Navesink River ‘Sharks’ Could Be Cownose Rays, Fisherman Says

RUMSON, NJ – While the unconfirmed sightings of bull sharks in the Navesink River have yet to be verified by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, according to at least one local fisherman, the reported 'sharks' may not actually be sharks at all.

Related: Unconfirmed Bull Shark Sightings In Navesink River: Cops

In response to previous Patch coverage regarding unconfirmed shark sightings detailed by the Borough of Rumson Police Department, Little Silver dentist and longtime hobby fisherman Doug Peterson took to Patch’s neighbor post feature to describe his own experience witnessing the myserteous fins in the river:

“While it's technically possible for there to be sharks in the Navesink, these sightings are most likely not sharks at all. I am a fisherman in the area and while out recently I too was fooled into thinking there might be sharks swimming in the river. I saw several signs of fins coming up out of the water - just like in JAWS,” the fisherman wrote earlier this month.

Peterson later told Patch that he experienced what appeared to be a swarm of sharks surrounding his boat while fishing in the Shrewsbury River around six years ago:

“It was a really calm, beautiful morning, and, in the distance in the river, I was totally convinced that there was a shark swimming in the water. I’d never seen a shark in the river before,” Peterson said.

Before he knew it, several ‘fins’ popped up from under the surface of the water, inching near his small fishing boat.

“They would go under the water as we got closer so they would disappear,” said Peterson. “We started seeing more and more sightings of them, and commonly we started seeing what looked like two sharks swimming parallel, like side-by-side.”

The fisherman began throwing bait to the creatures in an attempt to catch them, but, to his surprise, he didn't get any bites. It was only until the fisherman went home and browsed local fishing websites that he realized cownose rays – whose wings resemble those of shark dorsal fins – had often been mistaken for bull sharks in the area before.

Peterson says that Patch’s previous coverage regarding the unconfirmed shark sightings in the Navesink River was reminiscent of his own experience years ago, and thus took to the online forum to ease any fears locals may have about going near the body of water.

“I truly believe just from what I explained in the article that it can be easily mistaken, these cownose rays for sharks … I felt like I needed to let people know who might be fearful or afraid of the potential of sharks in the river what my experience was,” said Peterson.

“As experienced a fisherman as I am, I was completely fooled.”

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