The Division of Fish & Wildlife has cancelled the 2-day Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs (HOFNOD) leader training on May 15-17, 2020, at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education in Ocean County.
28th Annual Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament May 17th is postponed until Sunday, October 25th.
Saturday, June 6, 2020. The Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program's Youth Fishing Challenge statewide event is cancelled until the state's second Free Fishing Day, Saturday, October 17th, when no license is required to fish regardless of age.
Please check the New Jersey HOFNOD webpage for facilitator workshops If you are interested in attending a NJ HOFNOD workshop, please phone or email Liz Jackson:
Get all the details to enter the NJ Hooked on Fishing not on Drugs new logo design contest. The contest is open to New Jersey students aged 21 and under (*must be under 21 by the end of calendar year 2020 to be eligible).
If you have an idea for a new HOFNOD logo design, please download a copy of the rules at this link.
4th Annual Play HOOK-e from PTSD Take a Veteran Fishing Day May 9th is postponed until September. Our host’s Vito Cardinale, Cardinale Enterprises Inc., and Randy Johnson, Laurita Winery will provide a weekend fishing program at Lake Julianna, Ponderosa Estates Farm, Millstone, NJ that will include a fishing fun day for special needs children and a veteran/active-military family fishing day September 21-22, 2020. Registration information will be updated on the Play HOOK-e Eventbrite website and Vietnam Veterans of America Play HOOK-e page.
Newark Bait and Fly Casting Club has cancelled their youth and veteran fishing programs until further notice. Visit their website for more info.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Jersey Shore Chapter has moved scheduled fly tying programs to virtual meetings. Please visit their FB page for updates.
Hudson River Fisherman’s Association, check their new website for updates to their calendar of events.
All disabled veteran Play HOOK-e from PTSD boat trips, fishing programs and events are cancelled until further notice. Visit their web page for updated information.
This is just an observation from my fishing experience in Monmouth and Ocean County for over 65 years of surf fishing at the Jersey Shore. During my youth, I recall many fishing trips with our family. All my cousins and friends had fishing rods and reels that we used at Barnegat Bay docks, Seaside pier and along the surf. It was always a fun adventure to go fishing and we enjoyed our summers in Seaside Heights, NJ.
I remember watching families tracking through the sand carry beach coolers, sand toys, blankets, chairs, beach umbrella and surf fishing equipment to stakeout space at the beach. Many families would bring youngsters to the shore area and go surf fishing before the beach opened and after beaches closed for the day. Families on summer vacation would have mini fishing competitions among the kids on the beach. After fishing, we would meet with our new friends that rented bungalows and enjoy some tasty fish and crab dinners together.
Pictures were not instantly posted on facebook and the internet. Our pictures were taken on film with a flashbulb, brought to the store, developed, picked up by your parents when they had the money, and viewed by the family during Sunday visits to see relatives. Sometimes we picked up our photographs and had pictures from summer fishing trips, a birthday and Christmas. Looking back at family fishing photos from days gone by, has a way of reminding you of what a great fishing time you had with family and friends.
During the 1960’s, 70’s, & 80’s, I witnessed many days on the beach where youngsters were catching fish and unavoidably laying rods and reels in the sand to un-hook their catch, hold it up for a photo or take fish home for a meal. The kids were overly excited to catch sea robins, blowfish, fluke, snapper blues, weakfish, striped bass, spanish mackerel, kingfish, dogfish, and blackfish.
Over the years, there has been a decline in surf fishing families. These days, during early morning hours, I stand on the beach and see very few anglers or families fishing. This might be due to the economy, beach replenishment, super storm sandy, fishing harvest regulations, and now COVID-19.
Young anglers starting to fish now will face many challenges as resources and access to fishing areas dwindle. Today, I see young anglers throwing their rods and reels in the sand in frustration from not catching a fish or catching a short fish just under the legal limit. It seems the reward of going fishing for fun has lost its luster and today’s children that invest time in fishing want to catch fish and keep a fish or two like kids in the past. Young anglers are looking for that proud moment with family to at least show something they caught and share it with friends and relatives. Maybe someday, our fishing resources will be restored to the way it was in the past. Until that time, please support organizations working to restore our fishery. During these uncertain times also remember to support local tackle dealers, party boats, and charter captains, they need your help to stay in business.
As of this writing I was informed of our dear friend Norma Keller who always supported our veteran Play HOOK-e from PTSD programs passed away. She surely will be missed. My brother wrote the following in a text with the sad news: 'You can almost envision Norma floating up to heaven on a boat among the blue skies and billowy white clouds and there on the dock awaiting the arrival of the boat is Ken.' RIP Norma.
