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State Record for Cutlass Fish Broken


June 4, 2003

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife, new state records for cutlass fish was recently broken. A 6 pound, 11 ounce cutlass fish was caught from the Mudhole on July 22, 2002 by Mike Green of Newark.

Green's catch weighed 2 pounds, 3 ounces more than the existing record taken off the Cape May Reef in 2002. He was fishing from a charter boat when he caught the fish on 40-pound test line using bluefish for bait. The cutlasss measured 62 inches long with a 12-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 or visit the Record Fish Program page.


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