Don Whittington caught Maryland’s first state-record triple tail on Oct. 19. (Photo by Steve Doctor/courtesy of Maryland DNR)
October 23, 2019
By G&F Online Staff
The first triple tail fishing record in Maryland was set after the angler saw something unusual while fishing for tuna and common dolphin.
Don Whittington, of Bivalve, Md., caught the 11-pound, 25.25-inch fish Oct. 19 while fishing off Ocean City in his son’s boat near Baltimore Canyon in the Atlantic Ocean, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported. Bahia Marina in Ocean City certified the triple tail’s weight.
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“We knew what it was,” Whittington told the Maryland DNR about seeing what he saw. “We’ve seen small ones all summer but after I pulled that one in I was like, ‘Wow.’”
Maryland DNR says triple tail, common in the tropical waters of Florida, can be as far north as southern New England in the summer months.
“While triple tails aren’t too unusual off the coast of Maryland, the size of this one really creates a great benchmark for a new record catch,” Maryland’s Recreational Fishing and Outreach Coordinator Erik Zlokovitz said.
It marks the first triple tail record since Maryland recognized the species in the Atlantic Division for state records.
Maryland anglers who think they have a potential record catch should download and fill out a state record application and call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. The department suggests fish be immersed in ice water to preserve weight until it can be checked, confirmed and certified.
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