Just before sunrise on June 5th, Jack Merwede, from Lavallette and Whiting, hooked in to a striped bass of a lifetime while fishing with colleague Mike Chizhik on his 22' Shamrock.

After having run in to large school of bunker at the mouth of the Shark River in Avon, Snag-and-Drop was the order of the day. Two 25 lbers were already in the boat when Jack decided to try a unique surf  fishing technique currently under development. Jack used a fish-finder type rig with an 8/0 Octopus Circle, 3 ounce weight and bunker chunk on the end of a 7' Ugly Stick with a Shimano 3500 Baitclicker, spooled with Power Pro. Certainly more of a fluke rod than a striper rig.  Of course Murphy's Law prevailed as the monster bass picked up the chunk from the bottom and took off for parts unknown. Fortunately, Mike's boat handling expertise afforded some time to catch up with the brute and wear her out . After a 20 minute chase and struggle, the 50 inch-50 pound trophy was brought to the boat. This fish was Jack's lifetime best by almost 19 lbs.

{jcomments off}

The Free NJ Saltwater Fishing Registry is now in effect as of this date. If you haven't registered now is the time

One question that was asked by a lot of guys earlier is part of the Q&A on the NJDEP site for the registry.

Q. I already signed up for the federal registry; do I still need to register in NJ?

A. Yes.  All anglers and for-hire vessel owners and operators must register with the NJSRRP in 2011.  New Jersey will provide a complete dataset to the National Marine Fisheries Service to establish and maintain a list of exemptions from the federal saltwater angler registration program.

The registry is an important tool that will help fishermen and policy makers work together to better account for the contributions and impacts of saltwater anglers on ocean ecosystems and coastal economies. It is part of a national overhaul of the way NOAA collects and reports recreational fishing data. The goal of the initiative - known as the Marine Recreational Information Program, or MRIP - is to provide the most accurate information possible that can be used to determine the health of fish stocks. Reliable, universally trusted data will in turn aid anglers, fisheries managers and other stakeholders in their combined efforts to effectively and fairly set the rules that will ensure the long-term sustainability of recreational fishing.   For more information, visit www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov.

This Registry is NOT a License.  All Marine Fisheries Rules and Regulations must be followed at all times.

For more information on the New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry Program, please refer to thier Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page.

 

 

WHO NEEDS TO REGISTER?

Individual saltwater anglers ages 16 and older MUST register if ANY of the following criteria are met:

Recreationally fish with a hand line or rod and line, spearfish or fish by hand
Recreationally fish in the marine and fresh tidal waters of the State of New Jersey
Recreationally fish in marine waters outside the State of New Jersey but land the catch in New Jersey

 

Individual saltwater anglers are EXEMPT from registering if either of the following apply:

• Under the age of 16
• Solely fish on for-hire (party and charter) vessels that are registered with the New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry Program

For-hire vessel owners/operators MUST register if:

• Carry individuals who engage in recreational fishing in the marine and fresh tidal waters of the State of New Jersey

OR

• Carry individuals who engage in recreational fishing in the marine waters outside the State of New Jersey but land their catch in New Jersey
  

NJ.Gov Quick Links

 UPDATE : 5/01  Fluke Season Will Start As Planned

Fluke Season Opening In Jeopardy If DEP Fails To Act

The New Jersey chapter of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA-NJ) today sent a letter to Governor Chris Christie, copying the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bob Martin, urging immediate action to ensure that the 2011 summer flounder (fluke) season gets underway as scheduled on May 7th.

Following action by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council (Council) on April 7 to enact the 2011 summer flounder regulations as having a season of May 7-September 25 with a bag limit of eight fish per person and minimum size of 18 inches, the Bureau of Marine Fisheries subsequently submitted the regulation for approval by the DEP the following day.  In past years, regulations approved by the Council were enacted almost immediately, however, according to the RFA-NJ nearly three weeks have now passed without approval of the regulation by the DEP.