As more and more so-called "fish finding" services and internet websites become available, choosing ROFFS™ over others may be less of an obvious decision now. Today, there are a number of so-called “services,” that offer anything from simple sea surface temperature traces to very pretty color satellite images including ocean model - altimeter output. However, ROFFS™ is still the BEST because we: 1) provide a comprehensive fishing analysis that is designed for fishing; 2) integrate all the important ocean conditions (satellite and non-satellite); 3) evaluate how these conditions are related to locating feeding concentrations of fish based on more than 20 years of research, fishing experience, and success; 4) send the information in an easy to use format; and 5) provide the most value for your money and time.
 
 
WHAT ROFFS™ OFFERS

EXPERT INTERPRETATION: ROFFS™ is designed to help you catch fish. The ROFFS™ Oceanographic Fishing Forecasting Analysis is composed of a map and a text summary that are designed to direct you to the fish. The map provides a representation of the ocean conditions that we expect you to find during your fishing trip. The text portion is unique and provides discussion of the present conditions and forecasted fishing action. The analysis is the result of studying the ocean conditions for several days while focusing on the most current, 1-12 and 12-24 hour periods. We provide an overall review of ocean conditions and furnish details on the locations where the conditions suggest that you will find productive (or non-productive) waters. This is based on our time-tested and field proven analysis techniques where we quantitatively score the ocean conditions related to fish behavior. Subtle changes in the ocean conditions often have great consequences when locating feeding fish. We are focused on detail.

EXPERIENCE & TRAINING: Mitchell A. Roffer incorporated Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service Inc. (ROFFS™) in 1987 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science where he studied the effects of the ocean environment on the distribution and catchability of a variety of fish species using oceanographic data derived in-situ (ships, buoys, etc.) and remotely using satellites. ROFFS™ employs the top ranked oceanography graduates and image analysis experts, who are active fishermen to conduct and improve the fishing oceanographic analyses. We are experts in understanding how ocean conditions affect the distribution and catchability (vulnerability and availability) of fish on a daily basis. We remain active within the international science community including being Principal Investigator in various NASA and NOAA funded research projects.

TECHNIQUE: Providing comprehensive fishing forecasting analyses is an intensive process that requires expertise in a variety of scientific disciplines including fisheries biology, physical oceanography, satellite remote sensing, image analysis, and computer science to name a few. ROFFS™ has developed advanced image analysis techniques, particularly when working with water motion and cloud reduction. This allows us to provide useful information more often than others. We do not limit our analyses to simple sea surface temperature contour maps, pretty color images, models, or altimetry data. Often a simple sea surface temperature map or a pretty color image will only provide a combination of cloud cover, other atmospheric effects (e.g. uneven humidity, fog, haze) and computer artifacts from automated processing of the satellite data. It certainly will not allow you to understand the subtle changes in the short-term history and motion of the ocean currents which are critical to fishing success. ROFFS™ integrates infrared, ocean color_chlorophyll, altimeter, radar, current meter, and meteorological data derived from national and international sources. We are focused on the highest spatial and temporal resolutions.

SERVICE & RELIABILITY: ROFFS™ provides personalized attention when you contact us. We have several telephone lines for incoming calls, and you immediately speak with a knowledgeable person, not an automated answering system or computer. We are open five - six days, and sometimes seven days per week, 8-10-15 hours per day. ROFFS™ strives to never miss sending an accurate fishing analysis or leave a customer dissatisfied. We often extend our hours to serve our clients. After we send our analyses, our fisheries oceanographers are usually available to discuss the analyses with all clients.

EASE OF USE: We are a service oriented business and enjoy helping people. We are flexible and user friendly. We provide the color fishing analysis via email or via our website (www.ROFFS.com). We also send black & white versions via fax and email. With ROFFS™ there is no need to learn a complex computer program. We do the research necessary to identify fishing hot spot areas hourly. Our file sizes are small and cost effective for satellite based e-mail systems. We have spent several years developing and refining the background bottom topographic charts which cover the areas that a majority of the fishermen want to use. These background charts are easy to read and upgraded often. Top

COMPARED WITH ROFFS™, WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE ?

PRETTY COLORIZED IMAGES: Others are providing colorized satellite images of every oceanographic parameter imaginable. Single satellite images or multiple day composites (e.g. “cloud free” images) can not provide the meaningful information about water motion that we provide and is critical to forecasting fish concentrations. Observing water motion from satellite imagery is not trivial. ROFFS™ provides a locally re-calibrated, remapped and re-navigated (to remove geographic distortion) water temperature and water color/clarity information product that are significantly superior to the color-enhanced satellite images available on the internet. In addition, we highlight the significant information and reduce the superfluous data. ROFFS™ provides interpretive fishing oceanographic forecasts, not do-it-yourself satellite images.

We provide an interpretation of the satellite data and integrate other oceanographic data to provide a comprehensive fishing analysis product which is unequaled. In all cases we have seen to date, our analyses contain more useful information than any single color image product. We use numerous images with the highest temperature and color resolution and with the most accurate calibration to conduct our analyses. Images provided by others do not provide such resolution, accuracy or precision. We have the experience to differentiate between the real ocean features and clouds or other artifacts created by a variety of atmospheric interference. ROFFS™ receives and uses the infrared (temperature) and visible (water color, chlorophyll, and turbidity) data from all functioning U.S. (NOAA and NASA), as well as, other international (e.g. Europe, Japan, India) Earth observing satellites. In addition, we use a variety of public and private high frequency radar, ship, and buoy data that have proven to provide reliable information.

OCEAN FORECAST MODELS AND ALTIMETRY: From our experience the present generation of ocean models and altimetry do not provide definitive information for finding specific areas where feeding concentrations of fish are vulnerable to your fishing gear. Products based on altimeters are inherently out of date because it takes 5-10 days of data to properly determine the mean sea height used to calculate geostrophic currents. The location of the synthesized water mass boundary features that control the location of fish are out of date, represent averaged conditions, and often mislead you. Top

THE BOTTOM LINE - VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY

VALUE: ROFFS™ provides an inexpensive fishing forecasting analysis considering the quality of the product. Our clients tell us that they find fish most of the time (85%) at our suggested "hot spot" locations, particularly those “spots” that have existed the longest. Clients often find fish on the way to our "hot spots". When you consider the costs (fuel, time, and investment) involved in searching for fish, the price of our analysis is well worth the savings in fuel and time alone. ROFFS™ takes every step to make every fishing day a success as we know that every fishing trip is important. Why limit yourself to dock or radio rumors, static sea temperature or chlorophyll based plankton or water clarity maps, colorized images or models and images taken from the internet, or “super-secret” fishing reports, when we provide expertise, professional experience and service? By the time you read about it on the fish blogs, it is history. ROFFS™ is the only service that forecasts where the fish will be concentrated when you are fishing. We are focused on finding fish and providing quality service.

ROFFS™ has flexible pricing for the integrated fishing analyses. Others make great promises with inexpensive derived products, and mass produced colorized satellite images that are inferior imitations of our time tested and field proven fishing analyses. Some universities and governmental organizations provide a variety of satellite data for free. However, with images you still have to guess where the fish will be found. How much extra time and money do you have to lose when producing an amateur's guess, after considering that we provide a professional interpreted comprehensive analysis as result of a dedicated business with years of experience and success? What is your time and investment in your boat worth? Can you really afford to guess? If fish is what you want, then call ROFFS™ because we will save you time and money while putting you on the fish. Top