Hudson River Fishermen’s Association (HRFA) will once again be holding their annual Catch and Release Striper Derby from April 16 through May 15. Renamed as the Fred Rung Memorial Striper Derby, this event is strictly a no-kill derby for striped bass only; stripers must be caught from the legal waters of the Hudson River and its tributaries which means fish caught and released from the Hackensack, Passaic or East Rivers, Meadowlands area, Newark Bay and as far downriver as the Verrazano Bridge are eligible.
Derby participation is open to both HRFA members and non-members who have personal email accounts. The Derby is open to both boat and shore fisherman for the same entry fee. All stripers must be caught by rod & reel and released quickly back into the water to ensure best possible survival rates (tournament tracked by way of catch, photo and release, or catch, tag, photo and release). Registration ends midnight on Wednesday April 13.
Cost for HRFA member entry is $40; non-member entry is $80; and cost for new membership is $65 which includes derby entry fee plus a $25 1-year annual membership in the HRFA. Participation in the Derby helps support HRFA and their ongoing contributions to striped bass research including Monmouth University (acoustic tags), The Fisherman Magazine’s collaboration with Gray FishTag Research (satellite tags) through the Northeast Striped Bass Study, the Save a Million Bass project and the American Littoral Society.
For questions about the event contact Joseph Albanese at 908-456-2968 (joealbanese2@gmail.com) or Scott Havner at 845-300-1562 (fishon7231@verizon.net). Register online at thehrfa.org/derby.
