This article includes reports of state record fish caught in the Mid Atlantic region in 2026.
North Carolina
In May, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries certified a new state record for the Graysby Grouper (Cephalopholis cruentata).
Wyatt Rabon of Leland caught the 3-pound, 8-ounce fish on May 16, 2026, off Southport. Rabon’s fish replaced the previous state record Graysby Grouper, landed in 2022, which weighed 3 pounds, 0.8 ounces.
Rabon’s fish also unofficially ties the currently certified International Game Fish Association All Tackle World Record Graysby Grouper, caught in 2023 off Georgetown, S.C.
In July, John Theodorakis set a new state record for yellowfin grouper, with a 45 pound, 9.6 ounce fish.
In August, angler Brock Davenport set a new North Carolina state record for Jolthead Porgy with a 16-pound fish. The previous state record for Jolthead Porgy, caught by Randy Brock in 2015, weighed 14 pounds, 14 ounces.
Virginia
courtesy: Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament
An 832.6 pound Atlantic bluefin tuna caught on 1-10-26 by Mike Rogerson of Virginia Beach, has been certified as the new Virginia State record for the species by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. The bluefin measured 108 inches in overall length with a girth of 78 inches.
Mr. Rogerson was fishing aboard the High Hopes guided by veteran captain David Wright. The huge bluefin was caught off the Eastern Shore of Virginia on a mid-morning ballyhoo bite.
The fish was brought into and officially weighed at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center and certified by Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament Director Matt Hargis.
Maryland
In July, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recognized Cooper Clark of Ocean City as the new state record holder for false albacore in the Atlantic Division. Clark’s 28.2-pound catch surpasses the previous record of 26.0 pounds that was set in July 2025
West Virginia
In August, angler Tyler Harmon became the new West Virginia state record holder for blue catfish by weight after landing a 72.75-pound fish from the Ohio River.
Previously, in May, Michael Ramey set a new West Virginia state weight record for blue catfish. Ramey caught the 71 pound, 50.23 inch fish while fishing the Ohio River.
Justin Connor continues to hold the state blue catfish length record at 51.49 inches from the Kanawha River.
In May, Zachary “Zak” Roper set a new state record for redhorse sucker after catching a 6.46-pound, 25.43-inch fish at Kanawha Falls.
Roper’s catch surpasses the previous record of 5.75 pounds and 24.57 inches established in April 2025 by Jason Floyd at the Belleville Lock and Dam.
Donnie Workman set a new state record for tiger trout on April 26 while fishing at Summit Lake. The fish weighed 13.32 pounds and measured 29.80 inches in length.
Workman caught the tiger trout using meal worms and orange salmon eggs on 8-pound test line.
In April, angler Matt Born caught a new state record chain pickerel. Born landed the 27.95-inch, 5.65-pound fish using a homemade spinner on a 4-pound test line while fishing at a private pond in Preston County.
Ohio
A new Ohio state record hybrid crappie was caught in April by Ohio angler Jesse Miller. The record setting fish had a length of 18.3, girth of 16 inches, and weighed 4.27 pounds.
Miller caught the hybrid crappie April 1, 2026 while fishing near the Middletown Dam on the Great Miami River, using six pound test monofilament line and a minnow below a bobber.
Miller’s fish marks the first entry into Ohio’s new state record fish category for hybrid crappie (black crappie x white crappie).
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