Record Fish
We have been fortunate to have several New Jersey State Record and IGFA World Record Fish come over the rails on the VOYAGER.
Our congratulations go out to these record-winning anglers.
Emil Jaskot – Pending World Record Broad Alfonsino
On June 22, 2020 EMIL JASKOT from Barnegat, NJ reeled in a Broad Alfonsino weighing19 pounds 11 ounces. Emil was deep drop fishing for Rosefish on the VOYAGER when the whopper Broad Alfonsino tried to make a snack of one of his Rosefish. Emil's Broad Alfonsino was weighed in at The Reel Seat in Brielle, NJ at 19.7 pounds (19 pounds 11 ounces) and it measured 18.5 inches in length with a girth of 13 inches. Emil was using a conventional rod and reel with 50-pound braided line. Squid and salmon strips served as the bait.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Broad Alfonsino
Scientific name: Beryx decadactylus
Date caught: 6/22/2020
Weight: 19 pounds, 11 ounces
Length: 32 1/4 inches
Girth: 26 1/8 inches
Location: Wilmington Canyon
Angler: EMIL JASKOT, Barnegat, NJ
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Emil's Broad Alfonsino crushes the current IGFA All-Tackle World Record fish (8 pounds 5 ounces) by 11 pounds 6 ounces and IGFA certification is pending.
John Zema – New Jersey Record & World Record Cunner (Bergall)
On May 26, 2019, JOHN ZEMA from Laurence Harbor, NJ reeled in a CUNNER (Bergall) weighing 3-pounds, 8.8 ounces. John was bottom fishing for Cod on Captain Jeff Gutman's VOYAGER when he caught the whopper Bergall. John's Bergall was weighed in at The Reel Seat in Brielle at 3.55 pounds (3 pounds 8.8 ounces) and it measured 18.5 inches in length with a girth of 13 inches. John was using a conventional rod and reel with 50-pound braided line. A clam served as the bait.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Cunner (Bergall)
Scientific name: Tautogolabrus adspersus
Date caught: 5/26/2019
Weight: 3-pounds, 8.8 ounces
Length: 18.5 inches
Girth: 13.0 inches
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Angler: JOHN ZEMA, Laurence Harbor, NJ
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
On June 10, 2019, The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife officially certified John Zema's Bergall as a NJ STATE RECORD SALTWATER FISH. It beats the previous 3-pound 2.4-ounce NJ State Record Bergall caught in 2015 aboard the VOYAGER by Jorge Costa by 6.4 ounces. In November 2019, the International Game Fish Association certified that John's fish is also an IGFA ALL-TACKLE WORLD RECORD FISH.
Steve Singler – New Jersey Record Black Sea Bass
On December 12, 2015, STEVE SINGLER from Philadelphia, PA was aboard the VOYAGER on an offshore Sea Bass and Porgy trip and he landed a HUGE 9 POUND BLACK SEA BASS.
Steve took his Black Sea Bass to Dave Arbeitman's REEL SEAT tackle shop in Brielle, NJ for a weigh-in and the fish was also checked and identified by a New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife biologist.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Black Sea Bass
Scientific name: Centropristis striata
Date caught: 12/12/2015
Weight: 9 pounds 0.0 ounces
Length: 27½ inches
Girth: 18½ inches
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Angler: STEVE SINGLER, Philadelphia, PA
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
An NJ state record application form was submitted and on December 17, the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife officially certified the catch as an NJ STATE RECORD SALTWATER FISH.
Steve was fishing with a Shimano rod and reel with a 40-pound PowerPro braided line. Clams on 3/0 hooks served as the bait. He was bottom fishing in 180-200 feet of water when the big fish bit. Steve's Black Sea Bass weighs 11½-ounces more than the previous NJ State Record and is only 1-pound 4-ounces shy of the current IGFA World Record.
Jorge Costa – New Jersey Record Bergall (Cunner)
On April 17, 2015, JORGE ANTONIO COSTA of Philadelphia, PA reeled in a BERGALL (Cunner) weighing 3-pounds, 2.4 ounces. Jorge's Bergall measured 16.5 inches in length with a girth of 12.5 inches. Jorge was bottom fishing on Captain Jeff Gutman's VOYAGER at the Mud Hole with a custom rod and a Penn reel with 30-pound line.
