A Virginia angler has established a North Carolina state record with the 45-pound golden tilefish he caught off Cape Hatteras this summer.
Guy R. Jones of Newport News, Va., caught the fish using cut bait on 60-pound line test with a Shimano Torium 20, Offshore Angler Model Power Stick.
The fish measured 43.5 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail and had a 30-inch girth. Jones caught the fish July 3 while fishing with Captain Derek Taylor aboard the charter boat The Carolina Girl.
North Carolina previously did not have a state record golden tilefish. To establish a state record fish, the angler must submit an application that is then reviewed by N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries staff and a N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Advisory Board.
“The fish must be exceptionally large for North Carolina waters and within a reasonable range of the world record,” said Carole Willis, sportfishing specialist with the Division of Marine Fisheries.
The world record golden tilefish, caught in 2007 off Maryland, stands at 59 pounds, 3 ounces.