Saltwater Fishing Guide


Saltwater State Record Fish


State Record Marine Fish (Harvested)

The harvest category recognizes the heaviest fish for each species. The fish must be weighed on a certified scale.

Albacore

  • 68 pounds, 14 ounces, 46.5 inches long
  • 2012 from Atlantis Canyon
  • John Dagon

American Eel

  • 5 pounds, 3 ounces, 39.5 inches long
  • 2017 from West Haven
  • Alyssa Zuppe

Atlantic Bonito

  • 11 pounds, 8 ounces, 29.5 inches long
  • 2017 from Ocean Beach
  • Mark Drummey

Atlantic Chub Mackerel

  • 2 pounds, 5.28 ounces, 16.75 inches long
  • 2021 from Fishers Island Sound
  • John Roy

Atlantic Cod

  • 45 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 2004 from South of Block Island
  • John Chomen

Big Eye Tuna

  • 294 pounds, 2 ounces, 78 inches long
  • 2021 from West Atlantis Canyon
  • Chris Anderson

Black Sea Bass

  • 7 pounds, 8 ounces, 25 inches long
  • 2005 from Six Mile Reef
  • Mike Lane

Blackfish (Tautog)

  • 26 pounds, 9.6 ounces, 34 inches long
  • 2015 from Two Tree Island
  • Thien Nguyen

Bluefin Tuna

  • 770 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 1990 from Block Island Sound
  • Lester Debetta

Bluefish

  • 24 pounds, 13 ounces
  • 1979 from Norwalk Island
  • Charles J. Toth

Blue Marlin

  • 449 pounds, 6 ounces
  • 2001 from Atlantis Canyon
  • Jeffery K. Eckert

Blue Shark

  • 361 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 1993 from Ranger Wreck
  • Robert H. Olsen

Clearnose Skate

  • World Record
  • 9 pounds, 8 ounces, 37 inches long
  • 2017 from Fort Hale Park
  • Anthony Carpentino

Conger Eel

  • 13 pounds, 8 ounces, 51.75 inches long
  • 2022 from Niantic Bay
  • Steven Bender

Cunner

  • 3 pounds, 4 ounces
  • 1998 from Block Island Sound
  • Wesley E. Sargent

Hickory Shad

  • 3 pounds, 4 ounces, 23 inches long
  • 2003 from Niantic River, Niantic
  • Richard Kozlowski

Hogchoker

  • 0 pounds, 9 ounces, 10.25 inches long
  • 2016 from West Haven
  • Albert Zuppe

Little Tunny (False Albacore)

  • 16 pounds, 13 ounces, 37 inches long
  • 2011 from Butterfish Hole
  • Vincent Deledda

Mako Shark

  • 650 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 1987 from Block Island Sound
  • Gregory J. Erisoty

Northern Kingfish

  • 2 pounds, 10 ounces, 19.5 inches long
  • 2016 from Silver Sands State Park
  • Christopher Shea

Oyster Toadfish

  • 3 pounds, 0.32 ounces, 15 inches long
  • 2025 from Niantic Bay
  • Arielle Yindra

Pollock

  • 34 pounds, 2 ounces
  • 2000 from Block Island Sound
  • Joe DeCosta

Sandbar (Brown) Shark

  • 118 pounds, 7 ounces
  • 1995 from CT River, Old Saybrook
  • Bruce Kelly

Scup (Porgy)

  • 5 pounds, 4.8 ounces, 21 inches long
  • 2019 from Montauk Harbor
  • Travis Kupchok

Sheepshead Porgy

  • 10 pounds, 11 ounces
  • 1998 from Branford Reef
  • Clyde Turner

Smooth Dogfish

  • 20 pounds, 14 ounces, 55.25 inches long
  • 2024 from Long Island Sound
  • John Valentino

Spiny Dogfish

  • 22 pounds, 11 ounces, 57.75 inches long
  • 2018 from Milford
  • Jennifer Zuppe

Squid (Longfin)

  • 1 pound, 13 ounces, 16-inch-long mantle
  • 2024 from Block Island Sound
  • Guy Hesketh

Striped Bass

  • World Record
  • 81 pounds, 15 ounces, 54 inches long
  • 2011 from Outer Southwest Reef
  • Greg Myerson

Striped Sea Robin

  • 4 pounds, 3 ounces, 20 inches long
  • 2012 from Housatonic River
  • Howard Wolowitz

Summer Flounder (Fluke)

