Bonus Tags for Trophy Fish? Your Opinion

[Capt -Jerry P]

Speaking for myself...I'm not that old but remember keeping everthing with my Dad as a kid and I realize it was a mistake and don't want to see stripers go the way of the whiting...

We are not keeping everything. Some boats caught 50+ stripers
Its 2 fish, that the law 3 with a tag

[bassnblues]

Speaking for myself...I'm not that old but remember keeping everthing with my Dad as a kid and I realize it was a mistake and don't want to see stripers go the way of the whiting...

We are not keeping everything. Some boats caught 50+ stripers
Its 2 fish, that the law 3 with a tag

I know, I was just commenting on the overall mindset of wanting to be careful and not wastefull...

3 stripers isn't going to decimate anything but 2 28" fish seems like plenty for me...

[Capt -Jerry P]

Speaking for myself...I'm not that old but remember keeping everthing with my Dad as a kid and I realize it was a mistake and don't want to see stripers go the way of the whiting...

We are not keeping everything. Some boats caught 50+ stripers
Its 2 fish, that the law 3 with a tag

I know, I was just commenting on the overall mindset of wanting to be careful and not wastefull...

3 stripers isn't going to decimate anything but 2 28" fish seems like plenty for me...

Think that is how most feel

[Capt. Joe G]

Jerry Call you in abit!

[Bucktail]

Bottom line is this:

If you (or someone you know) is going to eat the fish, then you should not be made to feel guilty about keeping any fish that are within the law.

[Hotrod]

Simple as that Bob

[Luna Sea 5]

I only keep what I am going to eat, without freezing.

[Hotrod]

I have kept fish Knowing that a friend that loves to each "said" fresh Fish will enjoy it.

[mgm]

I have kept fish Knowing that a friend that loves to each "said" fresh Fish will enjoy it.

[brijones1]

Eat em up  , you guys spend all this money on boats, tackle, and gas to let that 3rd keeper go .  I buy a bonus tag every year and enjoy eating fish, fresh or frozen. 

[ped579]

To each his own...No matter what the situation.  The individual is ultimately  responsible for his or her actions, law or no law.

[Pfishingruven]

Great topic and all great posts so far.

I catch and release 99% of the fish I catch(or don't catch for that matter ).  I also believe in conservation and don't like to see fisheries destroyed.  However, I do not begrudge or judge anyone who keeps what is legal.  If you want to give your catch away to someone who can't/doesn't fish...that is your choice.  I don't think you should turn into a "commercial" fish market as well .

As for the bonus tag...if it is used responsibly, which from all of the posts, it sounds like it is being used properly, why give Regs back to the State?  Yes, it is additional revenue for the state, but it is also a great way to give someone that extra fish when needed.  Like Capt Carl said, fish will just die anyway.

The most aggravating thing to see is a dead or almost dead striper floating in the water that was gut hooked or not revived properly!  What a waste of fish...I would rather see that fish kept with a bonus tag and eaten, than thrown back and turned into bluefish chum.

 

[Capt. Joe G]

This fish was released tonite 5/27 in the rain and fog

[Pfishingruven]

That's an awesome fish!!

 

[Luna Sea 5]

This fish was released tonite 5/27 in the rain and fog

Here is my take.. if that was me.. that fish is too big to eat.. and not big enough to go on my wall.. (in this case, for me, a safe release of the fish).. KUDOS Joey G.

[CaptTB]

what is the bonus tag supposed to be used for.  If you have a 2 fish limit, let it be a 2 fish limit.  If the goverment wants a 3 fish limit, then let it be 3.  What is the original purpose of this tag anyway.

Was it designed to be a TROPHY TAG..

NO, it was NOT designed to be a trophy tag. It is a BONUS tag. Here, Capt. Joe did a great job explaining it:

To answer your question Nick, the bonus tag was given to the recreational angler due to New Jersey shutting down the commercial fishery for striped bass. Instead of turning New Jersey's commercial quota back to the feds to give to another state's commercial fleet, New Jersey kept the quota and gave it to the recs as a bonus fish.

Lets say you have 2 in the box, now you play catch and release the rest of the day.. BUT if you then catch that 50 lber, you have that tag to use.  This is how I originally understood it.  If that 50 lbs fish is your first fish, you shouldn't need the tag and that fish should be 1 of 2 fish and not 1 of 3.

That might have been your opinion of the tag, but nothing more than that. The tag serves a dual purpose: Holding on to the quota (which by the way only a portion of it is used each year)and collecting additional data.

The bonus tag data is some of the BEST data along the coast for stripers, and the state has used that data well.

To those who commented about "if they want a 3 fish limit make it 3 fish" I hope this helps you understand how it works.

The fish caught with the bonus tags ARE PART OF THE COMMERCIAL QUOTA. These are fish that THE SCIENCE SAYS CAN BE SAFELY HARVESTED.

If NJ does not utilize that quota in some form (if they literally just "let it swim") there is a strong argument for it to be put back into the commercial quota for other states (since our state has banned the sale of the fish)

Even without that, as I said the data gained is invaluable.

Everyone has an opinion, and everyone is entitled to them. Difference is, NO ONE has the right to force their opinion on me. If people want to throw their fish back, that's their choice. I do not think any more highly of someone who catches and releases than someone who catches and keeps, as long as they are both within the law. It's funny though that the C&R guys are often the ones with the holier than thou attitude and the ones preaching from a pedestal (I don't mean in this thread or here specifically, I'm talking from listening to and reading guys for years at meetings and websites) yet the guys who like to keep a few (and then perhaps C&R as well) are typically the first ones to say "nice fish" when they see a photo. They also don't typically make the "I hope you threw that back" statement right after congratulating the person on the fish.

I have had this discussion many times with people about the bonus tag, and more often than not those against it do not understand how it works, as evidenced by some of the comments on here. It was a pleasure to read this thread, so much more civilized than on the other site. Nice to be able to just discuss something instead of arguing about it.

[Capt. Joe G]

Enough of the fighting amongst us already just fish and enjoy the fishery..

[Uncle Luna]

I guess I need to reassess my providing a fitting meal to my 85 year old disabled neighbor who can no longer enjoy the sport of fishing.

I didn't realize how much I have been putting the fish stock in peril by giving him a couple of fillets every couple of weeks.

Sorry guys, but I do find pleasure in providing this older fellow with a nice meal every once in a while. I will not live up to somebody else's unrealistic ideals.

Good for you Joe, personally I do not freeze my catch, I either eat it fresh or like last summer my neighbor with 3 kids was laid off from work, they ate fresh blue fish every time I fished and had more fillets than I needed for my family.
For which they were very thankful.
Let's all enjoy the season and to each his own when it comes to keeping or releasing as long as its legal.  Amen