Georgia Angler Breaks State Record for African Pompano

The second state fishing record of 2021 in Georgia could've eaten the first if given the chance.

Richard Bjorneby of Darien broke the state record for African pompano (Alectis ciliaris) on March 13 with a 40-pound, 0.48-ounce specimen, according to the Georgia DNR’s Coastal Resources Division. The previous record (37 pounds, 1.28 ounces) was less than two years old.

It was the second recognized state record of the year in Georgia. Christian Blake Jones caught a freshwater record with a 2-pound, 3-pound hickory shad in February.

Bjorneby, 26, caught his record near Navy Tower R4 while fishing with Capt. Johnny Wildes aboard Anchored Up. The fish measured 47.8 inches long. Bjorneby used a 6-foot, 6-inch Shimano Talavera rod, Penn Slammer 7500 reel, 85-pound braided Spiderwire line and a diamond jig tied at the end of a three-foot, 60-pound monofilament leader on a swivel.

• READ MORE: More great stories on state records

"It feels strange. I never expected to hold a state record," Bjorneby told the Georgia DNR after the catch was certified. "I've been fishing as long as I can remember, but I never thought I'd hold a record."

The Georgia Saltwater Gamefish Records Committee, comprised of DNR marine biologists and staffers, approved the new record on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

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