| In 2015 the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is kicking off exciting changes to the Skillful Angler Recognition Program ! The revised program is designed to please everyone from the newest angler-young or old-to seasoned anglers with decades of experience.
Although the program’s three divisions remain the same (Adult, Junior and Catch and Release), now there are several new categories creating more opportunities for qualifying fish to earn the angler a series of personalized certificates suitable for framing to commemorate your outstanding catch!
Three additional categories may bring out your competitive nature. Personalized certificates are awarded for the Slam Series which includes:
Special recognition isn’t the only program benefit. When anglers submit their entries, data of interest to Fish and Wildlife’s biologists (such as the fish’s weight, length, girth and the date, time and catch location) becomes available which may reveal insights about the waterbody from where the fish was hooked or as an indicator of the condition of a particular fishery. Combined data from many anglers can create a meaningful freshwater fisheries data set. |
Every month the leader of each division/category for all species will be posted on the Skillful Angler Leader Board webpage. At the end of the year, special recognition is given to anglers who catch the largest fish in each species category. The winner of each category is sent a customized certificate recognizing his or her accomplishment as the best of New Jersey’s Skillful Anglers.
Through the new Skillful Angler Recognition Program, anglers statewide can commemorate their catch while supporting Fish and Wildlife’s continuing fisheries monitoring efforts.
The On The Water staff is made up of experienced anglers from across the Northeast who fish local waters year-round. The team brings firsthand, on-the-water experience and regional knowledge to coverage of Northeast fisheries, techniques, seasonal patterns, regulations, and conservation.