2026 regulation year
New Jersey Muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
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New Jersey runs one of the strongest muskellunge programs in the Mid-Atlantic, built on NJDEP Hackettstown Hatchery stockings of pure-strain muskellunge at Monksville and Manasquan Reservoirs plus tiger muskellunge (the sterile northern-pike × muskellunge hybrid) at a handful of additional lakes. Monksville Reservoir (Passaic County, 505 acres) is the flagship — it produced the state-record muskellunge of 42 lb 13 oz, taken through the ice by Bob Neals in January 1997. Greenwood Lake (the 1,920-acre NY/NJ boundary water) and Lake Hopatcong (NJ's largest natural lake) are the other premier musky waters and, with Echo Lake Reservoir, carry NJ's Trophy Musky Waters designation: a 44-inch minimum versus the 40-inch statewide floor. The statewide rule is 1 fish per day (muskellunge and tiger musky combined) at a 40-inch minimum, in effect year-round. NJ does not certify boundary-water catches landed outside its jurisdiction — a 45.02-lb Greenwood Lake musky caught February 24, 2026 was declined as a state record because it was boated in the New York portion of the lake, so Neals's 1997 Monksville fish remains the official record.
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Season
Open year-round Year-round statewide; 1 / day (muskellunge + tiger musky combined); 40 in min, 44 in min on the four Trophy Musky Waters.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 1 / day combined (muskellunge + tiger muskellunge)
- Possession
- Same as daily bag
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- 40 in min statewide; 44 in min on Trophy Musky Waters (Echo Lake Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir)
- Trophy rule
- Trophy Musky Waters (Echo Lake Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir) carry a 44 in minimum; state record muskellunge 42 lb 13 oz (Monksville Reservoir, Bob Neals, January 1997, through the ice); state record tiger muskellunge 29 lb (Delaware River, Larry Migliarese, 1990)
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line; muskellunge are a catch-photo-release sport fishery for most NJ anglers despite the 1-fish creel
- NJ freshwater fishing licence required
- Greenwood Lake: New York + New Jersey licences both honored; each state's size limit applies to the fish you land
- Single hooks + a large landing cradle recommended on casting + trolling baits to reduce release mortality
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific New Jersey waters:
Monksville Reservoir
44 in min (Trophy Musky Water), 1 / day; NJ's flagship pure-strain muskellunge water + state-record water (42 lb 13 oz, 1997)
Lake Hopatcong
44 in min (Trophy Musky Water), 1 / day; NJ's largest natural lake
Greenwood Lake (NY/NJ boundary)
44 in min (Trophy Musky Water), 1 / day; NY + NJ licences both honored
Echo Lake Reservoir
44 in min (Trophy Musky Water), 1 / day
Manasquan Reservoir
40 in min, 1 / day; tiger muskellunge stocking water (electric motors only)
Delaware River main stem (PA/NJ boundary, above tidal section)
40 in min, 1 / day, year-round
Official source
New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater) + NJ Marine Fisheries Administration (saltwater) publishes the authoritative 2026 New Jerseyfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) rules on this page are sourced from New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater) + NJ Marine Fisheries Administration (saltwater)'s official muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) regulation page.
Visit official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any New Jersey trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) season in New Jersey?
- New Jersey keeps muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the New Jersey bag limit for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky)?
- The New Jersey daily bag limit for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) is 1 / day combined (muskellunge + tiger muskellunge). The possession limit is Same as daily bag. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) can you keep in New Jersey?
- The New Jersey size rule for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) is 40 in min statewide; 44 in min on Trophy Musky Waters (Echo Lake Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir). Trophy rule: Trophy Musky Waters (Echo Lake Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir) carry a 44 in minimum; state record muskellunge 42 lb 13 oz (Monksville Reservoir, Bob Neals, January 1997, through the ice); state record tiger muskellunge 29 lb (Delaware River, Larry Migliarese, 1990).
- Do you need a license to fish for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) in New Jersey?
- Yes. New Jersey requires a valid fishing license to fish for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a New Jersey license — compare resident and non-resident New Jersey fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) in New Jersey?
- Yes. In New Jersey, muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; muskellunge are a catch-photo-release sport fishery for most NJ anglers despite the 1-fish creel; NJ freshwater fishing licence required; Greenwood Lake: New York + New Jersey licences both honored; each state's size limit applies to the fish you land; Single hooks + a large landing cradle recommended on casting + trolling baits to reduce release mortality.
- Do specific New Jersey waters have different muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) rules?
- Yes. 6 named New Jersey waters carry rules that override the statewide muskellunge (incl. tiger musky) regulation, including Monksville Reservoir, Lake Hopatcong, Greenwood Lake (NY/NJ boundary), and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.