NJrecords

Got a big one? The New Jersey 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. Current rules and regulations are as follows:

1.) Fish must be caught in New Jersey waters. Saltwater species taken from a boat must have been caught from a boat
       which left from and returned to a New Jersey port during the same trip.
2.) Fish must have been caught on sporting tackle, hooked and landed by entrant.
3.) New Jersey state records are determined by weight alone. There are no line classes.
4.) Fish must be weighed on a certified scale as soon as possible. A copy of the current scale Registration Certificate
       and valid Inspection/Test Report issued by the County Office of Weights and Measures is required to achieve
       record fish status.
5.) A clear, side-view color photograph of the fish must be submitted.
6.) Entry MUST be inspected by a marine biologist for identification purposes. Call the Division’s Nacote Creek
       Research Station at 609-748-2020 to make arrangements. In most cases, the fish will need to be brought to this
       office. In the case of extremely large fish (i.e., sharks and tunas), a biologist will be available for dockside
       inspection. Fish should be kept refrigerated prior to inspection.
7.) Application MUST be submitted within one month of catch.

Click here to get an application form. You can also contact the the Division at:

NJ Record Fish Program, Division of Fish and Wildlife
PO Box 400
Trenton, NJ 08625-0400

Don’t have a record fish, but it’s braggin’ sized? Then the New Jersey Skillful Angler Awards Program may be just the thing. Since the program's beginning more than twenty years ago, the Division has granted skillful angler status to over 2,400 anglers. Qualifying anglers receive a signed certificate attesting to their achievement along with a bronze pin suitable to be worn on a fishing hat, jacket, etc. Click here to get more information, minimum sizes and see the names of the lucky anglers.

