Rack and Fin

It will be a double shot opening day throughout the Garden State for trout, similar to last year, as avoidance of spreading the corona virus continues to impact outdoor scenes.

While not at the level of the summer flounder opener when it comes to angler participation, the April 1st opening of the blackfish (tog) season is nonetheless greeted with over-the-top enthusiasm.

The gobblers are starting to strut and spread those fans and the hens are starting to notice.

This is the second consecutive year that the Division of Fish & Wildlife decided, in order to avoid the oftentimes shoulder-to-shoulder opening day scenario, to split the opener and thus spread out the crowds.

Nasty and disgusting. Tiny and insidious. And purveyors of various diseases, a few of which can be debilitating and, in worse case scenarios, fatal.

This is perhaps the most perfect time to enjoy a hike or a cycling exercise through the vast stretches of the Pine Barrens.

The springtime migration of raptors through, or to, southern New Jersey is happening, brought to light with first hearing, then seeing, an osprey make a dive into the ICW while plugging for stripers behind Ocean City.

“Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don’t turn it off!”

March roared in like lion and with it a slow first week and weekend of the striped bass season in the back bays and rivers. However, the bite has been slowly accelerating on a daily basis.

No doubt there’s sure to be a lot of head shaking going on, but the decision is final.