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New Jersey

Saltwater Fishing

Saltwater Fishing

State Record Marine Sport Fish

Species­

Lbs.

Oz.

Year

Angler

Where Caught

Amberjack, greater

85

0

1993

Edwin Metzner

Off Cape May

Bass, black sea

9

0

2015

Steve Singler

Atlantic Ocean

Bass, striped

See retired species list: NJFishandWildlife.com/recfish-salt.htm

Bluefish

27

1

1997

Roger Kastorsky

5 Fathom Bank

Bonito, Atlantic

13

8

1945

Frank Lykes, Jr.

Off Sandy Hook

Cobia

90

6

2019

Len Andalis

McCries Shoal

Cod

81

0

1967

Joseph Chesla

Off Brielle

Crab, blue

8¾" pt. to pt.

2008

Raymond Ponik

Bayonne

Croaker, Atlantic

5

8

1981

Frederick Brown

Delaware Bay

*Cunner

3

8.8

2019

John Zema

Atlantic Ocean

Dogfish, smooth

22

0

2020

Ed DiMarcantonio

Strathmere (Beach)

Dogfish, spiny

15

12

1990

Jeff Pennick

Off Cape May

Dolphin

63

3

1974

Scott Smith, Jr.

Baltimore Canyon

Drum, black

109

0

2008

Nick Henry

Delaware Bay

Drum, red

55

0

1985

Daniel Yanino

Great Bay

Eel, American

9

13

1988

Warren Campbell

Atlantic City

Fluke

19

12

1953

Walter Lubin

Off Cape May

Flounder, winter

5

11

1993

Jimmy Swanson

Off Barnegat Light

Hake, red (Ling)

12

13

2010

Billy Watson

Off Manasquan

Hake, white

41

7

1989

Wayne Eble

Off Barnegat Light

Kingfish, Northern

2

8

2004

Chester Urbanski

Barnegat Bay

Mackerel, Atlantic

4

1

1983

Abe Elkin

Manasquan Ridge

Mackerel, king

67

7.2

2023

Dominic Vricella

Manasquan Inlet

*Mackerel, Spanish

9

12

1990

Donald Kohler

Off Cape May

Marlin, blue

1,046

0

1986

Phil Infantolino

Hudson Canyon

Marlin, white

137

8

1980

Mike Marchell

Hudson Canyon

Perch, white

2

12

1998

Michael King

Little Beach Creek

*Pollock

46

7

1975

John Holton

Off Brielle

Porgy

5

14

1976

Victor Rone

Delaware Bay

Sailfish

43

4

2006

Dr. John Tallia

Linden Kohl Canyon

Seatrout, spotted

11

2

1974

Bert Harper

Holgate Surf

Shad, American

7

0

1967

Rodger West

Great Bay

Shad, hickory

2

13

2011

Robert Macejka

Mantoloking

Shark, blue

366

0

1996

William Young, Jr.

Mud Hole

Shark, bull

Vacant (Minimum Weight 150 lbs.)

Shark, dusky

530

0

1987

Brian Dunlevy

Off Great Egg Inlet

Shark, hammerhead

365

0

1985

Walter Thackara

Mud Hole

Shark, porbeagle

Vacant (Minimum Weight 100 lbs.)

Shark, shortfin mako

856

0

1994

Christopher Palmer

Wilmington Canyon

Shark, thresher

683

0

2009

Bennett Fogelberg

Fingers

Shark, tiger

880

0

1988

Billy DeJohn

Off Cape May

Sheepshead

19

3

2014

William Catino

Longport

Spadefish

11

6

1998

Cliff Low

Delaware Bay

Spearfish, longbill

42

0

1989

George Algard

Poor Man’s Canyon

42

0

1997

Joseph Natoli

Hudson Canyon

Spot

0

13

2003

Robert Belsky, Jr.

