SHOW DEALS

The annual Deer Classic will again be part of the Garden State Outdoor Sports Show at the NJ Convention and Expo Center in Edison Jan. 1013. The display has been enhanced this year and should be a major attraction.
Also, for every ticket sold online the show is donating $1.00 to Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) and with a show ticket there is a magazine subscription offer. Go to http://osg.ticketleap.com/gardenstate/t/HHH13/
Is that a long enough web address?
We'll have more on the show in the print column.

SALTWATER SLOWDOWN?

Talking to a couple of anglers who have fished several times at the Shore in the past month say it's pretty much hit or miss with stripers and the fishing is probably on the wane. Guys are scoring on blackfish however, and a nine-pounder was reported out of Belmar. The egg-laden female was released.
Is it time for mackerel yet?

DID I MISS SOMETHING?

From the archives: in a column dated July 15, 1978 I reported Trout Unlimited had proposed stocking steelhead, anadramous rainbow trout, in the Delaware River. At the time I said not to get too excited about the plan as restoring the shad run was a priority in the river and anglers seeing steelhead, as well as chinook and coho, head north to Lake Ontario and the Salmon River.
So if there was ever steelhead releases in our backyard river, I missed them. Anybody know what happened to the idea?

2013 SHOW DATES

Jan. 5: Saltwater Sportsman Seminar Series, Atlantic City
Jan. 10-13: Garden State Outdoor Sportsmens Show, Edison
Feb. 6-10: Power Boat Show, Atlantic City
March 15-17: Saltwater Expo, Edison.

SHELL OF A TIME

DEP Commish Bob Martin has reopened the shellfish beds in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers. The effective time and date was sunrise, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012.
The beds had been tucked in since Oct. 29 as a precaution against Hurricane Sandy.
Beds in Sandy-Hook Raritan Bay neck of the water remain closed as does Barnegat Bay.
There has been some speculation that the Sandy Hook National Recreation Area may not be open in time for the summer crowds...that remains to be seen.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The 2013 NJ Freshwater Fishing Digest is available online in PDF format, the print version will begin arriving soon at sport shops, license agents and division offices according to Fish & Wildlife.
Go to www.njfishandwildlife.com and look around.

LAKER NEWS

According to reports, the anual gill netting at Round Valley Reservoir resulted in a biggie, a 24 1/2-pound lake trout with most lakers caught up to 24 inches. Also reported at the recent Hackettstown Hatchery fisheries forum was that lake trout are naturally reproducing in Merrill Creek Reservoir and have been for several years.