The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus), which was also certified as the All-Tackle World Record in 2021.
Dr. Robert W. Timson of Southport caught the 2-pound, 11-ounce fish offshore of Frying Pan Tower nearly a year ago, on July 17, 2021.
The fish measured 18 inches total length (from the tip of the snout to the tip of the compressed tail) and had an 11-inch girth. He caught it with a custom CTS rod with an Accurate Valiant 30 reel using crab with 30-pound test Sufix 832 braided line.
While Timson was awarded the International Game Fish Association certification as the All-Tackle World Record in August 2021, he only recently applied for state recognition. The previous certified world record Spanish Hogfish weighed 1 pound and 8 ounces.
Previously, North Carolina did not list a state record Spanish Hogfish, but created the category after Timson applied for the state record.
To establish a state record fish, the fish must be weighed on certified scales at an official North Carolina weigh station, and the angler must submit an application to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries that is then reviewed by staff. The fish must be exceptionally large for North Carolina waters and within a reasonable range of the world record.
For more information on state record fish, go to the division’s State Saltwater Records webpage or contact the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament staff at saltwater.citations@ncdenr.gov.
Download a photo of Timson and his fish at https://deq.nc.gov/state-record-spanish-hogfish.