09-10-2004, 02:56 AM
A continuing source of confusion for anglers fishing Raritan Bay involves what rules apply -- and where. The closure of New York waters to fluke fishing on Tuesday brought that question to the fore once again.
Quite simply, any fish aboard your boat must be in accordance with the regulations of the state whose waters you're fishing in regardless of where they were caught. Thus, if you're stopped in New York waters with a doormat you caught off Sandy Hook, you're as guilty under the law as if it had been taken in N.Y. waters where you're not allowed to fluke at all. Once you boat a fluke, a slot striper, a 10-inch porgy or a 13-inch weakfish you must continue to fish in New Jersey waters.![[Image: spacer.gif]](http://www.nj.com/images/spacer.gif)
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The state line shows up on the Lowrance X-16 and some other plotters. It's also clear on Capt. Vic Galgano's Sandy Hook/Raritan Bay Fishing Chart, which is available at tackle shops or from Capt. Vic Enterprises, 8 Iris Ct., Milltown, N.J. 08850 (732) 821-8810. The line cuts through Raritan Reach just east of Buoy 16, so N.J. boaters can safely drift for weakfish from Buoy 14 east while observing the 13-inch, 8-fish state regulation rather than New York's 16 inches and six weakfish.
Almost all regulations are tougher in New York. The Empire State allows only one striper at a 28-inch minimum, and the porgy limit is a mere 20 at a minimum of 11 inches, with a closure from Oct. 19-31 before reopening for the month of November. Though both states reopen winter flounder Sept. 15 with 11-inch minimums, N.Y. closes Nov. 30 (a month before us) and has a 15-flounder bag limit.
New York does have an advantage in blackfish, which is closed now, but opens from Oct. 1 to May 31 with a 10-fish bag and the same 14-inch minimum as in N.J., where we pay the price for having the June-to-Nov. 14 bag limit of one per day by being restricted to a mere four-fish bag from Nov. 15 to May 31.
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Quite simply, any fish aboard your boat must be in accordance with the regulations of the state whose waters you're fishing in regardless of where they were caught. Thus, if you're stopped in New York waters with a doormat you caught off Sandy Hook, you're as guilty under the law as if it had been taken in N.Y. waters where you're not allowed to fluke at all. Once you boat a fluke, a slot striper, a 10-inch porgy or a 13-inch weakfish you must continue to fish in New Jersey waters.
[url "http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/star_ledger/s/scolris/@StoryAd?x"]The state line shows up on the Lowrance X-16 and some other plotters. It's also clear on Capt. Vic Galgano's Sandy Hook/Raritan Bay Fishing Chart, which is available at tackle shops or from Capt. Vic Enterprises, 8 Iris Ct., Milltown, N.J. 08850 (732) 821-8810. The line cuts through Raritan Reach just east of Buoy 16, so N.J. boaters can safely drift for weakfish from Buoy 14 east while observing the 13-inch, 8-fish state regulation rather than New York's 16 inches and six weakfish.
Almost all regulations are tougher in New York. The Empire State allows only one striper at a 28-inch minimum, and the porgy limit is a mere 20 at a minimum of 11 inches, with a closure from Oct. 19-31 before reopening for the month of November. Though both states reopen winter flounder Sept. 15 with 11-inch minimums, N.Y. closes Nov. 30 (a month before us) and has a 15-flounder bag limit.
New York does have an advantage in blackfish, which is closed now, but opens from Oct. 1 to May 31 with a 10-fish bag and the same 14-inch minimum as in N.J., where we pay the price for having the June-to-Nov. 14 bag limit of one per day by being restricted to a mere four-fish bag from Nov. 15 to May 31.
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