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.

Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in New Jersey using data from Land Big Fish. 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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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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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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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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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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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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Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 29 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by Larry Migliarese in 1990
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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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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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Yellowfin Tuna

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