  • 15 pounds, 4.8 ounces, 32.625 inches long
  • 2023 from Niantic Bay
  • Bill Proulx

Thresher Shark

  • 467 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 2006 from Montauk Point
  • Mark Hiller

Weakfish

  • 17 pounds, 14 ounces, 36 inches long
  • 1986 from Fayerweather Island
  • June Andrejko

White Perch

  • 2 pounds, 3.2 ounces, 14.5 inches long
  • 2020 from Short Beach
  • Harry B. Sheffield

Windowpane Flounder

  • 0 pounds, 11.2 ounces, 12.75 inches long
  • 2020 from Long Sand Shoal
  • Alexander Welford

Winter Flounder

  • 6 pounds, 1 ounce
  • 1999 from Millstone Pt., Waterford
  • Tom Kobas

Winter Skate

  • 17 pounds, 6 ounces
  • 1995 from Watch Hill, Rhode Island
  • William F. Zanks

Yellowfin Tuna

  • 210 pounds, 7 ounces
  • 1991 from Block Canyon
  • Charles J. Lobacz

Exotic Marine Species Category (Harvested)

The harvest category recognizes the heaviest fish for each species. The fish must be weighed on a certified scale.

Atlantic Tripletail

  • 10 pounds, 5.6 ounces, 24 inches long
  • 2025 from Butterfish Hole
  • Calvin Hansen

Banded Rudderfish

  • 1 pound, 5 ounces, 13 inches long
  • 2018 from Milford
  • Israel Ruman

Black Drum

  • 15 pounds, 3 ounces
  • 2001 from New Haven Breakwater
  • Howard D. LaFrance

Black Grouper

  • 1 pound, 4 ounces, 13.5 inches long
  • 2012 from Millstone Outflow
  • Hugh Durham

Cobia

  • 43 pounds, 56 inches long
  • 2022 from Long Sand Shoal
  • John Bertolasio

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)

  • 47 pounds, 2 ounces, 60 inches long
  • 2016 from Fish Tales Canyon
  • John Dagon

Gray Triggerfish

  • 6 pounds, 1.5 ounces, 19 inches long
  • 2016 from Pine Island, Groton
  • Keith Mehmet

Grey Snapper

  • 5 pounds, 15 ounces, 25 inches long
  • 2016 from Millstone Outflow
  • Nelson Carey

Jack Crevalle

  • 3 pounds, 7.5 ounces, 18.8 inches long
  • 2014 from Millstone Outflow, Waterford
  • Hugh Durham

King Mackerel

  • 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 33.5 inches long
  • 2018 from Saybrook
  • Doug Clark

Ladyfish

  • 3 pounds, 8 ounces, 23 inches long
  • 2014 from Millstone Pt., Waterford
  • Nelson Carey

Monkfish

  • 42 pounds, 0 ounces, 40 inches long
  • 2016 from Southside of Fisher's Island
  • Craig Weagle

Porbeagle Shark

  • 191 pounds, 0 ounces, 75 inches long
  • 2013 from Ryan's Horn
  • Austin Urban

Roughtail Stingray

  • 86 pounds, 15 ounces, 88 inches long
  • 2014 from Millstone Outflow, Waterford
  • Kevin McCaffery

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

  • 235 pounds, 0 ounces
  • 1992 from Block Island Sound
  • Richard Bonaccorsi

Smooth Puffer

  • 9 pounds, 12 ounces, 25.25 inches long
  • 2019 from Six Mile Reef
  • Robert M. Mielke

Spanish Mackerel

  • 6 pounds, 5 ounces
  • 2003 from Branford Beacon
  • Michael Audet

Swordfish

  • 359 pounds
  • 2004 from Fish Tales Canyon
  • Fred J. Malcarne

Tilefish

  • 62 pounds, 9.6 ounces, 49.25 inches long
  • 2025 from West Atlantis Canyon
  • Vincent Deledda

Torpedo Ray

  • 89 pounds, 8 ounces
  • 2008 from Misquamicut, R.I.
  • Chuck Adams

Wahoo

  • 91 pounds, 0 ounces, 73.5 inches long
  • 2025 from Atlantis Canyon
  • Justin Piper

White Marlin

  • 110 pounds, 6 ounces, 75 inches long
  • 2022 from Hudson Canyon
  • Aaron Kolodziej

State Record Marine Fish (Catch and Release)

The Catch and Release category recognizes the largest fish of each species by length caught and immediately released.

