The “outside”, inside and a bit of Wicked Tuna!

No. I am not writing about a new sushi roll at our favorite Japanese restaurant. Although recently, a very dear friend through some divine intervention knew that I had a very rough day at work and was craving sushi. When I arrived home there were not one, but two trays of assorted sushi rolls on the kitchen counter. God works in amazing ways! While on the topic of sushi, my nephew, would often order the inside out sushi rolls when we would dine together at the sushi places. Our family also enjoys making and of course eating our own home rolled sushi. Hmm???, perhaps I see a future posting for, “Rolling Your Own Sushi”.

Getting back on topic, the “outside” I’m referring to here is the world of saltwater fishing and boating. And by “inside”, it was the indoor Saltwater Fishing Expo held at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey. It was a nice way to spend the winter afternoon walking the aisles with other like-minded “stir crazy” anglers. It was an opportunity to gawk at the myriads of the latest fishing tackle and gadgets displayed by fishing tackle manufacturers and vendors.

This inside “outdoor adventure” was spent with my three fishing buddies. On this day they fished in the indoor Trout Pond and together we sampled cheese-filled pickles and venison products. We also hopped aboard many of the latest models of fishing boats, including the Fisherman Magazine’s Dream Boat Challenge Grand Prize – a Steiger Craft boat.

I chatted with SHIMANO Pro-Staff representative, Captain Alan from the sport fishing charter boat, MUSHIN out of Point Pleasant, NJ. He gave me a chance to try out a SHIMANO Stella spinning reel. That is one nice reel!

The guys at the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) booth were very pleasant to chat with and worked tirelessly generating interest with the future generation of anglers with their fishing simulator. RFA is an IRS 501(c)(4) non-profit political action organization. RFA’s mission is: To safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term stability of our nation’s fisheries. I renewed my membership and got a free t-shirt while supporting the RFA.

A highlight of the workshops and seminars at the Expo was a presentation by Captain Dave and Captain Paul from the National Geographic reality tuna fishing program, Wicked Tuna. The program is in it’s 8th season and has a strong following of viewers. These captains provided many behind the scenes stories and gave a glimpse of what viewers have to look forward to during the current season broadcasts.

Now that Spring has officially arrived, I’m not sure where my next adventures will bring me- time will tell…