Squan Inlet Shad Question

[hforce1]

Sat evening hit inlet aft work.
Beginning of incoming.
Some birds at the mouth of inlet.
Tons of bait moved in with Shad busting surface.
Are these fish legal to keep?

[bulletbob]

Those are most likely Hickory Shad.. No limits on them historically, but I would check current regs to be certain...
You can eat them,but I hope you like your fish crisscrossed with thousands of little needles.... I suppose you could bake them for 4 hours or something and try to dissolve the bones , or maybe pickle them, but for me, it would not be worth the effort. bob

[jigmup]

Albies are in

[NJ219bands]

Hickory shad limit is 6 in salt water and 0 in freshwater. Game wardens caught a guy at Shark River with more than a hundred over the limit. Two fishermen were caught with more than 20 over the limit in Point Pleasant.