[Rob Lynch]

I have written the NJ fish and game for a response and will post their answer.
With the season being bad as it has for most. I have had a hard time getting a keeper. I have had alot of fish that were 16.25.
My questiuon is when measuring a flounder is the mouth open or closed? You can gain close to a 1/4" with the mouth open.
My concern has been if I got boarded trying to talk the warden into the mouth open measuring system.
The reg clearly show that you measure a shark from snout to very tip of tail.
They also show that seabass are to the end of the main tail NOT the long piece that can be off the top.
I have been throwing them back. But it would be nice to take some of those fish. I have days of 20 throwbacks and no keepers. I have also had on those same days 2-3 fish that if the mouth was open it would have been in the box.
How do you measure?
Mouth open or closed?

 

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Rob,
Good Question.,,,

And Here is What I Found Out.....

As per the 2004 Regs,like you said.
It states you have to measure from the tip
of the snout to the tip of the tail...
The snout means the top and the fishes mouth
needs to be closed....
As explained to me from a Conservation Officer
its like measuring yourself while you are
Standing on you Tippy Toes,with a open
mouth Fish..

Look at it this way, in about 2-4 weeks all those
16.25 fish should be legal..Better Days Are Coming.

[ 06-24-2004, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: NIGHTSTRIKES ]

 

[Insanity]

I think it stinks that you don't get credit for the lower lip, but that's the way it is. One other thing I started doing since last year - keep them in the live well. Dead fish do shrink.

 

[Brian E. Mullaney]

STRETCH BOTH JAWS WITH BOGA THEN CLOSE

 

[Notch]

Rob,
I don't know how the conservation officers in Jersey measure fish, but last year in VA two old boys at the fish cleaning table got nabbed for four undersized FLOUNDER. They were measuring from the jaw. The CO was measuring from the upper lip(nose). It cost the poor fellows over two notes and they didn't even get the fish to keep. Sad part was the guys were retired, took a cheap trip there from out-of-state, and the fine cost was more than the trip. To top it off, the one guy gashed himself real good with the fillet knife while swatting away no-see-ums!
After the CO wrote them up, one of the old guys asked if they could keep the illegal fish. He was told "no". The CO then offered the fish to a local who just showed up to go fishing! That sucks!
Well, after that scene, I measure from the snout. Don't matter if the fish's mouth is open or not. the snout never changes size.
BTW, those fish were about 3/8" under-sized by going with the jaw.

 

[upchuck]

If there's a question if it's legal on not it goes back. If no keepers, so be it. It's not worth the fine. Nose to tail with mouth closed. Close doesn't count.

 

[fshlot]

Whenever i got stopped by the co's they just took the fish and put it on thier measuring stick.They didn't open the mouth and try to get every possible length.I don't know if it was because they were no doubt legal or what.But the law is the law and mouth has to be shut!!!....Just throw it back and try again!!!

 

[Far26]

I don't keep any fish unless they are a little over the size limit. I've been checked a few times and have been close but never short.
By law you are to measure a fish with the mouth closed (lose a little) and the tail pinched (gain a little)to achieve the legal length. Even with the tail pinched you should make sure you are an 1/8 inch over to avoid any shrinkage issues.
I see a lot of guys wrongly measuring fish by putting the tape on top of the fish which adds a little length. The correct way is to lay the fish on top of a tape. Most CO's will put the fish on top of a measuring device and believe it or not it can make a 1/2 inch difference (short).
These issues seem to be most common both with flounder and slot vs 28+ inch stripers.
No sense in taking any chances, measuring correctly will make your trips safer and the CO's job easier.

 

[fshlot]

CO's job easier..HAHA!!! ....On a flounder,i don't think you gain anything by pinching the tail cause of the way the tail is shaped.I may be wrong,but i think only fish with a v-tail(weakies,stripers...etc) can be pinched to gain some length.

Come on and respond CO's..I know your LURKING....NO DOUBT!!!!

 

[BUCKTAIL WILLIE]

EVERYONE IS GETTING 12-15" FLUKE ,THEY GROW AN INCH A MONTH AT THAT SIZE IN SUMMER.
SO ,ALL THOSE 13" FISH WILL BE 14 END OF JULY WHEN THEY START HEADING BACK INTO OCEAN
JUST IN TIME FOR THE COMMERCIAL GUYS TO WIPE OUT ALL THOSE THROWBACKS WE HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR AS THEY CAN KEEP THEM AT 14"
ISN'T IT A GREAT WORLD WE LIVE IN

 

[Fin-Advisor]

its a tough year ! But a 16.5 fish will be 16.25 an hour later. better to stick with the 17 inch fluke

 

[Insanity]

What do you do in case of....

In the JCAA tourny this year, fishing outside the inlet in AC, I caught a fluke and while reeling him in a blue or something bit the tail right off him. Fish was still bleeding when we netted him. With his tail he probably would have been 17 1/2 - 18", w/o tail he was 16". We kept him because he would die anyway. Any thoughts??

 

[Brian E. Mullaney]

BW - I agree - wtf!!!! COMMS CAN KEEP EM AT 14"??? iT SHOULD be the same lengths for us & them.

 

[BIGGESTJACK]

because we can be pushed and the comm. can't

 

[upchuck]

Is the NJ Fish & Game going the pinch the tail when they measure? I Think not. If in doubt, put it back.

 

[Rob Lynch]

Heres the reply from fish and game.
Mouth closed.

Thanks for your honesty and effort to comply with the regulations.
The fish should be measured with the mouth closed - the regs state
"from the tip of the snout" which isn't the lower jaw. We do appreciate
your effort at working within the regulations, and hope you enjoyed your
time on the water despite having to toss most everything back. PT

Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist
[email protected]
The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife is a professional, environmental
agency dedicated to the protection, management and wise use of the
state's fish and wildlife resources.
http://www.NJFishandWildlife.com

>>> <[email protected]> 06/24/

His comment about throwing most everything back is from my telling him I have about 30 throwbacks to my 2 keepers.
Rob

 

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Thanks Rob.....

 

[minimate6698]

Originally posted by Rob Lynch:
I have written the NJ fish and game for a response and will post their answer.
With the season being bad as it has for most. I have had a hard time getting a keeper. I have had alot of fish that were 16.25.
My questiuon is when measuring a flounder is the mouth open or closed? You can gain close to a 1/4" with the mouth open.
My concern has been if I got boarded trying to talk the warden into the mouth open measuring system.
The reg clearly show that you measure a shark from snout to very tip of tail.
They also show that seabass are to the end of the main tail NOT the long piece that can be off the top.
I have been throwing them back. But it would be nice to take some of those fish. I have days of 20 throwbacks and no keepers. I have also had on those same days 2-3 fish that if the mouth was open it would have been in the box.
How do you measure?
Mouth open or closed?

 

[minimate6698]

Rob,
i have always measured fluke with their mouths' closed but i dont know the official rule.

 

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Originally posted by minimate6698:
Rob,
i have always measured fluke with their mouths' closed but i dont know the official rule.

minimate6698,
Welcome to the BassBarn.Com,
Glad To Have You Aboard......

Heres the Rule:
It states you have to measure from the tip
of the snout to the tip of the tail...
The snout means the top and the fishes mouth
needs to be closed....