It’s going to be tricky for the recreational fisher to keep up to date with the fishing regulations this year.

Please be sure to check with your bait and tackle supplier for the latest information before you head out.

As I write this, the NJ Marine Fisheries Council has sent a proposal to the state and the federal regulators proposing new guidelines to accomplish a 25.6 percent reduction in the tautog catch, hoping to stop the ban on tautog fishing due to go into effect April 1.

The proposal for recreational fishers will go into effect the day after it is officially approved. So until that happens, the ban is in effect April 1.