The Skillful Angler Program – Bigger, Better and Easier than EVER!

Leader Board Updated 2025
Submitting An Application
Past Winners

For 42 years the NJDEP’s Fish and Wildlife has been recognizing the talents of New Jersey anglers who catch fish of “not quite record” size, but large enough to have tested the angler’s skill and be worthy of recognition. The program also recognizes our newest anglers with its “First Fish” category. New anglers of any age can commemorate their first successful catch with a certificate from Fish and Wildlife.

For more experienced anglers the program recognizes trophy catches of 43 different freshwater and marine fish species in addition to Specialist, Master, Elite, and Grandmaster Angler categories. Help promote the excellent fishing opportunities that exist throughout the Garden State by submitting your qualifying catch!

The Leader Board identifies anglers with the current largest fish (weight or length) for both freshwater and saltwater. The list is updated regularly as new submissions/leaders are verified.

Beginning in 2018 submitting an application became easier than ever as applications and photo(s) can be e-mailed. Anglers submitting qualifying catches will receive a certificate and qualifier patch. Winners will also receive a certificate and Skillful Angler Winner patch.

The Skillful Angler Program has four divisions:

Adult – based on weight
Junior (under 16) – based on weight
Catch and Release – based on length
First Fish – First fish ever caught, of any species of any size, by any angler regardless of age

In addition to individual species the program also recognizes anglers who catch several qualifying fish in three categories:

• Specialist Angler – catch five qualifying fish of the same species within one calendar year
• Master Angler – catch five qualifying fish of five different species (saltwater and/or freshwater) within one calendar year
• Elite Angler – catch 10 or more qualifying fish (saltwater and/or freshwater) within one calendar year
• Grandmaster Angler – catch 10 or more qualifying fish of different species (saltwater and/or freshwater) within one calendar year

Anglers meeting the above requirements will receive a special patch and certificate documenting their angling skill!

The Slam Categories recognize anglers who catch qualifying fish of specific species:

Freshwater Slams

• Salmonid Slam – catch three qualifying fish out of the five listed within one calendar year: Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, or Atlantic Landlocked Salmon
• Bass Slam – catch one each of qualifying Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass within one calendar year
• Panfish Slam – catch one each of qualifying Sunfish, Crappie and Yellow Perch within one calendar year

Saltwater Slams

• Inshore Slam I – catch one each of a qualifying Striped Bass, Bluefish and Fluke within one calendar year
• Inshore Slam II – catch one each of a qualifying Black Sea Bass, Tautog and Weakfish within one calendar year
• Offshore Pelagics Slam – catch one each of a qualifying Bluefin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna and Dolphin within one calendar year
• Marlin Slam – catch one each of a qualifying White and Blue Marlin within one calendar year

Special recognition isn’t the only program benefit. When anglers submit their entries, data of interest to Fish and Wildlife’s biologists (such as the fish’s weight, length, girth and the date, time and catch location) becomes available which may reveal insights about the waterbody from where the fish was hooked or as an indicator of the condition of a particular fishery. Combined data from many anglers can create a meaningful freshwater fisheries data set.

Through the Skillful Angler Program, anglers statewide can commemorate their catch while supporting Fish and Wildlife’s continuing fisheries monitoring efforts.

Minimum Size Requirements for Skillful Angler Award:

Saltwater Species

Species	Adult Weight (lbs)	Junior Weight (lbs/oz)	Catch and Release (inches)
Black Sea Bass	4	3	20″
Striped Bass	40	36	42″
Black Drum	70	63	46″
Bluefish	18	16	33″
Cod	30	27	42″
Dolphin	30	27	n/a
Flounder, Winter	2	1 lb 8 oz	16″
Fluke	8	7	27″
Kingfish	1	8 oz	13″
Mako Shark	250	225	n/a
Blue Marlin	400	360	n/a
White Marlin	60	54	n/a
Pollock	25	22 lbs 8 oz	41″
Tautog	8	7	22″
Albacore Tuna	50	45	n/a
Big Eye Tuna	200	180	n/a
Bluefin Tuna	500	450	n/a
Yellowfin Tuna	120	108	n/a
Tuna (other)	250	225	n/a
Weakfish	10	9	30″

Freshwater Species

Species	Adult Weight (lbs/oz)	Junior Weight (lbs/oz)	Catch and Release (inches)
Largemouth Bass	6	4	21″
Smallmouth Bass	4	3	19″
Striped Bass Hybrid	8	6	24″
Striped Bass	30	25	40″
Bowfin	6	4	25″
Bullhead	2	1 lb 8 oz	14″
Carp	25	20	35″
Channel Catfish	10	8	29″
Crappie	2	1 lb 8 oz	14″
Muskellunge	20	15	45″
Tiger Muskie	15	10	42″
White Perch	1 lb 8 oz	1 lb 4oz	14″
Yellow Perch	1 lb 8 oz	1	13″
Chain Pickerel	4	3	24″
Northern Pike	10	8	34″
American Shad	7	5	24″
Brook Trout	3	2	11″
Brown Trout	8	5	23″
Lake Trout	12	8	31″
Rainbow Trout	5	3 lbs 8 oz	23″
Salmon, Atlantic Landlocked	4	3	20″
Sunfish	1	12 oz	9″
Walleye	6	4 lbs 8 oz	24″