The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus).
Jared Lambert of Wilmington caught the 7-pound, 11.2-ounce fish near Frying Pan Tower on Aug. 6.
The previous state record Red Hind weighed 7 pounds, 1.6 ounces, and was caught off Cape Lookout in 2021.
Lambert’s fish measured 23.06 inches total length (from the tip of the snout to the tip of the compressed tail) and had a 23-inch girth.
The fish was landed using a Star Rod and a Penn 6/0 reel with a live pinfish on 60-pound test.
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 Lambert and his fish at https://deq.nc.gov/state-record-red-hind.