October 18, 2005
According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, a new state record golden
tilefish was taken from Tom’s Canyon on September 9. Keith Karl of
Brick caught a 55 pound, 4 ounce golden tilefish that weighed 4
ounces more than the
previous record taken from Washington Canyon in 2005.
Karl was bottom fishing when he hooked the fish on Shimano
equipment with 80-pound test and a combination of butterfish and
sardines for bait. The fish measured 47 inches in length with a 31
1/8-inch girth.
Tilefish inhabit the outer continental shelf waters of the Atlantic
Ocean along much of North America and parts of South America. They
are a colorful species with a blue or olive-green back and yellow or
rose-colored sides and belly. The back, sides, and dorsal fin are
covered with yellow spots. They are a slow-growing and long-lived
fish with females living up to 35 years of age and males up to 26
years.
Tilefish are found at depths from 240 to 400 feet. Unlike most
deep-water species that typically congregate over reefs, tilefish
show an affinity for sandy bottoms where they sit in small
indentations or burrows in the ocean floor. During the day they will
usually feed and stay near their primary burrow feeding on an
assortment of crustaceans.
The Record Fish Program honors the largest species of
fish/crustaceans caught in the state. It revolves around a specific
list of eligible species, and is based on weight alone (there are no
line classes). Scale certification documentation and a weighmaster’s
signature are necessary. Other rules apply.
Please note that as of June 6, 2006, 103 species (31 freshwater and
72 saltwater) are eligible for entry in the Record Fish Program.
Anglers are reminded that the objective of the Record Fish Program is
to increase the awareness of fishing opportunities for species that
are regularly sought after and routinely found in or off the coast of
New Jersey.
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