What is it???
 

One of the lakes near me has these baitfish in it and was wondering what they were? They are pretty large, 5/6 inches long.

Re: What is it???
 

Alewife, phenom bait!!!!

Re: What is it???
 

H E R R I N G !!!! Top bait !!

Re: What is it???
 

Never can catch them though, oddly found a school of them milling around in a shallow cove. Never saw them before but when the moon is full i see them popping on the surface and usually don't catch many fish! They are in a relatively shallow water treatment lake that i shore fish.

Re: What is it???
 

Hybrid bait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: What is it???
 

Hey Dale, when I look at that picture I hear a BOOM!

Re: What is it???
 

shad

Re: What is it???
 

Ah, YOUR KILLIN ME!!!! HERE COMES THE BOOM!!!!! HOPE TO HAVE SOME BOOM-BOOMS THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!! Kelly's amped and ready to go!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Re: What is it???
 

.

Yup



http://www.vtwaterquality.org/lakes/...alewife-id.gif



.

Re: What is it???
 

It looks similar but not the same as the one's that you buy for bait?
It actually has a bright yellow stripe on it ? In the picture the bait was already kinda stiff and dried but you can still see it faintly. Not sure what kind of herring it is and what are the ones we buy for bait?

PS, Tip of the day: DO NOT leave them in a cooler in a hot garage for a week!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEY!

Re: What is it???
 

alewife, herring, sawbelly in NY

Re: What is it???
 

You can rig that cooler on a wire rig w/ an 18/0 circle hook and let it soak for shark lol... The odor was some epic funk dude!!!

Re: What is it???
 

And, if you're fishin' in NJ waters, keep an eye out for THE LAW.

See page 6 of: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2013/digfsh4-7.pdf

Re: What is it???
 

thats a river herring, a common alewife that is found all over these parts. U can tell because it has a little yellow under the grey on its back and the spot is usually not there or very faint. The bait we buy which is 90% out of hopatcong is a blueback herring, dont grow as big as the river herring. As Mark B. pointed out, there are restrictions on those fish, dont remember exactly what but its in the NJFW book u get for free. Great bait, sabiki rig a few of em and bring em for bait :)

Re: What is it???
 

Jimmy,

The herring from Lake Hop. are the same species, alewives.
Referred to as land locked alewives, they reproduce there, and as you pointed out, do not grow nearly as large as the ocean going bluebacks or alewives.

The only river herring that you can legally possess, are landlocks. The ones that you buy, and the ones that you are allowed to capture from some NJ lakes.

See the link, above.

Re: What is it???
 

That would make sense Mark because they pump water from the South and Raritan rivers into the water treatment pond. QUESTION : Now if they are caught in a lake are you allowed to keep and use them for bait ?

Re: What is it???
 

Dale the way I read it.........if the lake is landlocked u can take 10 for your personal use, but it states they cant be removed from that body of water if i remember correctly, any bait in transport has to have a receipt from the bait shop. All this year everytime I get bait at Dows I get a receipt, they make u take it w u now. I read they were possibly gonna up it to 25 but hasnt passed yet. And that same section has the castnet and bait catching info, u cant throw a cast net into any lakes that are stocked w trout, so that leaves an umbrella net which has some formula for square footage they allow, and same for a bait trap, has to have a 2in hole no bigger and 24" max I think. I did some of this reading in spring was gonna grab my own bait and make a pen at my dock for herring during the nite bite, but never bothered too many damn laws, Ill just pay the 6 bucks F it

Re: What is it???
 

Currently, up to ten alewife or blueback herring, no
greater than six inches in length, may be
taken for personal use, from freshwater
lakes in Morris, Passaic, Sussex and
Warren counties, and from Spruce Run
Reservoir located in Hunterdon County.
Landlocked herring taken from lakes within
these counties may only be used on the lake
from which they were taken. Any unused
herring must be returned to the waterbody
upon the conclusion of the angler’s fishing
trip. They may not be transported away from
the shoreline of the lake by any mechanism.
They may not be sold.

The most effective, legal way, that I've heard of to catch landlocks from the abovementioned lakes is from a boat, @ nite with a latern to attract them, using a Sabiki rig.


For all other freshwater lakes, regardless of
ownership (public or private), only purchased
herring no greater than six inches
in length may be possessed for up to
seven days from date of purchase, when
accompanied by a receipt. The receipt
must list the name, address and telephone
number of the place of purchase, date of purchase
and quantity purchased. This receipt
must be without erasures or alterations of any kind and must have a control number.

For 2014, there is a proposal to increase the limit on landlocked herring that may be taken for personal use, from freshwater lakes in Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties, and Spruce Run Reservoir (Hunterdon Co.), from 10 to 35, and establish a 6-inch maximum size limit.

Re: What is it???
 

Yeah I always have the bait guy behind the counter write all the stuff down on my receipt for my bait. And no I'm not a deadbeat dad either:rolleyes:

This states fish and game regulations are so eff'ing funny as they are archaic.

Re: What is it???
 

Agreed!!!! We sound like a bunch of COMMUNISTS!!! Write this down........ BITE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: What is it???
 

I have a Tee shirt that sez exactly that;)
Anybody can be a parent, but you need a license and a receipt to go fishing.