     And if you're a sport looking to go fishing in New Jersey, South Carolina, or Michigan, check into your guide and make sure they are on the up and up. The pictures of big fish they caught on their website won't help you if something goes wrong, or winds you up in the hospital or court.

02.18.26 Please not more drama with fish down there...

     In between work and downsizing and packing I spend a lot of time looking at real estate listings down in Sun City Hilton Head where we hope to relocate in the next six months. We're motivated, and working hard, the question is will we get the house ready and sold in time for it to happen this year. We're gunning for it and hopefully we'll get it done.

     I also look at the Hilton Head Island Packet, the area's daily newspaper, from time to time. Recently I saw an article about schools of redfish wintering in the estuaries around Bluffton, the town we hope to relocate to. Drone operator Jason All captured hundreds of large redfish in and around the May River marshes a few weeks back. These fish come into the shallows where the warmest water can be found during the winter. It's kind of like when striped bass come up onto the mud flats in the bays during the spring here in New Jersey.

     When I was down there in January I looked for those low tide fish but didn't find them. While low tides are key in the winter it's the high flood or King Tides you look for in warmer months. I can say I've been on the flats during high tides and the fish do come way up into the skinny water rooting around for fiddler crabs and baitfish. But those low tides are tough as getting to the water on foot can be difficult and dangerous. Surely that's where a skinny water boat is surely needed. 

     I'm lucky in the short amount of time that I've have fished Hilton Head to have done it from a skiff and on foot. You know me, and how I'd rather be in waders or wading boots then perched on the bow of a skiff, but skinny water fishing and boats, of several varieties, have their weight in gold. On thing I discovered while down in the Lowcountry was their pluff mud. I would describe pluff mud as a combination of silt, clay, and organic and microscopic debris. It's a huge part of the tidal estuary ecosystem and supports crabs, shrimp, and baitfish, which in turn, attract predator fish like redfish, sheepshead, triple tail, and sharks. 

     During my first trip down in 2023 I thought I could be cool and get away with using a pair of Walmart water shoes. Those lasted a few outings and served me well avoiding the razor sharp oyster shells that lined the waterways. On our next trip down I invested in a pair of Orvis flats boots which was definitely a step up. And it was also where I learned the importance of knowing when, where, and how to step around pluff mud. 

     I was attempting to cross from one oyster mound to another far away from the resort we were staying in. I stepped with both feet into some "mud" that looked like it could be a transition from shell mound to shell mound. Within a second I was up over both knees in what I could only describe as the closest thing to quicksand I've ever been stuck in. Needless to say there was a brief moment of panic before I was able to unclick my stripping basket and use it to help pull one foot out of the suction trap that was pluff mud. I could only think of rescuers finding my headless body after the gators made an easy meal out of a hot dog stuck in the mud which was me. And that's why fishing from an anything is better in the Lowcountry. Some kind of watercraft will either give you a solid platform or the ability to pull up to a flat that you can walk around. 

     I've also learned that if I thought that moving south would take me away from fisheries management drama, like with the striped bass up north, and the ASMFC, then I was surely mistaken. Redfish, or correctly, red drum, have their own fight going on especially down in southern waters, and the ASMFC is in the thick of it.

     The ASMFC looks at two different stocks when it comes to red drum, the northern, New Jersey to North Carolina, and the southern, South Carolina to Florida. While the northern stock looks good, the southern stock is currently overfished and overfishing is occurring. I just can't escape this shit. What makes matters worse, to me, it seems like the ASMFC depends on the flawed

NOAA MRIP data when determining the health of the red drum stock. While I think I have a decent grasp on striped bass admittedly I don't know all the ins and outs of things regarding southern redfish. I kinda feel like Al Pacino in Godfather 3...

     In the Hilton Head Island Packet article they talked about changes that may be coming with red drum in South Carolina. Currently the bag limits for red drum are two fish per day per angler in a slot of 15 -23 inches with a maximum of six per boat. It seems they are running into the same problem we are seeing with striped bass, hammering down on slot sized fish and then wondering where the SSB, or Spawning Stock Biomass, fish are. Well if you take all the babies out you won't see the adults, ever. 

     South Carolina banned commercial fishing for red drum in 1987. Remember New Jersey stopped their commercial fishery in 1990, and started the New Jersey Striped Bass Program (SBBP), when commercial fishing was stopped and it was designated a game fish.  Like striped bass in New Jersey, it is illegal to sell, or have redfish on the menu, in South Carolina. So in January the SCDNR brought the need to reduce harvest of red drum to the SC legislature. They based the 24% reduction need based on three things,

and in order to increase the red drum SSB changes need to occur, which could include reduced bag limits, or even changes like No Target and No Harvest, and us Yankees know how those options went with the striped bass. I'm sure the same bullshit that occurs with the ASMFC and the politicians and the recreational vs commercial, in terms of charter operations, with striped bass, happens down south in regards to redfish. 

     They point out that catch and release mortality, or F, is a major factor in the reduction of red drum. That coupled with changing environmental conditions, God that sounds like the Chesapeake, and over development in and around the estuaries, God that sounds like New Jersey. What people don't remember is that with development you have runoff, not only from rain and storms, but things like fertilizers and chemicals as well. 

     Red drum aren't anadromous like striped bass. In the late summer and fall they spawn in high salinity waters just outside of the larger sounds and bays where the eggs hatch and then the larva are carried into the low salinity estuaries where they mature. That's why small red 

drum, or puppy drum, are abundant in the skinny waters and on the flats. That's right where the 15 - 23 inch slot is in effect, and fish are taken regularly by locals and tourists alike. And if they're not harvested there's always catch and release mortality. Maybe they need those circle hook regulations down there when using bait. 

     So just like they say, "The grass isn't always greener...", I guess fishing and drama go hand in hand no matter where you are, or where you hope to land one day. It's looks I might be going from one species that's in trouble to another. I just can't win, and it seems the fish never will.