2013: A GOOD YEAR OF FISHING ACTION ALONG WITH MAJOR CHANGES IN THE OFFICE
December 02, 2013
As we count down the days remaining in 2013 we reflect upon all the good fishing action that occurred this year. From the many positive reports you sent, it appears that we achieved this goal again. For many people the season started early and ended late. Based on what we are still hearing off of New Jersey, North Carolina and west Florida, the season has not ended yet as tuna and marlin are still being reported.
Three teams of our clients set state records: the New York state wahoo record (117.7 lbs.) was set by Jonathon Stabe, Dennis Stabe, John Whalen & Mark Fielding (Tonto). In Alabama we had a ROFFS™ first: the Rising Sons team of Toby Berthelot, Jeremy Powers, and Richard Creed broke the 24 year old blue marlin record with a 789.8 lbs. fish. However, shortly after at the same tournament the Reel Fire team of Chris Ferrara and family along with Captain Mike Roberto broke that record with a 845.8 lbs. blue marlin. Two Alabama state blue marlin records in one day! See https://roffs.com/fishing/recreational/record-setters/ for a complete list of the records caught by our clients which includes four IGFA world records, one U.S. record, one Bahamas record, one Gulf of Mexico record, and twenty-five state records.
Our clients (you) won awards in 468 categories in just 112 major tournaments. We never list our Calcutta winners or daily winners. This increases the 23 year (1991-2013) tally to 6585 winners! ROFFS™ clients also won top awards in multiple tournament and seasonal club venues such as the North Carolina Governor’s Cup, Ocean City, MD Marlin Club Seasonal Awards, Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club Season Standings (NJ), Cape May Marlin & Tuna Club Season Standings (NJ), Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Annual Awards (AL), Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series (FL). We know there are more winners out there so please review the ROFFS™ Winners list on our website (https://roffs.com/fishing/recreational/winners/) and send additions and other corrections. Some seasonal tournaments continue until the end of the month so please check the winners list in January as we are sure it will get longer. We received many calls and emails of great fishing days independent of state records and tournaments. Thank you for those notes, photos, and videos. Please send more!
We were able to fulfill 97% of all requests for analyses this year which is an amazing achievement by our team of expert satellite fisheries oceanographers considering how challenging clouds, fog, and smoke are when trying to observe the ocean. This was accomplished due to the experience and skill of our analysts who manipulate (re-calibrate, re-navigate, and study), as well as, interpret and integrate the satellite with other oceanographic data. ROFFS™ is now using all the functioning NOAA and European infrared satellite data (NOAA_15, 16, 18, 19, Metop-A, Metop-B), along with the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites and the Suomi joint US Polar Satellite System (JPSS) with their infrared and visible ocean color (chlorophyll + dissolved colored organic matter) sensors. We are working with many other scientists and mariners on receiving additional data products to improve our analyses.
With the abundance of satellite data, as well as, other hydrographic and meteorological data we are better able to visualize and understand the ocean circulation and water mass boundary features related to fish distribution and catch success. This allows ROFFS™ to continue providing our unique and superior detailed fishing oceanographic analysis, even though it is a time intensive process. We continue developing state-of-the-science customized tools and techniques in our never tiring attempt to provide more accurate, precise, and reliable analyses.
OFFICE NEWS
The First Edition of the ROFFS™ Fishy Times newsletter was introduced last month. This is where “all the news smells like fish”. For this venture we are drawing from a variety of sources, and welcome any input or commentary. We are starting to draw advertisers from a variety of businesses and will be asking them to provide tips, tricks, and general information useful to our community. Although they are obviously looking to attract business, this will not be an “advertorial” opportunity, rather a platform for ideas and information. Along with content from advertisers and items of interest we find in our meanderings, we are compiling subject matter on a wide variety of interests ranging from fishing, boating, and recreational information to ocean science and environmental issues. Articles will be published via the Fishy Times and will then be archived on our website, available 24/7. We welcome your contributions.
Our web site (roffs.com) was completely modernized in 2013 and we plan on its continual improvement with new articles, photos, videos, and educational material. In our ongoing efforts to hold our prices level, we instituted banner advertisements on our website and analyses this year. Based on your feedback this was well received and many liked the opportunity to reach our very exclusive audience.
While we enjoy talking with you, many people purchase our analyses directly through the internet. This helps our late night clients who decide to fish after we close the ROFFS™ office. Analysis of our client’s purchasing patterns indicate that 70% of our clients are using GPS (Latitude – Longitude). Still plenty of LORAN holdouts.
We are already working on improving our background charts for the 2014 season. Please provide additional comments on charts, areas covered, and products which you would like to see us provide special attention. We are developing new products that integrate other oceanographic data derived from public and private sources into our fishing forecasting analyses. Please send updated information on new wrecks, oil rigs, and changes in the bottom structure.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, BOAT SHOWS, AND SEMINARS
ROFFS™ remains active in the international scientific community. We continue to make advances with our NASA funded research project with NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Atlantic Meteorological and Atmospheric Laboratories (AOML), the International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. One of our research projects is related to fishery habitat modeling and evaluating the possible effects of climate variability for management of Atlantic bluefin tuna along with other tunas, billfish and other highly migratory fish. This is a collaborative effort with ROFFS™ (Mitchell Roffer as Principal Investigator), NMFS (Miami, FL and Pascagoula, MS Laboratories), University of Miami Cooperative Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Science (CIMAS), and the University of South Florida Institute of Marine Remote Sensing. We are working with others as well. We remain active members of NASA’s Biodiversity and Ecological Modeling Science Team, Ocean Color Science Team, Sea Surface Temperature Team, and the European Space Agency CoastColour Project. Our goal is to advance the science of satellite remote sensing to benefit society. We remain active with the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and remain productive members of three coastal ocean observing regional associations (e.g. SECOORA, GCOOS, Florida COOS). ROFFS™ (Mitchell Roffer Principal Investigator) is leading a SECOORA project involved with habitat modeling and stock assessment of vermillion snapper, grey triggerfish, red porgy, and black seabass. We are continuing our research on the effects of the BP-Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Please continue to send your observations related to unusual sightings. The technological gains achieved in all of these research efforts are transferred to you through the enhancement of our fishing oceanographic analyses.
In 2014, we will be exhibiting at the Atlantic City (NJ) International Powerboat Show Feb. 05-09 (booth #319), and the Miami (FL) International Boat Show Feb. 13–17 (booth #M-50). Again this coming year I will be part of the Saltwater Sportsman Magazine National Seminar Series team as a National Instructor and participate at the New Bern, NC (Jan. 11), Mohegan Sun – Montville, CT (Jan. 18), Long Branch, NJ (Jan. 24) and Ponte Vedra – Jacksonville, FL (Mar. 8) seminars. I would like to visit your fishing club or organization to make a scientific presentation on the effects of the ocean conditions on the distribution and catchability of marlin, tuna, sharks, mahi, wahoo and kingfish. Presently I am scheduled to speak at the West Marine, Wilmington, NC (Jan. 09), Trophy Tackle, West Babylon, NY (Jan 23) and Brielle Yacht Club, Brielle, NJ (Jan. 24). Please call if you are interested in hosting a seminar.
We are grateful for the opportunity to show you that ROFFS™ will put you on the fish based on good science and experience. We know that every fishing trip is important.
Have and happy holiday season and a healthy, happy successful New Year!
Mitchell A. Roffer (Ph.D.), President
