HERRING (Capitalized) definately on the move!!!

[Guatemala Dave]

I just got a phone call from one of my commercial suppliers and have word that the HERRING are definately making a move into the rivers and I should have fresh and live HERRING available daily possibly as soon as tomorrow.

It may be early to stock up with live fish, but depending on how the weather goes I may have the best quantity available this upcomming week.

I should have wholesale quantities available for any tackle shops or charter captains that want to put them in a cage or vacum pack some frozen baits.

Call me any time at 609-484-0409 or check my web site for in store availability.

I Still haven't seen the first striper in the store so I have a gift certificate ready for the first one. Maybe Today!

[Candy Man]

Dave, what are the regs this year on the sale of live HERRING? I heard some saying F&W was going to make it very hard to do so.

[Brian E. Mullaney]

One of my costal contacts mentioned the same - time to bust out the sabaki rigs!!

[Guatemala Dave]

The HERRING regulations basicly have not changed, with one exception. Especially the recreational rules. This allows a rectreational angler 35 fish per day anywhere in the state. The major rule is that you absolutely cannot sell any HERRING caught in any fresh water (anywhere you need a freshwater fishing lisence) and the major point is that almost anywhere there are congregations of HERRING are at dams and stream heads above the fresh water lines.

Several years ago the state did issue permits for catching HERRING in some of these areas for unlimited commercial catches, but there have been none issued for the last two years that I know of. Last year enforcement of the rules was intense, but from what I understand that was nothing compared to what is comming for the HERRING runs of 2004.

In the marine waters of the state (below the fresh water line) it it is permitted to sell HERRING caught legally by holders of a BAIT NET lisence, however there STILL is a limit of 35 HERRING per day even by lisenced commercial fishermen. Once again remember that there are very few areas where the HERRING congregate in marine waters.

There are other commercial fishing methods which will allow you to catch and sell unlimited amounts of HERRING, which require major investments in nets and time and I'm not going to do the homework for looking them up, but here is a link to the NJ Commercial Fishing Regulations

The new regulation is one touched on by Margarittaville earlier in the year which concerns netting in the Maurice River ABOVE the fresh water lisence line. I believe this was mostly gill netting and would effect the fresh HERRING supply and not much on the live bait supply.Hopefully he will jump in and expound on these changes.

There is also the possibility to buy live HERRING form legal commercial fishermen out of state. I have some suppliers that brought me HERRING from Maryland last year and I understand that the commercial watermen can fish upstream quite far in Maryland. I believe there were posts last year from someone shipping HERRING .

So yes we can sell live HERRING but you can bet that out paperwork will be checked and If I have them I will have the evidence that they are legal fish.

The last grey area will be the possession of HERRING in bait pens and more than one fisherman using the same holding tank while fishing, but like I said that is a grey area and i'm sure someone with more knowlege than me will help out on those issues.

So good fishing and may the Striper Candy unlock some big mouths for you this spring.