NJDEP’s Fish and Wildlife has announced that two new record fish were caught in September. The first was a sheepshead caught spearfishing and is the first record in that category for NJ. The second fish that came in was a landlocked salmon which broke a previous record.

On September 30, Joe Satkowski of Hampton broke the existing Landlocked Salmon record. Joe was fishing from his boat on Merrill Creek Reservoir, using a Temple Forks Outfitter spinning rod and a Shimano Stradic spinning reel when he landed the fish. A homemade jig served as the lure. The new record landlocked salmon weighed in at 8 lbs., 10 ounces. eclipsing the previous 2018 record by 5 ounces. The fish measured 26 inches in length and a 16.25 inch girth.

Merrill Creek Reservoir has been stocked with 14-inch salmon raised at Fish and Wildlife’s Hackettstown Hatchery for three consecutive years beginning in 2018 (325 fish, 700 fish, 650 fish).

Congratulations to Mr. Satkowski on his magnificent catch!

To view the previous record for landlocked salmon caught in 2018, please click here.

New Jersey State Records for Freshwater Fish