NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

This from the NJ DEP


New Recreational Fishing Gear Rules in Effect

Recreational Atlantic Striped Bass Gaff Prohibition
It is prohibited for any person to gaff striped bass when fishing recreationally. The new managment measure has been implemented to reduce release mortality and to comply with the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/upload...ce=govdelivery


Recreational Shark Circle Hook Requirement
The use of non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless steel circle hooks are required, except when fishing with flies or artificial lures, when fishing for sharks recreationally. The new management measure has been implemented to reduce release mortality and to comply with the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks.
https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/upload...ce=govdelivery
2020 Fisheries Managment Plan Review

Please direct any questions to Marine Resources Administration at (609)748-2020 or njmarinefisheries@dep.nj.gov.

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Good rules .
.
Seeing a few of the party boats gaffing bass the last few years made me want to puke .
.

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Re: sharks, does anyone think they'll ever lift the zero retention rule on shortfin makos in 2024? Or have we lost them forever recreationally?

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Understood and I agree... The charters up here regularly net 30 and 40 pound salmon, so nets can certainly be used.. I would say it would certainly be slower and a bit more cumbersome with a couple mates and the captain swinging huge heavy duty nets on a packed boat in the middle of a blitz, but thats not an all day every day thing... Good modern nets would save a number of stripers every year that a poorly placed gaff might kill.... bob

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

The better striper party boats have always netted their fish . And did so without issue .
Better handling of the fish absolutely increases their survival rate .

Be nice if all nets had built in scales too , much easier than hanging a fish by the jaw etc .
Some of the better brand nets are starting to do so .but doubt they are offered yet with the extended reach needed by a party boat .

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Gaffing rule is long overdue

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

:mad:Years back I saw mates gaffing short bass, WTF!

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Handling Bass populations with kid gloves is an absolute must in this "modern age".. Thats it, nothing else out there to fish for in March and April... No Stripers? Not much else to fish for unless you want Blackfish in April, and the last thing they need is more pressure because the Bass populations have dropped. Sad its come to this but here we are.. As I have written here a few times,Stripers were totally MIA for decades, but there was such great year round fishing for so many other species, they were scarcely mentioned, and not really missed very much.. Now they are back strong, and EVERYTHING else is MIA.. If they go, not much else left to catch .

Sharks I don't understand ... I wonder why the populations are still dropping?.. Are that many killed by sports??... Are weird countries still finning them at sea, mercilessly for their fins, so a few rich Chinese businessmen can serve them in a flavorless cartilage filled soup at their daughters weddings?.. I didn't think that was still a thing.. I thought sharks were being left alone these days for the most part....bob

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Everything is MIA because the stripers are eating them all… winter flounder, ling numbers have all plummeted since the resurgence of the striped bass…time to start harvesting more of these behemoth killing machines

Re: NJ DEP Gear Rules for Stripers and Sharks
 

Dogfish as well