The Atlantic City Boat Show, presented by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), returns to the Atlantic City Convention Center this week, opening Wednesday, February 4th at 11 a.m. Hours are Wednesday through Friday from 11-8, Saturday from 10-8, and Sunday from 10-5. Show tickets are $15 each, though you can save $3 when you visit www.rfa.tvsdev.com and click on the AC Boat Show image to buy tickets online (using the promo code RFA).
Click image above and enter promo code RFA to save $3 on AC Boat Show admission.
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has put together a full line-up of informative fishing seminars covering topics including electronics, doormat summer flounder, trolling stripers, offshore canyon fishing, and everything in between. The RFA seminars kick off at 3 p.m. on Wednesday the 4th with RFA’s Jim Hutchinson talking about the spring ‘bunker’ run of striped bass, followed by a look at back bay summer flounder targets in South Jersey with Bucktail Willie Shillingford at 4 p.m. and a spotlight on running boats between New Jersey and Florida with Capt. John Lewis of Insatiable Charters out of Beach Haven at 5 p.m. – prospective snowbird anglers take note!
On Thursday the 5th, the seminars kick off again at 3 p.m. with a look at Great Bay weakfish action, notably grass shrimping and early season tiderunners, followed by Capt. Scott Newhall’s strategic look at chasing doormat flatties aboard his Time Out Charters out of Absecon. (Capt. Adam Nowalsky, previously scheduled to focus on South Jersey wreck fishing is being called away to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission this week; his seminar has been postponed and is hoped to be held on Saturday afternoon.)
On Friday the 6th, join RFA-NJ’s Capt. Fran Verdi for a look at inshore striped bass action along the inshore waters, as he takes his Francesca Marie Sportfishing. Then at 4 p.m., break out the light tackle for some grand slam action with Barnegat Inlet’s Capt. Steve Purul of Real Fantasea Sportfishing, with a special focus on stripers, weaks and bluefish on artificials. The author of “Flounder Fishing Tactics and Techniques,” Keith Kaufman returns to the seminar stage on Friday at 5 p.m. with a unique look at power drifting for fluke, a technique to help keep you in the strike zone once the season opens up this spring.
On Saturday, February 7th, it’s a full day in the seminar area starting at 11 a.m. with wireline trolling for striped bass using bunker spoons with Tony Arcobascio, AKA Tony Maja. At 1 p.m., the Diving Fisherman, Mike Laptew, fires up his video unit in a unique look at 20 years of striper magic; his extraordinary underwater footage of striped bass in the wild will change the way you fish this coming season.
At 2:30 p.m., join Capt. Steve Bent of Free Spirit Charters of Cape May and Margate as he shares a few pro tips on finding and fishing structure, with a unique look at the way he uses his Raymarine electronics for improved success. At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, it’s likely to be standing room only when Capt. Harvey Yenkinson of Vetcraft Sportfishing of Cape May hits the stage. Well-known for his tournament success and magazine articles, the man said to have coined the phrase ‘flukasaurus’ show you why and how!
Once you’re done on the inshore grounds, head offshore with Capt. Franz Hueber of Cape May’s Libation Charters at 5 p.m. on Saturday; leave the South Jersey inlets behind and push offshore towards the edge in search of tuna, wahoo and marlin; with a special look at ‘dredges’ to improve offshore success!
On Sunday the 8th, RFA will slip back into the back bay and inshore snags with Capt. Brett Taylor of Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Barnegat Light for a look at tips to score bigger fluke and fuller bag limits. Then at 12:30, Capt. John Luchka and Capt. Dave Chieffo of Long Run Fishing Charters and Navionics join together for an informative look at new electronics mapping and software applications which should allow you to unlock a few ‘post Sandy’ structure secrets.
At 2 p.m., grab the light tackle outfit and load up on the metals and flies as On the Water’s Jimmy Fee shares his local secrets to scoring inshore pelagic during the summer run, as bonito, false albacore, even a few Spanish mackerel make their presence known.
Remember, save $3 on admission to this week’s show by visiting the RFA homepage at www.rfa.tvsdev.com.