The big event for saltwater anglers in the northeast – the Saltwater Fishing Expo – will take place at New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, NJ from this Friday through Sunday, March 15-17.
The three-day fishing event that kicks off the New Jersey and tristate coastline’s saltwater fishing season, the Saltwater Fishing Expo is where avid anglers congregate to become better at fishing while plotting out their season and buying the gear they’ve been dreaming about all winter. And it keeps getting bigger and better!
Last year’s move to the Raritan Center has allowed for more vendors and greater interactivity. Meet face to face with guides and charters, compare and buy saltwater fishing boats and kayaks, and learn the latest techniques from local experts.
And with many of the major tackle manufacturers on-hand to answer all your questions with local tackle retailers available to fill your orders, it’s often the first shot local anglers will get at some of the newest gear for 2019! Look for The Fisherman’s booth (#462) as soon as you walk in the front door, and be sure to get there early for your Sea Striker pliers or Star Rods dry bag with new or renewing subscription purchase.
This is the event where/when we often talk seasonal regulations; be sure to stop by and ask about the status of fluke for 2019. The Fisherman was in attendance at last Thursday night’s sparsely-attended New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council meeting where summer flounder was a heavy topic of discussion.
“At this point it looks as though we’re status quo for 2019; the NJDEP officials are still mulling over the options, but in all likelihood we’ll be looking at the same three fish bag and 18" size along the coast, the same season length (though mostly like start on Friday, May 24)” is what I posted on my personal Facebook page.
We’ll have a full write-up coming in the April edition to spell out and why they arrived at these numbers by way of NOAA Fisheries. And again, NJDEP and the Division of Fish & Wildlife are still looking any possible improvements given the federal directive. But the guess at this point is that we’ll have three fluke at 18 inches, and a May 24 to September 21 season in New Jersey, with the same 17-inch variance for Delaware Bay and the IBSP surf limits yet to be discussed.
Saltwater Fishing Expo hours are Friday, March 15 from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, March 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for kids age 5-11, and children under 5 are admitted free.
The New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center is located 97 Sunfield Avenue in Edison, NJ. For more information about the Saltwater Fishing Expo including full seminar lineup go to www.sportshows.com.