Tarpon in NJ? Just read an Instagram report

[spc06]

Just read an instagram report had a pic of guy that brought back a tarpon. I was suprised he kept it, as they are not good table fare, but wow...The responses he got...Not terribly nice.

I had no idea that New Jersey got Tarpon, I associate that as a Florida type fish, have you had them for a while, anyone caught one?

[bulletbob]

They have been coming up to NJ/NY waters for as long as I can remember.Every year a very few are caught or at least spotted in NJ.. NJ is uniquely positioned on the Atlantic coast,,, Tropical species and cold water species can sometimes be found in the same waters at the same time.. Its the northernmost limit for some species, and the southernmost limit for others..
One might catch a Cod and a Triggerfish on the same bottom fishing trip, or a Striper and a Spanish Mackerel while trolling inshore,, In the bays or rivers you might catch a Croaker and Winter Flounder at the same time and place.
I am not sure that too many guys realize how unique and varied the fishing in NJ is... So while you may not go to NJ to specifically target Marlin or Cobia or Spanish Mackerel, they do visit NJ waters during summer, and there are always a few caught there most summers..bob

[bigfishy]

Supposedly taken while spear fishing and he saw quite a few while on the hunt...
The debate on another site, was if while fishing in florida, if you caught a 40lb. Striper would you keep it?

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by bigfishy

Attachment 151713

Supposedly taken while spear fishing and he saw quite a few while on the hunt...
The debate on another site, was if while fishing in florida, if you caught a 40lb. Striper would you keep it?

Yeah nice fish, but I dunno,, spearing a Tarpon?.. Then what?
I suppose if he is going to mount it, its not a big deal, and it would make a great wall mount.. However, I hate to think of that fish getting thrown into the garden to help the tomatoes grow ... Never was all that keen on keeping fish that are basically not fit to eat...

[WhaleFart]

Spear fishing is fun as hell, however I will say you waste a none table fare fish like a tarpon just because you can is down right in poor taste. This fish has zero food value and essentially was just shot for opportunity to shoot a fish and Instagram likes. Zero respect for shooter and less respect for bait shop who compared this to a striper in Florida in perspective. Yeah No.

There's people who kill for the sport, people who kill to stroke their egos and people who kill only what they're going to consume. Whether that fish was speared in NJ or Florida, same result, one dead tarpon. No way that fish is being mounted in the shape it's in. You're not eating it, so rule that out. If it was killed just to prove a point or get your 10 minutes of fame on Instagram, it's legal so to each their own but never quite understood killing something just because you could for bragging rights. Take a camera next time and an underwater picture, enlarge it and you have a memory for a lifetime instead of a prized gamefish probably that will end up in a landfill somewhere.

[reason162]

The douchiest bro in NJ (this week) -

[NoLimit]

Originally Posted by reason162

The douchiest bro in NJ (this week) -

Whatever happened to Mind Your Own Business?! If it’s legal, what business is it of yours what he should do.

[Skolmann]

And yet in Florida (& perhaps elsewhere)-it is illegal to remove any tarpon over #40 from the water

Maybe because there are so few caught in NJ that there are no restrictions here

[spc06]

Originally Posted by reason162

The douchiest bro in NJ (this week) -

That’s the pic, good job. You guys have a fantastic fisheries, and that didn’t just happen. Tough good solid choices are made to keep it dynamic. I love fishing in Maine, but we only get stripers, pogies and Mack’s from shore today. The blues, flounder and sea bass stopped coming this way a while ago.

NJ gets a horrible wrap, I really miss my nana’s place on mystic island. We’d go there in the 70s and early 80s.

As always, great forum.