Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

A thread was posted the other day about a bass that was recently caught and released in closed waters. During the thread there was some question as to the legality of this practice. So I reached out via the official NJ website (not to some friend that I may or may not know) and received this official response. Looks like they interpret the word 'Take' as something different then keeping.

** MESSAGE **
SUBJECT: Catch/Release Striped Bass Closed Season

Good day. A bit of debate going on with some fishing buddies to determine if the following is LEGAL:

Are NJ anglers with proper licenses allowed to fish in the back waters of NJ and purposely target striped bass with the intention of releasing after the catch?

Thank you
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You cannot target the fish if there is a closed season. As found on page 13 of the Marine Digest ( http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/digmar.htm ) you cannot "attempt to take" striped bass during the closed season. PT

Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist
NJ Div. of Fish and Wildlife
605 Pequest Rd.
Oxford, NJ 07863
Phone: 908-637-4125
Fax: 908-637-6735
NJFishandWildlife@dep.state.nj.us
http://www.NJFishandWildlife.com/

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Answers that question..

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

How do you like dem apples nancy corigan? Turns out I did not misinterpret the law but rather YOU DID. You can post your "I'm sorry you were correct" post at any time. As I said in the other thread, proving attempted catch and release is too vague and therefore in the eyes of the law attempting to take includes targeting in any way regardless of intention with the catch

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Just to add some additional clarification.......
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Take means having one on your hook I believe.

Whenever you have a question you can always contact our law office. PT

Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist
NJ Div. of Fish and Wildlife
605 Pequest Rd.
Oxford, NJ 07863
Phone: 908-637-4125
Fax: 908-637-6735
NJFishandWildlife@dep.state.nj.us
http://www.NJFishandWildlife.com/

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Don't hold your breath, just expect another aimless response

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Illegal

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Welp....Looks like that's a closed case. Thanks for clarification harpoon.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Why can't I target "Bluefish"????? Whose to say that an angler was targeting Bass...

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Go target bluefish then. The question from the prior thread was in regards to the legality of targeting bass during a closed season.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Go for it. But I would bet you'd still get a ticket if the officer really wanted to write you one. F&G isn't as ignorant as many believe them to be (well maybe nancy corigan's "friends" are).

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

After what happened in North Carolina I can't believe this is even an issue. Miles of dead TROPHY striped bass. Did anyone on here write a letter or voice concern about that ?

It just burns me up the time wasted picking one person apart. Can these laws or rules be changed ? Can you join a club that has a voice ? We do it all the time in freshwater, rules and regs are re wrttten all the time. I say find your contacts and see if these waters can be catch and release in the winter. Stocks change, write a letter, don't waste your time in the middle of the winter doing nothing, go to council meetings.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

In 37 degree water plus why would people further stress small fish trying to survive the winter

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Was that the pic from 2011 right before the govt closed the comm season? Cause I'm trying to find the correlation between clearing up some confusion of the current NJ laws pertaining to backwater fishing and what you replied with.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I'm saying look at the big picture, don't micro manage an entire run of fish.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Get your shorts untwisted Andy. This has nothing to do with the slaughter these fish face. It is a discussion about a rule that was posted with misinformation. A discussion. And it's certainly not about one person because apperently a lot of people do not know that is illegal to target back bay bass during the closed season. And even more people (including at least one charter capt) do not care that these bass are resident bass holding over pre spawn. Your response to this thread has been a waste of your time and effort. And I do write letters and am active when I can be.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Again the post was meant to clear up understand of the current law on the books for targeting bass in the backwaters of NJ during the closed season....Not to manage an entire run of fish.

I didn't create the law and don't know why they don't let us fish for the RESIDENT bass in the back, maybe someone could explain. But again your photo looks to be of dead MIGRATORY bass, which was taken care of with an emergency closure of the trawler season back in 2011 because of the carnage

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I wouldn't worry about, I dont know one guy that has gotten in trouble for catching and releasing stripers during the winter. Most dec agents ither have better things to do or they are too damn lazy to chase us down the beach in the cold.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Exactly! It's the anglers choice what to do just like driving over the speed limit. You know it's posted and most of the time they won't catch you but doesn't change the fact you could get a ticket.

Oh and they wouldn't chase you down the beach since bass are legal all year off the beach!

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I'm goin to pick this apart. Not to get anyone fired up. Just bored. If everyone broke the speed limit the roads would be a hazard for everyone. There are speed limits to protect you from yourself as well as others from you.

Now if one guy catches, gut hooks, and releases a pre spawn resident bass...eh not the big a deal. If everyone who fishes goes out and severely injures one pre spawn bass each per day then that could add up quickly. I like to think we all care for a to-be-released fish properly but you all know there are plenty of dick heads in NJ that simply don't give a shit. My point is there are rules for a reason. We don't have to all like them. But condoning breaking a rule because you feel the rule is unwarranted is dangerous for everyone.

