The gray triggerfish has made cameo appearances in the northeast for several summers now...can they be added to the "regulars" list?

By Bob Misak

The Strangely Beautiful Triggerfish

Some years ago, if you were to ask an angler if he caught any triggerfish, he’d likely look at you as if you had another head growing. Gray triggerfish were rarely caught in Jersey back then. They were sometimes caught here as far back as 20 years ago or better, but it seemed as though they would only show up when water temperatures got abnormally high; in the 80’s in the ocean, or higher. These days, with water temperatures pretty much rising a degree or two on average every two years or so, the tropical species from down south, including triggerfish, sheepsheads and even groupers, have made increased showings here in the northeast, and especially over the last five or six years.

Gray triggers are really quite beautiful when looked at closely. Their vibrant blue and gray streaked fins are a joy to look at, and the reason the trigger gets its name is one of the most interesting and over-looked in our waters. The top dorsal fin of the triggerfish locks in the up position when the fish is threatened, and only the pushing down of the little fin behind that dorsal can “unlock” the top fin; you push the little fin down and the top fin folds, as if you were in fact, pulling a trigger. I love to see the look on the youngsters faces when I bring up a trigger; they look at it as if they saw an alien; and they’re even more puzzled when I show them the locking fin.

Triggers; where do they hide?

 

Since triggerfish have decided to visit us each year for the past few seasons, their numbers have virtually taken off here at the Jersey Shore. Each July, August and even into September, triggerfish are caught in good numbers. They can be found not only on our wrecks offshore but off of just about all of our inshore structure. The jetties and wooden structure inside our inlets and bays have become a haven for these wily wanderers. I have found by going out and specifically targeting triggerfish, that they always travel in schools, with anywhere from four to ten or more fish traveling together. They seem to love wooden structure the best... any old docks or pilings are their favorite areas, and thinking it through, I honestly think that bore worms, small crabs like Asian Shore crabs and other wood dwelling creatures are the triggers' reason for hanging out there. They can be sight fished, meaning that they playfully surface to the top of the water, and when you see them you can toss baits their way and they will hit. High water temperatures are essentially part of the equation, with the trigger being mostly tropical in habit, at least until now! In fact, I was fishing at Barnegat Light one summer afternoon when I visited the local bait shop and saw a guy weighing in a trigger that appeared to be close to a state record. After further investigation on the scales, the fish, caught by Ron Pires of Wyckoff, N.J., ended up indeed as the new state record at 5 pounds, 14 ounces, which still stands today. This record fish was caught right in Barnegat Bay, some two miles from the ocean on an entanglement of downed trees in the High Bar Harbor area. We quickly filed the paperwork and drove the fish, alive, to the aquarium in Point Pleasant, N.J., where it is still on display today. So, will the New Jersey triggerfish record be broken again soon? The answer is "YES", and it could well be in another spot that nobody expects it to be. A good number of triggers are caught on floating structure outside the inlets. Sargasso grass and other wooden floaters are prime spots to float up quietly in your boat and toss the triggers' favorite two baits... crabs or fresh shrimp. "Store bought" shrimp ups the game when it comes to getting finicky triggers to turn onto bait, and the smarter wreck captains always have a frozen bag at the ready in case they spot a school of the elusive little devils..

Triggerfish and their Fans

Since triggerfish have become a part of many catches off of the structure, folks are getting smart on how good they are to eat. Triggerfish have a very tough outer skin, one of the toughest of the fish species up here (even "tougher than a puffer" if you can imagine that). A very sharp knife and a careful hand is needed to fillet a trigger, but being the crustacean eaters that they are, their meat is dense and clean, much like a tog or sheepshead, also strictly crustacean feeders. Spear guys tell me of the aggression that triggers have underwater; divers have shown me bite marks in their wet suits where angry triggers have nipped at them, but they do say that it gives them the opportunity for close shots. I know of anglers who make sushi and sashimi with the meat of triggers, and more and more anglers are looking past that tough skin to get a couple of trigger fillets in the pan.

The "Queen of the Ocean"

 

On rare occasions here in the northeast, an angler on a head boat or on structure will catch a queen triggerfish here in New Jersey, where the triggerfish is far from home. Most boat captains will suggest the release of the rare queen triggerfish when caught. Their sheer beauty and stunningly sharp, bright colors put anglers in complete awe when they catch one, and I for one would love to see one on the end of my rod. Down south in states like Florida, queen triggers, as well as gray triggers are prized for their food value, and releasing a queen isn't practiced quite as much. But I can attest to the fact that to me, the queen triggerfish is by far the most stunning, colorful and vibrant fish in our waters. If you ever have the pleasure of catching one, take a mess of pictures, because you may never see another. So, if you're headed out to go fishing on some structure in August and September, stop at Shop-Rite and grab some frozen shrimp; you may get into a nice school of triggerfish, and when they turn on the light, be ready for the fight! As small as they are, the gray triggerfish will put the bend in your rod, too. Good luck and great fishing.