10 Record-Breaking Fish from 2024

One of many biggest points of interest to fishing is the aspect of probability—the possibility that, on any given day, one might encounter a fish of epic proportions. Whether or not it’s a 50-pound striped bass within the surf, a double-digit trout by a gap within the ice, or a jumbo mahi-mahi within the canyons, intriguing tales of man versus fish entice us to persist in our pursuit of a trophy, hoping that someday, we are going to cross paths with a fish of record-breaking caliber. Listed below are ten record-breaking fish from 2024 to maintain these hopes alive because the 2025 fishing season begins.

Saltwater Data

Rhode Island State-Document Tautog

(Photograph courtesy of Capt. Rob Taylor / Newport Sportfishing Charters)

For Captain Rob Taylor of Newport Sportfishing Charters, the hunt for extra-large tautog is rather more than a sport of probability. Primarily based on circumstances, location, and the time of the season, Taylor adjusts each his sort out and method to place his charters in the very best place for fulfillment. It’s this type of meticulous preparation, coupled with a educated captain’s expertise, that helped Vinny Simms, Jr. land a record-breaking tautog on October 21, 2024.

Simms, on the time, hadn’t wrangled a tautog bigger than 6 kilos, but when there’s one place to shatter a personal-best blackfish, it’s alongside the craggy coast of Rhode Island. Taylor maneuvered his boat, the Reel E-Z, over a bit of construction that he found whereas cast-netting menhaden within the spring. The primary few drops yielded some pesky black sea bass, adopted by a a lot bigger fish that pressured Simms to lock the drag on his spinning reel. With Taylor strolling him by the best way to play the fish, they managed to web it, even after the monster tog, being winched to the floor, took a drag-searing run again to the underside.

On board the Reel E-Z, the fish measured 34 inches, with an unofficial weight that surpassed 20 kilos on Taylor’s Boga Grip. Again on land, the licensed scale at Quaker Lane Bait and Deal with learn 22 kilos, 5.28 ounces, besting the earlier state file by 12 ounces in weight and a pair of inches in size.

The story of this record-breaking tautog is a testomony to an angler’s willingness to be taught from the captain, who took an opportunity on a brand new piece of backside construction and coached his buyer towards a hard-to-beat personal-best blackfish. It’s the sort of expertise that retains hopeful anglers returning to the water seeking a trophy of their very own.

» Learn the total story

Junior World-Document White Marlin

Elliot Sudal and Stone Fornes with the brand new junior world-record white marlin. (Photograph courtesy of Elliot Sudal)

On August 16, 2024, Nantucket-based surf-fishing information Elliot Sudal guided 12-year-old Stone Fornes to the brand new junior world-record white marlin—a 118.5-pound fish that surpassed the earlier file, set in 2011 by Matthew Sheehan of Martha’s Winery, by almost 17 kilos.

Maryland State-Document Blueline Tilefish

On August 24, 2024, whereas fishing in Poorman’s Canyon with Captain Chris Little of Talkin’ Trash Sportfishing Charters in Ocean Metropolis, London J. Anthony set the brand new Maryland state file for blueline tilefish on a piece of ballyhoo. The 20.6-pound, 37.25-inch tilefish beat the earlier file, caught by Robert Purcell in September 2012, by a mere 6 ounces.

Rhode Island State-Document Mahi-Mahi

(Photograph courtesy of Maridee Charters)

In late August, Karl Mohr of New York was fishing with father/son duo Captain Andy Dangelo and AJ Dangelo of Maridee Charters after they hooked right into a double-header of mahi-mahi whereas trolling a Sterling Deal with Lumos tracker bar.

Though Rhode Island Division of Environmental Administration doesn’t acknowledge mahi as being eligible for state-record competition, they do record dolphin fish beneath “Notable Catches” on the company’s web site. If acknowledged, Mohr’s 37.56-pound, 59-inch mahi will topple the earlier “file”, which has stood since 1995, by 5 kilos and 1 inch.

» Learn the total story

Maryland State-Document Yellowedge Grouper

Whereas fishing in Poorman’s Canyon with Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters, Jian Feng Li introduced a large yellowedge grouper to the boat after it ate a strip of false albacore. The catch was taken to Sundown Marina in Ocean Metropolis, the place a Maryland Division of Pure Sources biologist confirmed the species. There, the 43-inch fish weighed in proper at 38 kilos, nearly 11 kilos wanting the 48.6-pound world file.

World-Document Atlantic Halibut

record-breaking fish from 2024 — (From left) Alexandra Spring, Captain Ian Leonard, and CJ Peppe hoist Spring’s world file Atlantic halibut that she caught on a diamond jig east of Cape Cod. (Photograph courtesy of Alexandra Spring)

On July 22, throughout a tuna journey off Cape Cod with Captain Ian Leonard, Alexandra Spring hooked a 33-pound, 14-ounce Atlantic halibut which, in her personal phrases, “felt like reeling in a door from the underside of the ocean.” Upon submitting particular lengths of line and chief materials—together with the A87 diamond jig that caught the fish—to the IGFA, the braided line examined for 30-pounds of breaking power. Her catch bested the earlier 30-pound line class world file for Atlantic halibut, which was caught in Greenland in the course of the Eighties. Spring now holds ten IGFA-certified world information.

» Learn the total story

Freshwater Data

Rhode Island State-Document Rainbow Trout

Whereas ice fishing on Peck Pond on January 18, 2024, Zachary Taylor of Burrillville, RI, caught a 15-pound, 12-ounce rainbow trout by a six-inch gap within the ice, shattering the earlier state file––which was set in 2020––of 12 kilos, 9 ounces.

Maryland State-Document Rainbow Trout

Whereas fishing in Antietam Creek on February 10, 2024, Jean-Philippe Lartigue of Bethesda, MD, set the brand new state file for rainbow trout. His whopping 17.44-pound fish toppled the longstanding file of 14.2 kilos set by Dave Schroyer in October 1987.

New York State-Document Largemouth Bass

On July 11, 2024, throughout match follow on Cayuga Lake, Jim Britenbaugh of Gettysburg, PA, caught and launched the brand new state-record largemouth bass after it was licensed by New York State Division of Environmental Conservation officers on the boat launch. The 12-pound, 6-ounce bass dethroned John Higbie’s 11-pound, 4-ounce file that was caught in September 1987.

» Learn the total story

New York State-Document Smallmouth Bass

Dante Piraino with record breaking smallmouth bass — (Photograph courtesy of NYSDEC)

On September 22, 2024, Dante Piraino of Baldwinsville, NY, caught and launched a 9-pound, 23.12-inch smallmouth bass on the St. Lawrence River. Piraino’s catch bested the earlier state-record smallmouth, caught in Cayuga Lake in 2022, by simply 8 ounces, stealing the record-breaking bass crown from Cayuga.

» Learn the total story