Record fish caught in New Jersey

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in New Jersey

Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at any number of tackle shops or marinas, and compared to the IGFA's online records database. Sport-fishing enthusiasts can even have their own scales certified by the IGFA for a $40 fee.

compiled a list of record fish caught in New Jersey using data from . Fish pictured are not the actual record catch. Keep reading to see which bodies of water in your state hold some of the most massive fish around.

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David Vogt // Shutterstock

Albacore Tuna

- Weight: 77 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Spencer Canyon
- Record set by S. Scannapiego in 1984
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American Eel

- Weight: 6 lbs 133 oz
- Location: Round Valley Reservoir
- Record set by David J. Payne in 2005
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Biswaphotograhy // Shutterstock

American Shad

- Weight: 11 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by Charles Mower in 1984
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hafakot // Shutterstock

Atlantic Bonito

- Weight: 13 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Sandy Hook
- Record set by Frank Lykes Jr. in 1945
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Atlantic Croaker

- Weight: 5 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Delaware Bay
- Record set by Frederick Brown in 1981
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Ilya Marchenko // Shutterstock

Atlantic Salmon

- Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz
- Location: New Wawayanda Lake
- Record set by John Mount in 1951
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Alienaire // Shutterstock

Bigeye Tuna

- Weight: 364 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Hudson Canyon
- Record set by George Krenick in 1984
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Pompton Lake
- Record set by Andy Tintle in 1996
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Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

Black Drum

- Weight: 105 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Slaughters Beach
- Record set by George Newett in 1995
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Mike Brake // Shutterstock

Black Sea Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 2 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Inshore Wreck
- Record set by Tony Cunha in 1992
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Mike Brake // Shutterstock

Black Sea Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 2 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Pt. Pleasant
- Record set by John Geddes in 1994
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Colin MacDonald // Shutterstock

Blue Marlin

- Weight: 1046 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Hudson Canyon
- Record set by Phil Infantolino in 1986
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Tomas Kotouc // Shutterstock

Blue Shark

- Weight: 366 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Mud Hole
- Record set by Albert Jewitt in 1996
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jurgal photographer // Shutterstock

Bluefin Tuna

- Weight: 1030 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Pt. Pleasant
- Record set by Royal Parsons in 1981
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johnnyraff // Shutterstock

Bluefish

- Weight: 27 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Five Fathom Bank
- Record set by Roger Kastorsky in 1997
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 0 oz
- Location: private pond - in Pennington
- Record set by Dom Santarelli in 1990
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 8 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Lake Tranquility
- Record set by Craig Raffay in 1988
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 7 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Rockaway River
- Record set by Andrew DuJack in 1995
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake of the Woods - Fort Dix
- Record set by Gary Schmidt in 1997
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 21 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Round Valley Reservoir
- Record set by Lenny Saccente in 1995
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Michael Sundberg // Shutterstock

Chain Pickerel

- Weight: 9 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Lower Aetna Lake
- Record set by Frank McGovern in 1957
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 33 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Lake Hopatcong
- Record set by Howard Hudson in 1978
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MR.Surat Matcha // Shutterstock

Cobia

- Weight: 87 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Sea Bright
- Record set by John Shanchuk in 1999
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Common Carp

- Weight: 47 lbs 0 oz
- Location: South Branch Raritan River
- Record set by Billy Friedman in 1995
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

Cunner

- Weight: 1 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Offshore Wreck
- Record set by Al Ristori in 1993
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Fabien Monteil // Shutterstock

Dolphin

- Weight: 63 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Baltimore Canyon
- Record set by Scott Smith Jr. in 1974
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Grass Carp

- Weight: 55 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Curlis Lake
- Record set by James Dempsey, Jr. in 2011
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Jesus Cobaleda // Shutterstock

Great Barracuda

- Weight: 27 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Cape May
- Record set by Gary Szilagyi in 1991
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Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 16 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Culvers Lake
- Record set by Bill Schmidt in 1999
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Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 12 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Cape May Rips
- Record set by David Kmiec in 1993
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Bignai // Shutterstock

King Mackerel

- Weight: 54 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Cape May
- Record set by Fernando Alfaiate in 1998
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 26 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Round Valley Reservoir
- Record set by Walter Neumann in 2001
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Menantico Sand Wash Pond
- Record set by Robert Eisele in 1980
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MPH Photos // Shutterstock

