The waters off North Carolina have yielded a new state fishing record, as Warren Poirier of Charles City, Virginia, reeled in a massive 56-pound, 4.8-ounce almaco jack. The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) recently certified the impressive catch, officially recognizing it on Friday as the largest of its kind ever recorded in the state.
Poirier’s record-breaking feat occurred while fishing at “The Rocks” in the Outer Banks with Captain James Bowman. The epic battle for the almaco jack lasted a grueling 45 minutes after the fish struck Poirier’s Zest brand jig.
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Equipped with a Shimano Trevala rod and a Saltist 5000 reel spooled with 80-pound braid, Poirier expertly landed the powerful fish. The colossal catch measured an astounding 46 inches in fork length – from the tip of its nose to the fork in its tail – and boasted a robust 31-inch girth, according to Baitshop.
The previous North Carolina almaco jack record, set in 2024, weighed 33 pounds and 12.6 ounces, making Poirier’s catch a significant leap forward in the state’s angling history.
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Almaco jacks are known for their long bodies, dusky coloration, and distinctive light amber/olive stripes along their sides, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. While Poirier’s fish is a remarkable specimen, these powerful predators can grow to just over 5 feet long and weigh up to 136 pounds.
They are commonly found in the Atlantic, Gulf of America, Pacific Islands, and occasionally off Southern California.
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