Nate Rust of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament Director has confirmed that a 358-pound swordfish caught on September 7, 2013 is a new state record. The record fish measured 90 inches long, with a girth of 47.5 inches.

Angler Kurt Lorenz of Burke, Va., was fishing aboard Candy’s Reel Choice out of Lewes, Delaware with Captain Pete Floyd, boat owner Mark Avon, and mate Rusty Smith. Others aboard included Chris Ragni and Brian Garancheski. The catch is recognized as a Delaware record since the fish was caught from a vessel out of and returning to a Delaware port.  Lorenz caught the fish on 80-pound test line near Poor Man’s Canyon about 70 miles east of the Maryland-Virginia coast.

The previous state record was a 276-pound, 12-ounce swordfish caught by Albert Scott in 1978. 

Lorenz had the fish processed at the Lewes Harbour cleaning station by Captain Joe Morris who identified the fish as a prized “pumpkin swordfish,” which has an orange/pink-tinted meat, attributed to naturally occurring carotenes from its diet of shrimp and other prawns.

Congratulations to Kurt Lorenz and the crew of Candy’s Reel Choice.

FISH ON!

 

Delaware, fish, Fishing, Swordfish

By Sid

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