Ling Cod

- Weight: 81 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Brielle
- Record set by Joseph Chesla in 1967
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kelldallfall // Shutterstock

Longbill Spearfish

- Weight: 42 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Poor Mans Canyon
- Record set by George Algard in 1989
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kelldallfall // Shutterstock

Longbill Spearfish

- Weight: 42 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Hudson Canyon
- Record set by Joseph Natoli in 1997
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wildestanimal // Shutterstock

Mako Shark

- Weight: 856 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Wilmington Canyon
- Record set by Christopher Palmer in 1994
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 42 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Monksville Reservoir
- Record set by Bob Neals in 1997
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 30 lbs 8.5 oz
- Location: Pompton Lake
- Record set by John Viglione in 2009
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DoublePHOTO studio // Shutterstock

Pollock

- Weight: 46 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Brielle
- Record set by John Holton in 1975
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Pavlo Baliukh // Shutterstock

Porgy

- Weight: 5 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Delaware Bay
- Record set by Victor Rone in 1976
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 8 oz
- Location: private pond
- Record set by Daryl Donaldson in 1987
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 13 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Lake Hopatcong
- Record set by Gene Rutkoski in 1988
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Realest Nature // Shutterstock

Red Drum

- Weight: 55 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Great Bay
- Record set by Daniel Yanino in 1985
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

Redfin Pickerel

- Weight: 1 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Lower Assunpink
- Record set by Gerald Humphrey in 1982
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Saddle River
- Record set by Eric Avogardo in 1982
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wildestanimal // Shutterstock

Sailfish

- Weight: 41 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Wilmington Canyon
- Record set by Stephen Fanelli in 1984
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Sandbar (brown) Shark

- Weight: 168 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Little Egg Inlet
- Record set by John Norton in 1987
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Sheepshead

- Weight: 14 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Great Egg Inlet
- Record set by Brian Cummings in 1995
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enciktat // Shutterstock

Skipjack Tuna

- Weight: 13 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Wilmington Canyon
- Record set by Craig Eberbach in 1999
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 7 lbs 2 oz
- Location: Round Valley Reservoir
- Record set by Carol Marciniak in 1990
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 51 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 48"
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by John Christian in 2002
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 78 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Atlantic City
- Record set by Al McReynolds in 1982
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bekirevren // Shutterstock

Swordfish

- Weight: 530 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Wilmington Canyon
- Record set by Edmund Levitt in 1964
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Danny Ye // Shutterstock

Tarpon

- Weight: 53 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Sea Bright
- Record set by Jim Klaczkiewicz in 1982
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Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock

Tautog

- Weight: 25 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Ocean City
- Record set by Anthony R. Monica in 1998
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nicolasvoisin44 //Shutterstock

Thresher Shark

- Weight: 617 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Cape May
- Record set by Chris Chalmers in 2004
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 29 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by Larry Migliarese in 1990
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kaschibo // Shutterstock

Tiger Shark

- Weight: 880 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Cape May
- Record set by Billy DeJohn in 1988
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Fabien Monteil // Shutterstock

Wahoo

- Weight: 123 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - 28-Mile Wreck
- Record set by Robert Carr in 1992
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 13 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by George Fundell in 1993
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Weakfish

- Weight: 18 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Delaware Bay
- Record set by Karl Jones in 1986
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Catfish

- Weight: 14 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Dallenbach Pond
- Record set by Timothy Jasko in 2004
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 11 oz
- Location: Mercer Lake
- Record set by William Lewis in 2009
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lunamarina // Shutterstock

White Marlin

- Weight: 137 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Hudson Canyon
- Record set by Mike Marchell in 1980
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Forest Hill Lake
- Record set by Edward Tango in 1989
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Little Beach Creek
- Record set by Michael King in 1998
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Winter Flounder

- Weight: 5 lbs 11 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Off Barnegat Light
- Record set by Jimmy Swanson in 1992
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Holiday Lake
- Record set by Gene Engels in 1989
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Shane Gross // Shutterstock

Yellowfin Tuna

- Weight: 290 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Hudson Canyon
- Record set by Wayne Brinkerhoff in 1980

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