Think You've Got a Record-size Fish? ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Think You've Got a Record-size Fish?

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Fish must be caught in New Jersey waters.
Saltwater species taken from a boat must have been caught from a boat which left from and returned to a New Jersey port during the same trip.
Fish must have been caught on sporting tackle, hooked and landed by entrant.
New Jersey state records are determined by weight alone. There are no line classes.
Fish must be weighed on a certified scale.
A clear photograph of the fish must be furnished for identification purposes. In the case of freshwater species, a yardstick must be placed next to fish to clearly show length.
Fish should be refrigerated to permit inspection by a biologist in cases of uncertain identification.

Catch a fish that may not be of record size but is of sufficient size and weight to have tested your skill and/or be of "bragging" size? Then enter your catch in the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Skillful Angler Awards Program.

Here are some selected state records:

Species	Size	Year
Amberjack, Greater	85 lbs	1993
Black Sea Bass	8 lbs 2oz.	1994
Bluefish	27 lbs 1 oz	1991
Cod	81 lbs	1967
Fluke ( Summer Flounder )	19 lbs 12 oz	1953
Winter Flounder	5 lbs 11 oz	1992
Ling ( Red Hake )	11 lbs 1 oz	2002
Pollock **	46 lbs 7 oz	1975
Porgy	5 lbs 14 oz	1976
Sheepshead	14 lbs 1 oz	1995
Spadefish	11 lbs 6 oz	1998
Striped Bass **	78 lbs 8 oz	1982
Tautog ( Blackfish ) **	25 lbs	1998
** World Record

Spearfishing

Most folks catch fish with hook and line. A successful fisherman combines skill, knowledge, and experience with a good deal of luck to essentially trick a fish into catching itself. If the fish won't bite, you go home empty-handed. However, scuba divers have a much more dynamic method available to them - spearfishing. Spearfishing is more akin to hunting than to hook and line fishing: rather than relying on a convincingly presented bait or lure, the spearfisherman enters the environment of his quarry and pursues it on its own terms.

More: Spearfishing ...

Close-up & Flash

By well-lit, what I mean is situations that fall within the normal range of your camera's exposure program. This is a combination of ISO (film) speed, shutter speed, and aperture which will result in capturing a desired image. On land, such situations occur all day long, but underwater they are rare. Clear shallow water with a bright sun shining overhead is the only environment in which your camera is likely to work unaided, as it would topside.

An unremarkable ambient light test shot, at a depth of about 100 ft. Note the loss of colors, even close-up. Flash would bring out all the hidden colors.