34-Year-Old Mahi Mahi Record Broken

The Md. angler was practicing for a marlin tournament

An offshore fishing record in Maryland was broken while the angler was practicing for a tournament … for a different species.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources certified Jeff Wright’s 72.8-pound mahi mahi (common dolphinfish) caught off the coast of Ocean City as a new state record in the Atlantic Division, beating a 34-year-old record.

Wright, of Cambridge, was fishing with friends near Poor Man’s Canyon, practicing for the upcoming White Marlin Open when the record bit.

“It literally took 25 minutes to get this in,” Wright said in an agency news release. “I had to play it until it finally gave up.”

The previous record (caught by Kim Lawson, July 1985) weighed 67.8 pounds.

“It’s really exciting to see anglers like Wright break records that have been on the books for decades,” Maryland Recreational Fishing Outreach Coordinator Erik Zlokovitz said. “It just shows that with a little patience you could find yourself a part of Maryland’s angling history.”

Maryland DNR maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions – Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal and Invasive – and awards plaques to anglers who achieve record catches. Fish caught from privately-owned, fee-fishing waters are ineligible for consideration. Click for more info and a state record application. The department suggests fish be immersed in ice water to preserve weight until it can be checked, confirmed and certified.