Atlantic Bonito

  • 24.25 inches long
  • 2026 from Block Island Sound
  • Adam Litwin

Atlantic Needlefish

  • 34 inches long
  • 2016 from Mystic River
  • Zacery Martindale

Black Sea Bass

  • 24 inches long
  • 2018 from Six Mile Reef
  • Evan Kamoen

Blackfish (Tautog)

  • 25 pounds, 12 ounces, 36 inches long
  • 2023 from Thames River
  • Aiden Cole

Bluefish

  • 40 inches long
  • 2022 from the Race
  • Alex Erdmann

Blue Shark

  • 120 inches long
  • 2009 from Block Island Sound
  • Timothy E. Kilbride

Chub Mackerel

  • 17.25 inches long
  • 2022 from Fishers Island Sound
  • Evan Kamoen

Clearnose Skate

  • 36.5 inches long
  • 2022 from Mystic River
  • Stephen Stella

Cobia

  • 40 inches long
  • 2025 from Clinton
  • Brian Simpkins

Cownose Ray

  • 46 pounds, 6 ounces
  • 2024 from New Haven Harbor
  • John Gibbons

Hickory Shad

  • 20 inches long
  • 2026 from West Wharf, Madison
  • Andy Wang

Little Tunny (False Albacore)

  • 29 inches long
  • 2026 from Butterfish Hole
  • Wilfred Blanchette IV

Northern Kingfish

  • 16 inches long
  • 2021 from Silver Sands State Park
  • Jonathan Baldovin

Northern Puffer

  • 10 inches long
  • 2017 from Hammonasset
  • Evan Kamoen

Oyster Toadfish

  • 3 pounds, 4 ounces, 16 inches long
  • 2014 from Norwalk
  • Patrick DeVito

Pinfish

  • 13.625 inches long
  • 2025 from Ryan's Horn
  • Evan Kamoen

Scup (Porgy)

  • 19.87 inches long
  • 2020 from New Haven Breakwater
  • Jennifer Zuppe

Smooth Dogfish

  • 52 inches long from tip of snout to end of tail
  • 2026 from Niantic Bay
  • Gavin Engels

Spot

  • 11 inches long
  • 2025 from Branford
  • Nicholas Dietz

Squid (Longfin)

  • 11-inch-long mantle
  • 2026 from Mumford Cove
  • Andy Wang

Striped Bass

  • 54 inches long
  • 2023 from Sunken Island
  • Joseph Jackson

Striped Bass

  • 54 inches long
  • 2017 from Long Island Sound
  • Derek Williams

Summer Flounder

  • 10 pounds, 11 ounces, 29 inches long
  • 2018 from Sara's Ledge
  • Sara Roman

Striped Sea Robin

  • 20 inches long
  • 2016 from Long Island Sound
  • Alex Erdmann

Weakfish

  • 33.75 inches long
  • 2020 from West Haven Seawall
  • Al Zuppe

White Perch

  • 15 inches
  • 2026 from Lieutenant River
  • Will Carta

Windowpane Flounder

  • 1 pound, 0.64 ounces, 12 inches long
  • 2026 from Niantic Bay
  • Bryon Heath

Exotic Marine Species Category (Catch and Release)

The Catch and Release category recognizes the largest fish of each species by length caught and immediately released.

Atlantic Stingray

  • 14 pounds, 4 ounces, 58 inches long
  • 2010 from New Haven Breakwater
  • Larry E. Lainey

Barracuda

  • 19 pounds, 0 ounces, 48 inches long
  • 2023 from Montauk
  • Jonathan Rogers

Gray Triggerfish

  • 4 pounds, 8 ounces, 19.25 inches long
  • 2013 from Niantic Bay
  • Christopher Otis

Inshore Lizardfish

  • 0 pounds, 8 ounces, 10 inches long
  • 2011 from Milford Point
  • Dean Vogel, Sr.

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

  • 120 inches long
  • 2013 from Butterfish Hole
  • Christian Urban

Smooth Puffer

  • 9 pounds, 15 ounces, 26.25 inches long
  • 2023 from New London
  • Al Zuppe

Snake Mackerel

  • 28 inches long
  • 2019 from Block Canyon
  • Alex Erdmann

Tiger Shark

  • 550 pounds, 0 ounces, 108 inches long
  • 2017 from Block Channel
  • Pauly Randazzo, Jr.

State Record Blue Crab Category

Blue Crab

  • 9 inches long
  • 2026 from North Cove, Old Saybrook
  • Hunter Heath

 

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Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions.

Phone: 860-434-6043
E-mail: deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov

Content last updated on October 1, 2026.