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New Jersey State Record Freshwater Sport Fish

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The New Jersey Division of Fish and 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 31 freshwater species eligible for entry into the 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 the freshwaters or off the coast of New Jersey.

Anglers should also be aware that several procedural changes are now in effect for the Record Fish Program. First, there are different applications for freshwater and saltwater species. Second, for freshwater species, it is now mandatory that a freshwater biologist confirm the identification and weight of any potential record fish within three days of it being caught. Anglers must call Fish and Wildlife’s Lebanon Fisheries Office at (908)236-2118 (Hunterdon County), the Hackettstown Hatchery at (908)852-4950 (Warren County), or the Southern Region Office at (856)629-4950 (Camden County) to make arrangements. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. These offices have a certified scale on site, so an entry can be weighed and identified. Depending on the time and location of your catch, you may elect to have the fish weighed on a local certified scale, but you must still have a freshwater biologist personally confirm the identification and weight at one of the above offices. Please 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. Entry deadline: Applications must now be submitted no later than one month after the date of catch. All other program rules still apply.

For a complete list of state record fish or to print an application with complete program rules, visit the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s website at NJFishandWildlife.com/recfish.htm.

New Jersey State Freshwater Records

Species	lbs.	oz.	Year	Angler	Where Caught
Bass, Largemouth	10	14	1980	Robert Eisele	Menantico Sand Wash Pond
Bass, Rock	1	5	1982	Eric Avogardo	Saddle River
Bass, Smallmouth	7	2	1990	Carol Marciniak	Round Valley Reservoir
Bluegill	3	0	1990	Dom Santarelli	Farm Pond in Pennington
Bowfin	10	14	2011	Chris Hoffman	Delaware River
Bullhead, Brown	4	8	1997	Gary Schmidt	Lake of Woods, Ft. Dix
Carp	47	0	1995	Billy Friedman	South Branch of Raritan River
Carp (Archery)	43	14	2008	Mark Kronyak	Delaware River
Carp, Grass	55	8	2011	Jack Demsey, Jr.	Curlis Lake
Carp, Grass (Archery)	65	0	2008	Mark Kronyak	Delaware River
Catfish, Channel	33	3	1978	Howard Hudson	Lake Hopatcong
Catfish, White	14	4	2004	Timothy Jasko	Dallenbach Pond
Crappie, Black	4	8	1996	Andy Tintle	Pompton Lake
Crappie, White	3	11	2009	William Lewis	Mercer Lake
Eel, American	6	13	2005	David J. Payne	Round Valley Reservoir
Muskellunge	42	13	1997	Bob Neals	Monksville Reservoir
Muskie, Tiger	29	0	1990	Larry Migliarese	Delaware River
Perch, White**	3	1	1989	Edward Tango	Forest Hill Lake
Perch, Yellow	2	6	1989	Gene Engels	Holiday Lake
Perch, Yellow*	4	4	1865	Charles Abbott	Crosswicks Creek
Pickerel, Chain	9	3	1957	Frank McGovern	Lower Aetna Lake
Pickerel, Redfin	1	13	1982	Gerald Humphrey	Lake Assunpink
Pike, Northern	30	8.5	2009	John Viglione	Pompton Lake
Salmon (Landlocked)	8	0	1951	John Mount	Lake Aeroflex (formerly New Wawayanda)
Shad, American	11	1	1984	Charles Mower	Delaware River
Striped Bass	51	0	2002	John Christian	Great Egg Harbor River
Striped Bass, Hybrid	16	4	1999	Bill Schmidt	Culvers Lake
Sunfish, Pumpkinseed	1	8	1987	Daryl Donalson	Farm Pond in Burlington County
Trout, Brook	7	3	1995	Andrew DuJack	Rockaway River
Trout, Brown	21	6	1995	Lenny Saccente	Round Valley Reservoir
Trout, Lake	32	8	2002	Greg Young	Round Valley Reservoir
Trout, Rainbow	13	0	1988	Gene Rutkoski	Lake Hopatcong
Trout, Sea Run Brown	— Vacant — (Minimum Weight 5 lbs.)
Walleye	13	9	1993	George Fundell	Delaware River
* Denotes historical record ** Denotes fish has been certified by the IGFA as a world record

Photo: Delaware River near Stockton.

Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

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