New Jersey Saltwater Record Fish
Species	Size	Year	Angler	Where caught
Amberjack, Greater	85 lbs. 0 oz.	1993	Edwin Metzner	Off Cape May
Barracuda †	27 lbs. 8 oz.	1991	Gary Szilagyi	Off Cape May
Black Sea Bass	8 lbs. 2 oz.	1992	Tony Cunha	Inshore wreck
Black Sea Bass	8 lbs. 2 oz.	1994	John Geddes	Off Point Pleasant
Blowfish (Northern Puffer) †	1 lb. 14 oz.	1987	Virginia Patten	Delaware Bay
Blowfish (other) †	9 lbs. 10 oz.	1992	Kevin Steward	Delaware Bay
Bluefish	27 lbs. 1 oz.	1997	Roger Kastorsky	Five Fathom Bank
Bonito, Atlantic	13 lbs. 8 oz.	1945	Frank Lykes Jr.	Off Sandy Hook
Cobia	87 lbs. 0 oz.	1999	Joseph Shanchuk	Off Sea Bright
Cod	81 lbs. 0 oz.	1967	Joseph Chesla	Off Brielle
Crab, Blue	8.5 in. 8.5 in.	1995 2006	William Dool Martin Winnicki	Manahawkin Off Brick
Croaker, Atlantic	5 lbs. 8 oz.	1981	Frederick Brown	Delaware Bay
Cunner (Bergall) ‡	2 lb. 9 oz.	2006	Nick Honachefsky	Mud Hole
Cutlass †	6 lbs. 11 oz.	2002	Mike Green	Mud Hole
Dogfish, Smooth ‡	19 lbs. 8 oz.	2000	Michael LaTorre	Pleasantville
Dogfish, Spiny	15 lbs. 12 oz.	1990	Jeff Pennick	Off Cape May
Dolphin	63 lbs. 3 oz.	1974	Scott Smith Jr.	Baltimore Canyon
Drum, Black	109 lbs. 0 oz.	2008	Nick Henry	Delaware Bay
Drum, Red	55 lbs. 0 oz.	1985	Daniel Yanino	Great Bay
Eel, American	9 lbs. 13 oz.	1988	Warren Campbell	Atlantic City
Fluke (Summer Flounder)	19 lbs. 12 oz.	1953	Walter Lubin	Off Cape May
Flounder, WInter	5 lbs. 11 oz.	1992	Jimmy Swanson	Off Barnegat Light
Hake, White	41 lbs. 7 oz.	1989	Wayne Eble	Off Barnegat Light
Kingfish, Northern	2 lbs. 8 oz.	2004	Chester Urbanski	Barnegat Bay
Kingfish, Northern ‡	2 lbs. 8 oz.	2004	Chester Urbanski	Barnegat Bay
Ling (Red Hake)	11 lbs. 1 oz.	2002	Natalie Jones	Off Brielle
Lobster, American	15 lbs. 3 oz.	2003	William Sharp	Off Absecon Inlet
Mackerel, Atlantic	4 lbs. 1 oz.	1983	Abe Elkin	Manasquan Ridge
Mackerel, Chub †	1 lb. 9 oz.	2002	Kathleen Leso	Off Spring Lake
Mackerel, King	54 lbs. 0 oz.	1998	Fernando Alfaiate	Off Cape May
Mackerel, Spanish ‡	9 lbs. 12 oz.	1990	Donald Kohler	Off Cape May
Marlin, Blue	1,046 lbs. 0 oz.	1986	Phil Infantolino	Hudson Canyon
Marlin, White	137 lbs. 8 oz.	1980	Mike Marchell	Hudson Canyon
Perch, White	2 lbs. 12 oz.	1998	Michael King	Little Beach Creek
Pollock ‡	46 lbs. 7 oz.	1975	John Holton	Off Brielle
Porgy (Scup)	5 lbs. 14 oz.	1976	Victor Rone	Delaware Bay
Sailfish	43 lbs. 4 oz.	2006	John A. Tallia	Lindenkohl Canyon
Seatrout, Spotted	11 lbs. 2 oz.	1974	Bert Harper	Holgate surf
Shad, American	7 lbs. 0 oz.	1967	Rodger West	Great Bay
Shad, Hickory			Up for grabs!	Minimum 2 lbs.
Shark, Blue	366 lbs. 0 oz.	1996	Albert Jewitt	Mud Hole
Shark, Bull			Up for grabs!	Minimum 150 lbs.
Shark, Dusky	530 lbs. 0 oz.	1987	Brian Dunlevy	Off Great Egg Inlet
Shark, Hammerhead	365 lbs. 0 oz.	1985	Walter Thacara	Mud Hole
Shark, Porbeagle			Up for grabs!	Minimum 100 lbs.
Shark, Sandbar	168 lbs. 8 oz.	1987	John Norton	Little Egg Inlet
Shark, Sand Tiger †	246 lbs. 0 oz.	1989	Richard Brown	Delaware Bay
Shark, Shortfin Mako	856 lbs. 0 oz.	1994	Christopher Palmer	Wilmington Canyon
Shark, Thresher	617 lbs. 0 oz.	2004	Chris Chalmers	Off Cape May
Shark, Tiger	880 lbs. 0 oz.	1998	Billy DeJohn	Off Cape May
Shark, White †	759 lbs. 0 oz.	1988	Jim Kneipp	Off Point Pleasant
Sheepshead	17 lbs. 3 oz.	1995	Paul Lowe	Manahawkin Bay
Spadefish	11 lbs. 6 oz.	1998	Cliff Low	Delaware Bay
Spearfish, Longbill	42 lbs. 0 oz.	1989	George Algard	Poor Man’s Canyon
Spearfish, Longbill	42 lbs. 0 oz.	1997	Joseph Natoli	Hudson Canyon
Spot	0 lbs. 13 oz.	2003	Robert Belsky Jr.	Little Sheepshead Creek
Stargazer, Northern †	13 lbs. 0 oz.	2000	Jim Ludt	Off Cape May
Striped Bass ‡	78 lbs. 8 oz.	1982	Al McReynolds	Atlantic City
Striped Bass, Hybrid †	13 lbs. 2 oz.	2004	James R. Fowler	Off Brigantine
Sturgeon, Atlantic †	82 lbs. 0 oz.	1994	Glen Lasco	Sandy Hook
Swordfish	530 lbs. 0 oz.	1964	Edmund Levitt	Wilmington Canyon
Tarpon †	53 lbs. 0 oz.	1982	Jim Klaczkiewicz	Off Sea Bright
Tautog (Blackfish) ‡	25 lbs. 0 oz.	1998	Anthony R. Monica	Off Ocean City
Tilefish, Golden	55 lbs. 4 oz.	2006	Keith Karl	Tom's Canyon
Tilefish, Gray	18 lbs. 7 oz.	2007	Joseph Sanzone	Tom's Canyon
Triggerfish	5 lbs. 11 oz.	2005	Lois Schuda	Cape May Artificial Reef
Tuna, Albacore	77 lbs. 15 oz.	1984	Dr. S. Scannapiego	Spencer Canyon
Tuna, Bigeye	364 lbs. 14 oz.	1984	George Krenick	Hudson Canyon
Tuna, Bluefin	1,030 lbs. 6 oz.	1981	Royal Parsons	Off Point Pleasant
Tuna, Skipjack	13 lbs. 4 oz.	1999	Craig Eberbach	Wilmington Canyon
Tuna, Yellowfin	290 lbs. 0 oz.	1980	Wayne Brinkerhoff	Hudson Canyon
Tunny, Little	24 lbs. 15 oz.	1977	Mark Niemczyk	Off Sea Bright
Wahoo	123 lbs. 12 oz.	1992	Robert Carr	28-mile Wreck
Weakfish	18 lbs. 8 oz.	1986	Karl Jones	Delaware Bay
Whiting (Silver Hake)			Up for grabs!	Minimum 2.5 lbs.
† Retired category ‡ Fish has been certified by the IGFA as a world record