On May 28, 2015, The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife officially certified the Bergall as a NJ STATE RECORD SALTWATER FISH. Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Bergall (Cunner)
Scientific name: Tautogolabrus adspersus
Date caught: 4/17/2015
Weight: 3 pounds, 2.4 ounces
Length: 16.5 inches
Girth: 12.5 inches
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Angler: JORGE COSTA, Philadelphia, PA
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Cheol Min Park – New Jersey Record Blueline Tilefish
On September 9, 2014, the highlight of this VOYAGER Tilefish trip was a GIANT BLUELINE TILEFISH caught by CHEOL MIN PARK of Parsippany, NJ. His fish weighed a whopping 23 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured 35.3 inches in length with a girth of 27.5 inches. Cheol was using a custom rod and Jigging Master PE7 reel with a squid as bait. The fish was caught at the Wilmington Canyon.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Blueline Tilefish
Scientific name: Caulolatilus microps
Date caught: 9/29/2014
Weight: 23 pounds 1.0 ounces
Length: 35.3 inches
Girth: 27.5 inches
Location: Wilmington Canyon
Angler: CHEOL MIN PARK, Parsippany, NJ
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
The fish shatters the previous NJ State Record by 4 pounds 3 ounces and the existing IGFA All-Tackle World Record by 2 pounds, 9 ounces. The previous NJ State Record was 18 pounds 14 ounces caught in 2013 by Rick Englesbe aboard the VOYAGER. The existing IGFA All-Tackle World Record is 20-pounds 8-ounces.
Rick Englesbe – New Jersey Record Blueline Tilefish
On November 7, 2013, the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife announced that RICHARD "RICK" ENGLESBE of Lakewood, NJ made his way onto the state record book by landing a new NJ STATE RECORD BLUELINE TILEFISH. Rick was fishing on the VOYAGER when he reeled in the 18 pound 14-ounce fish and beat the previous 18 pounds, 7 ounce NJ State Record Blueline caught in 2007 aboard the VOYAGER by Joseph Sanzone by 7 ounces.
The VOYAGER was fishing in the Wilmington Canyon when the fish hit. Rick was using a Jigging Master PE-8 reel spooled with a 70-pound test braided line and a Reel Seat custom rod. He used squid for bait. The new record Blueline Tilefish measured 35 inches in length and had a girth of 23.5 inches.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Blueline Tilefish
Scientific name: Caulolatilus microps
Date caught: 9/2/2013
Weight: 18 pounds 14.0 ounces
Length: 35 inches
Girth: 23.5 inches
Location: Wilmington Canyon
Angler: RICK ENGLESBE, Lakewood, NJ
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Rick had his Blueline Tilefish mounted and it is now hanging on the wall at The REEL SEAT tackle shop in Brielle, NJ. On this particular VOYAGER Tilefish Trip, Rick, Greg Hueth, Dave Arbeitman, and Mel Deak all caught Blueline Tilefish weighing over 18 pounds, 7 ounces, but Rick's was the biggest.
Dennis Muhlenforth – New Jersey & World Record Golden Tilefish
On August 17, 2009, DENNIS MUHLENFORTH of Hockessin, Delaware caught a 63 POUND, 8 OUNCES GOLDEN TILEFISH aboard Captain Jeff Gutman's VOYAGER. The huge Tilefish measured 49 inches long with a 36 inch girth. The International Game Fish Association announced it is an IGFA ALL-TACKLE WORLD RECORD FISH, and the New Jersey DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife announced it is an NJ STATE RECORD SALTWATER FISH.
Dennis was using a custom 7½ foot heavy-duty rod and a Shimano Trinidad 40 filled with 500 yards of 50-pound test PowerPro braided line and a 30-foot top shot of 80-pound Quattro monofilament. Dennis used a homemade two-hook rig with some flashy skirts and Gamakatsu 8/0 4X octopus circle hooks and topped it off with a 2-pound sinker. Bait was a combo of bonito, silver eel, and bluefish strips along with skimmer clam.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Golden Tilefish
Scientific name: Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
Date caught: 8/17/2009
Weight: 63 pounds 8.0 ounces
Length: 49 inches
Girth: 36 inches
Location: Lindenkohl Canyon
Angler: DENNIS MUHLENFORTH
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Dennis' Golden Tilefish remained the IGFA All-Tackle World Record Fish until August 08, 2012 when his fishing buddy, Angelo Ruvio caught a 65 pound, 3 ounce Golden Tilefish on his private boat. Dennis' fish bested the 55 pound NJ record Golden Tilefish caught by Gary Caputi (of Saltwater Sportsman magazine) on July 12, 2005. Dennis' Golden Tilefish is still the NJ State Record Fish.
Joe Sanzone – New Jersey Record Blueline Tilefish
On October 9, 2007, the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife announced that the 18 POUND, 7 OUNCE BLUELINE TILEFISH caught aboard the VOYAGER on September 9, 2007 by JOE SANZONE of Pompton Lakes, NJ is an NJ STATE RECORD SALTWATER FISH.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Common name: Blueline Tilefish
Scientific name: Caulolatilus microps
Date caught: 9/9/2007
Weight: 18 pounds 7.0 ounces
Length: 35 inches
Girth: 24 inches
Location: Toms Canyon
Angler: JOE SANZONE, Pompton Lakes, NJ
Boat: VOYAGER, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Joe was using a St. Croix rod and Penn reel with a 65-pound test braided line, and the bait was a butterfish and squid combo. The fish had a length of 35 inches and a girth of 24 inches.
Joe's NJ State Record Blueline Tilefish, also called a Gray Tilefish, was caught at Tom's Canyon. The previous NJ State Record of 10 pounds, 9 ounces was set in 2001. The fish missed being an IGFA World Record by just 3 ounces!