Massive Outer Banks catch just set a state record, NC officials say. See for yourself
Thomas Adkins was recently fishing off the Outer Banks coast with his father when he reeled in a special catch: a record-breaking fish.
Adkins caught his 17-pound, 1.9-ounce blueline tilefish June 11 — breaking the state record that was last set in 2004 by a 16-pound, 8-ounce tilefish, according to a June 26 news release from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
The record-breaking fish measured 3 feet from the tip of its nose to the end of its fin, and it had a 20.5-inch girth, officials said. Adkins, who is from Virginia, caught the fish offshore of Nags Head.
Blueline tilefish
Blueline tilefish, also known as gray tilefish, are found along the East Coast, with populations spanning from New England and the Mid-Atlantic to the southeast and Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The creature can grow to be up to 35 inches long, according to the administration. They are known for the blue stripe outline in gold that runs from their snout to their eye.
Tilefish have a long snout, and have a dull olive-gray and white coloring, experts said.
This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Massive Outer Banks catch just set a state record, NC officials say. See for yourself."
