Wildlife officials say both fish were “exceptionally” large for North Carolina and were certified by the International Game Fish Association as All Tackle World Record fish.
By WECT Staff | December 4, 2020 at 10:43 AM EST – Updated December 4 at 10:51 AM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Two Cape Fear anglers have set state and world records with their respective fish catches earlier this year.
According to a news release from the N.C. Divison of Marine Fisheries, Craig Thompson of Southport caught a two-pound, one-ounce creolefish in the Gulf Stream off Ocean Isle Beach on Sept. 1 while Vickie Hammonds of Wilmington caught a three-pound, 13-ounce Gulf kingfish in Kure Beach on Feb. 4.
“Previously, North Carolina did not list a state record creolefish or Gulf kingfish but created the categories after Thompson and Hammonds applied for the state record,” the news release stated.
Wildlife officials say both fish were “exceptionally” large for North Carolina and were certified by the International Game Fish Association as All Tackle World Record fish.
The previous creolefish world record was a one-pound, eight-ounce fish caught off Apalachicola, Fla while the previous Gulf kingfish world record was a three-pound, one-ounce fish caught off Hatteras Island.
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