(I'm not saying anyone is condoning anything either)

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Its already happened in one coastal town that I know about... No spot burning so I'm not gonna say where exactly. And yes cause I fish there too, lol.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I'm confused. I thought the striped bass season didn't close in nj waters(inside 3 miles). I guess the regs are different inland. Is that the argument here.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Yes. Ocean side to 3nm is open year round. River, bays, ect closed January and February. Delaware river has its own set of regs that I'm not familiar with

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Still waiting for nancy corigan.....arms crossed, tapping my foot



:rolleyes:

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I don't think N.C. will be jumping into this pool again. Remember, N.C. knows everything and has friends in fish and game. :rolleyes:

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Double 0, and Austin, I was right you can catch and release stripers in the surf.

I catch and release all winter in NY and NJ, never had a problem with DEC or Fish and Game.

The guy Urban is fishing backwaters whatever that means, and catching and releasing stripers. He is enjoying himself and releasing his catch so whats the big deal?

I do keep a few stripers a year to eat and everyone is 28" no bigger or smaller.

Can you answer this question the both of you? How long have you been fishing and in particular Striped Bass fishing?

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Whatever that means ???

The problem is you are telling people something is legal when its not. What they choose to do with the correct info is up to them but spreading bad info is irresponsible as a know-it-all. Your type annoys me terribly. You know you were wrong, it was proven. But you will never admit it and will even try to back track to make it look like you were right. I've been living and fishing in ocean county nj for 25 years. Not that I need to tell you anything about myself.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

You can fish during the closed season in NJ and catch and release stripers... That is a fact.

How long have you targeted Striped Bass... For me it's close to 27 years for stripers alone.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Nancy,
Not once during the conversation on both threads did we discuss catching bass from the surf OTHER then to say it was legal all year.

What we DID discuss was catching bass from the back water...not ocean front. We are also discussing NJ law not NY law since the video was taken in NJ. Please cease from posting additional comments about in this thread or any others without proof of the law. Start your own thread if you feel you have something to say.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

You could not be more wrong if you tried. Please see the very first post in this thread. Please show some proof about how you can call your statement legit other then saying you fished for 27 years...cause that is just proof that your older then 30.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Lol

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Stripers alone huh? You really must know everything there is to know about striper fishin. Sorry I spread my time around to other fish, some more prestigious and some way less.

You can end this comedy show by just admitting you were wrong. You tried to make myself and others appear silly. Now it's all on you pal

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

You assumed I was talking about Backwaters, I said no such thing and furthermore I even quoted the law and link from a bait store to prove that you can play catch and release with stripers in NJ.

You know what they say about ASSuming. ;)

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Dude. You don't know the rules or you don't know where the meadowlands are, which is it?

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

LMAO again with your assumptions! Striper fishing is what we are talking about, I also fish for Tog, Tuna, Cod, Fluke, LMB, SMB, Trout and Steelhead both with rod and reel and on a fly rod and reel.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

But you don't know what backwaters mean? Or the rules that go along with them?

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

Striper fishing in the backwater is what we are talking about. You can't even understand the topic you are posting on! Maybe time to lock this thread

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

First off lets get the name calling to stop, because we both know you wouldn't open your mouth that way if we were talking alone one on one. ;)

So Harpoon tell me what is backwater? There is a lot of backwater that can be fished, just go to the Raritan Bay and fish any water in the back and that is considered backwater.

If You mean that you can not target Stripers in any "Tributaries" of the Delaware then yes you are correct, but to say all backwater is a farce and untrue.

So please explain Backwater for everyone...

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

I'd probably still call you a momo in person but would have absolutely zero reason to meet you :)

Jan. 1–Feb. 28: All waters closed except the Atlantic Ocean from zero to
three miles offshore. All inlets and bays are delineated from ocean waters
by a Colregs Demarcation line.
April 1–May 31: Delaware River and Bay and their tributaries closed from
the upstream side of the Calhoun St. bridge downstream to and including
the Salem River and its tributaries.

Feel free to view the NJ Fish and Game website for all your educational needs buddy. http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf...igmar12-21.pdf


And if you are from NY then I have no idea what your laws are.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

OK I am getting a call back from Kathy over at Fish and Wildlife in reference to a clarification on "Backwaters". Also clarification on whether you can catch and release or not in said "Backwaters".

It seems as though people who stated the F&W people are knowledgeable really aren't because i was transfered to 4 different people who couldn't answer the question and are part of the marine unit.

Re: Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season
 

The rules are right there. What more clarification do you need? And why don't you call your three "friends"? That's what I thought.

Stop this sillyness. Admit defeat. You will at least keep a smidgen of respect at least from me