Little Sheepshead Creek

Swordfish

530

0

1964

Edmund Levitt

Wilmington Canyon

Tautog

25

13

2020

Chris Sullivan

Atlantic Ocean

Tilefish, golden

63

8

2009

Dennis Muhlenforth

Lindenkohl Canyon

Tilefish, blueline (gray)

23

8

2021

George Hanakis

Wilmington Canyon

Triggerfish, gray

6

11

2016

James Massimino

Sea Girt Reef

Tuna, albacore

78

2.4

2022

Matthew Florio

Hudson Canyon

Tuna, big-eye

364

14

1984

George Krenick

Hudson Canyon

Tuna, bluefin

1,030

6

1981

Royal Parsons

Off Pt. Pleasant

Tuna, skipjack

13

4

1999

Craig Eberbach

Wilmington Canyon

Tuna, yellowfin

290

0

1980

Wayne Brinkerhoff

Hudson Canyon

Tunny, little

24

15

1977

Mark Niemczyk

Off Sea Bright

Wahoo

123

12

1992

Robert Carr

28-Mile Wreck

Weakfish

18

8

1986

Karl Jones

Delaware Bay

Whiting (silver hake)

Vacant (Minimum Weight 2.5 lbs.)

New Jersey State Record Marine Fish

New records shown in red. * Fish was certified by the IGFA as a world record.

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Record Fish Program honors anglers who catch the largest of select species of freshwater and saltwater fish. Record size is based on weight alone; there are no line classes. Currently there are 75 marine species eligible for entry into the program, which includes a new spearfishing category with 16 additional species.

Anglers are reminded that the objective of the Record Fish Program is to increase awareness of fishing opportunities for species that are regularly sought and routinely found on or off the coast of New Jersey.

Fourteen species are now retired from the list of program-eligible fish, but remain on a separate list posted on NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s website. One historical catch is also retired and posted on the list.

Anglers should be aware of the procedure in effect for entering the Record Fish Program. First, separate applications are required for freshwater and saltwater species. Second, for saltwater entries, it is now mandatory that a marine biologist inspect any potential record fish, as identification solely by photo is not always accurate. Anglers must call NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Nacote Creek Research Station at (609) 748-2020 to make arrangements for inspection. In most instances, the fish must be transported to this office in Port Republic. However, in the case of extremely large fish (i.e., shark and tuna), a biologist should be available to travel for dockside inspection. Note that all scale certification requirements still apply, including a valid Certificate of Inspection/Test Report and current Registration Certificate issued by the County Office of Weights and Measures.

The entry deadline is now no later than one month after the date of catch. Please include an attractive, well-composed, high-resolution (large file size) photo to be considered for printing in this Digest. Smile!

For a complete list of state record fish, including retired species, or to print an application with complete program rules, visit NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s website at dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/new-jersey-state-record-fish-program/

New Jersey State Record Marine Fish — Spearfishing Category

In 2014, the NJ Record Fish Program expanded with the addition of a Spearfishing category for saltwater. Sixteen species commonly sought after by spearfishers are part of the Program. Spearfishers now have a unique opportunity to be recognized in New Jersey's Record Fish Program. Anglers are reminded that the objective of the Record Fish Program is to increase the awareness of fishing opportunities for species that are regularly sought and routinely found in or off the coast of New Jersey.

New records shown in red.

Species

Lbs.

Oz.

Year

Angler

Where Caught

Amberjack, greater

Min. Wt. 60 pounds

Vacant

Bass, black sea

Min. Wt. 5 pounds

Vacant

Bluefish

22

2

2017

Igor Kotov

Shark River Reef, USS Algol

Cobia

74

5

2019

Joe Cunningham

Off Sea Isle City

Cod

Min. Wt. 50 pounds

Vacant

Dolphin

Min. Wt. 40 pounds

Vacant

*Fluke

15

5

2014

Robert A. Davis

Off Barnegat Lighthouse

Flounder, winter

3 pounds

7

2018

Jim Oriscak

Shark River "back bay"

Hake, red (ling)

Min. Wt. 9 pounds

Vacant

Pollock

Min. Wt. 30 pounds

Vacant

Porgy

Min. Wt. 4 pounds

Vacant

Sheepshead

13 pounds

3 oz.

2022

Dan Street

Atlantic Ocean

Spadefish

Min. Wt. 9 pounds

Vacant

*Tautog

23

14

2007

Luke Dylan Hickey

Off Cape May

Triggerfish, gray

5

5

2019

Kevin Cavanagh

Off Monmouth Beach

Weakfish

11.8

n/a

2009

Tai Menz

Off Cape May