A Cambridge, Maryland, man’s catch broke a 34-year-old state fishing record after reeling in a 72.8-pound mahi mahi off the coast of Ocean City.
Jeff Wright, 34, was practicing with friends above Poor Man’s Canyon for the upcoming White Marlin Open when his rod “went crazy,” the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday.
Wright told the department it took 25 minutes to reel in the fish, also known as the common dolphinfish or Coryphaena hippurus. It was certified by Sunset Marina in Ocean City.
The previous record was set in July 1985 with a 67.8-pound mahi mahi caught by Kim Lawson.
Fishing outreach coordinator Erik Zlokovitz said in the Tuesday statement that it’s exciting to see the record broken. “It just shows that, with a little patience, you could find yourself a part of Maryland’s angling history,” Zlokovitz said.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources keeps records for sport fish in four divisions: Atlantic, Chesapeake, nontidal and invasive. Check them out here, along with some photos.
