Below are the current New Jersey record saltwater fish. In May, 2007, the program was revised to include Retired Categories of fish no longer included in the program, as well as Retired Historical Records. Currently there are 59 species of marine fish eligible for entry in the Record Fish Program.

In 2014 the program was again revised with the addition of the NJ Record Saltwater Fish – Spearfishing category. There are 17 species eligible for entry.

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 after and routinely found in or off the coast of New Jersey.

For more information and the application form see the Record Fish Program page.

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
Bluefish	27	1	1997	Roger Kastorsky	Five 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 Chelsa	Off Brielle
Crab, Blue	8.75″ 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 Manasqua
Hake, White	41	7	1989	Wayne Eble	Off Barnegat
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, S-Fin 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 ______ 1997	George Algard ____________________________ Joseph Natoli	Poor Man’s Canyon _______________ 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, 20 miles off Cape May
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.)	–

*** Retired Categories ***

Species	Lbs.	Oz.	Year	Angler	Where Caught
Barracuda	27	8	1991	Gary Szilagyi	Off Cape May
Blowfish, N. Puffer	1	14	1987	Virginia Patten	Delaware Bay
Blowfish (other)	9	10	1992	Kevin Steward	Delaware Bay
Cutlass Fish	6	11	2002	Mike Green	Mud Hole
Lobster, American	15	3	2003	William Sharp	Almirante Wreck
Mackerel, Chub	1	9	2002	Kathleen Leso	Off Spring Lake
Shark, Sandbar	168	8	1987	John Norton	Little Egg Inlet
Shark, Sand Tiger	246	0	1989	Richard Brown	Delaware Bay
Shark, White	759	0	1988	Jim Kneipp	Off Pt. Pleasant
Stargazer, Northern	13	0	2000	Jim Ludt	Off Cape May
*Striped Bass	78	8	1982	Al McReynolds	Atlantic City
Striped Bass, Hybrid	13	2	2004	James R. Fowler	Off Brigantine
Sturgeon, Atlantic	82	0	1994	Glen Lasco	Sandy Hook
Tarpon	53	0	1982	Jim Klaczkiewicz	Off Sea Bright

*** Retired Historical Records ***

Species	Lbs.	Oz.	Year	Angler	Where Caught
Crab, Blue	9″ pt. to pt.		1980	Frank Springfield	Delaware Bay

Record Fish Program