November 4, 2002

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife, a new state record cutlass fish was taken off the Delaware Reef #11 on September 21. Roy Titus of Villas caught a 4 pound, 3 ounce cutlass fish that is the first in a brand new record category.

Titus was bottom fishing from a boat when he caught the record fish on 20-pound test line using a squid strip for bait. The fish measured 53 inches in length with a 10-inch girth.

Cutlass fish are found throughout tropical and temperate waters worldwide, most often over muddy bottoms of shallow coastal waters in depths from 0 to 400 meters. Adults feed mainly on fishes and occasionally on squids and crustaceans. The body is extremely elongated, almost eel-like, tapering to a point. The mouth is large. The dorsal fin is relatively high; the anal fin is reduced to tiny spines; pelvic (hind) and caudal (tail) fins are absent. Fresh specimens appear steely blue with silvery reflections.

The Record Fish Program honors the largest species of fish caught in the State. It revolves around a specific list of eligible freshwater and saltwater 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. For more information or to request an application, call 609-633-7768. Visit the Division's website at www.njfishandwildlife.com for a complete list of state record fish.