New Jersey Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Island Beach State Park
Seaside Park, NJ
In 2017, the annual New Jersey Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament tournament will be held on Sunday, May 21 at Island Beach State Park.
Known for its pristine sandy beaches, Island Beach State Park is one of New Jersey's most popular surf fishing areas.
A variety of species are eligible for entry in the tournament. Overall length determines the winner. All fish must meet minimum length tournament requirements.
The individual who catches the overall largest fish wins the "Governor's Award," and has his/her name engraved on the Governor's Cup, which is permanently displayed at the park.
Fishing equipment is awarded to winners who catch the largest fish in each species category. Winners from the early entry drawing and the tournament must be present during the afternoon awards ceremony to claim their prizes or they will be forfeited.
Anglers planning to participate in the tournament should always register early. Tournament anglers will also need to complete the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry prior to the event.
For more information, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/saltwater.htm or call 609-748-4347.
source: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Showing posts with label shore fishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shore fishing. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2017
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Are Barbless Circle Hooks Effective?
The effectiveness of barbless circle hooks was a popular topic during the 2016 Tokunaga Ulua Challenge Fishing Tournament in Hawaii.
A leader in the effort to learn more about circle hooks is Kurt Kawamoto, a fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
Each time a fish caught with a barbless circle hook was weighed in, Kawamoto stepped forward to slap a special sticker on it, and hopefully to see a new record.
Kawamoto's work is part of a NOAA and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Barbless Circle Hook Project.
The Tokunaga tournament has grown from 136 entrants in 2003 to 637 this year. It’s estimated more than 50% of the contestants catch their fish using barbless circle hooks.
In 2015, the winning ulua was caught with a barbless hook. This year, the winning omilu was caught by a woman fishing barbless.
Making a barbless hook is really simple. You use a pair of pliers to smash down the barb. Kawamoto explains, “Once you smash down the barbs on these hooks they become self-shedding, so that was the main idea behind it. It’s easy for a fish, or a seal or a turtle to get rid of the hook themselves.”
Researchers have witnessed a monk seal actually shed a barbless circle hook and anglers have relayed stories about sea turtles also easily expelling barbless hooks.
Although it’s easier for animals to rid themselves of the hooks, research, angler reports, and actual catches with barbless circle hooks have proved their efficacy when it comes to catching target fish.
During a shoreline research project, fishers used two poles; one with a barbed hook, the other with a barbless one. Kawamoto said, “We caught over 300 shoreline fish, of many different kinds. We looked at the catches, losses and misses and statistically we couldn’t tell the difference. Essentially you could catch just as many fish with a barbless circle hook.”
Angler Carlo Russo who fishes from the shoreline said "My experience with them has been 100% positive. I caught three papio’s, nice size papio’s on them, and didn’t lose any fish. Popped them right out; all perfectly caught in the corner of their mouths.
The outreach team from the Barbless Circle Hook Project regularly attends fishing tournaments around the state to provide information, encouragement, and free barbless circle hooks.
Kawamoto concluded, “Since starting the project I only use barbless hooks in my personal shoreline fishing and I’ve caught all the same species. I couldn’t in good conscience ask fisherman to try something that I don’t use or believe in myself. I have guys on every island who are only using barbless hooks and they’ve seen it doesn’t make a difference…and allows the big one that got away…to reproduce, to grow and possibly to be caught another day. This helps enhance the reputation of fishermen and women as practicing conservationists.”
source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
A leader in the effort to learn more about circle hooks is Kurt Kawamoto, a fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
Each time a fish caught with a barbless circle hook was weighed in, Kawamoto stepped forward to slap a special sticker on it, and hopefully to see a new record.
Kawamoto's work is part of a NOAA and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Barbless Circle Hook Project.
The Tokunaga tournament has grown from 136 entrants in 2003 to 637 this year. It’s estimated more than 50% of the contestants catch their fish using barbless circle hooks.
In 2015, the winning ulua was caught with a barbless hook. This year, the winning omilu was caught by a woman fishing barbless.
Making a barbless hook is really simple. You use a pair of pliers to smash down the barb. Kawamoto explains, “Once you smash down the barbs on these hooks they become self-shedding, so that was the main idea behind it. It’s easy for a fish, or a seal or a turtle to get rid of the hook themselves.”
Researchers have witnessed a monk seal actually shed a barbless circle hook and anglers have relayed stories about sea turtles also easily expelling barbless hooks.
Although it’s easier for animals to rid themselves of the hooks, research, angler reports, and actual catches with barbless circle hooks have proved their efficacy when it comes to catching target fish.
During a shoreline research project, fishers used two poles; one with a barbed hook, the other with a barbless one. Kawamoto said, “We caught over 300 shoreline fish, of many different kinds. We looked at the catches, losses and misses and statistically we couldn’t tell the difference. Essentially you could catch just as many fish with a barbless circle hook.”
Angler Carlo Russo who fishes from the shoreline said "My experience with them has been 100% positive. I caught three papio’s, nice size papio’s on them, and didn’t lose any fish. Popped them right out; all perfectly caught in the corner of their mouths.
The outreach team from the Barbless Circle Hook Project regularly attends fishing tournaments around the state to provide information, encouragement, and free barbless circle hooks.
Kawamoto concluded, “Since starting the project I only use barbless hooks in my personal shoreline fishing and I’ve caught all the same species. I couldn’t in good conscience ask fisherman to try something that I don’t use or believe in myself. I have guys on every island who are only using barbless hooks and they’ve seen it doesn’t make a difference…and allows the big one that got away…to reproduce, to grow and possibly to be caught another day. This helps enhance the reputation of fishermen and women as practicing conservationists.”
source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Island Beach State Park Shoreline Flounder Fishing
Shore-Based Enhanced Fishing Opportunity Program for Summer Flounder at Island Beach State Park Opens Saturday, June 14
June 13, 2014
On Thursday, June 12, 2014, NJ Department of Environmental Protection (Department) Commissioner Bob Martin signed a Notice of Administrative Change adjusting the size and possession limits for summer flounder (a.k.a "fluke") for anglers fishing from shore at Island Beach State Park (IBSP) during the 2014 open season.
The Shore Based Enhanced Fishing Opportunity Program (Program) for summer flounder at IBSP will begin Saturday, June 14, 2014. Summer flounder is New Jersey's most popular recreational saltwater species. Last year, New Jersey anglers caught an estimated 7.6 million summer flounder and kept 1.2 million of those fish.
Anglers participating in the IBSP Program may retain 2 fish greater than or equal to 16 inches (total length) only at IBSP during the current 2014 New Jersey summer flounder fishing season, which opened on May 23 and remains open until September 27. The Program will be available to "shore-based" anglers only, defined as fishing from a pier, jetty, beach, bank, or marsh. Anglers participating in this Program may NOT fish from a boat, kayak, canoe, personal water craft, or arrive to the shore by means of water craft.
In addition to monitoring the recreational summer flounder harvest at IBSP, the Department will be collecting data on other important recreational species as well by conducting a creel survey at the numerous beach access sites on IBSP. The interviewers will record number of anglers, number of hours fished, number of fish caught and take measurements of fish kept. This information will be utilized to determine the feasibility of the Program as well as provide important data for coastwide management of the species.
For additional information, anglers can contact the Department's Marine Fisheries Administration at 609-748-2020.
source: NJ DEP
June 13, 2014
On Thursday, June 12, 2014, NJ Department of Environmental Protection (Department) Commissioner Bob Martin signed a Notice of Administrative Change adjusting the size and possession limits for summer flounder (a.k.a "fluke") for anglers fishing from shore at Island Beach State Park (IBSP) during the 2014 open season.
The Shore Based Enhanced Fishing Opportunity Program (Program) for summer flounder at IBSP will begin Saturday, June 14, 2014. Summer flounder is New Jersey's most popular recreational saltwater species. Last year, New Jersey anglers caught an estimated 7.6 million summer flounder and kept 1.2 million of those fish.
Anglers participating in the IBSP Program may retain 2 fish greater than or equal to 16 inches (total length) only at IBSP during the current 2014 New Jersey summer flounder fishing season, which opened on May 23 and remains open until September 27. The Program will be available to "shore-based" anglers only, defined as fishing from a pier, jetty, beach, bank, or marsh. Anglers participating in this Program may NOT fish from a boat, kayak, canoe, personal water craft, or arrive to the shore by means of water craft.
In addition to monitoring the recreational summer flounder harvest at IBSP, the Department will be collecting data on other important recreational species as well by conducting a creel survey at the numerous beach access sites on IBSP. The interviewers will record number of anglers, number of hours fished, number of fish caught and take measurements of fish kept. This information will be utilized to determine the feasibility of the Program as well as provide important data for coastwide management of the species.
For additional information, anglers can contact the Department's Marine Fisheries Administration at 609-748-2020.
source: NJ DEP
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