According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Dr. Luis Mispireta of Stevensville, MD is the new state record-holder for bluefish with a 24.8-pound gator weighed in earlier this week in Lewes, DE.
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife today confirmed the new state record in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament, a 43-inch nearly 25-pound bluefish caught Monday over the Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Reef, the largest artificial reef on the Atlantic Coast. As spotlighted several times before in The Fisherman Magazine, the centerpiece of this reef is the ex-destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford, sunk by DNREC in 2010. Also known as Delaware Reef Site 13, the Del-Jersey-Land Reef is one of numerous artificial reef sites established by the Division of Fish & Wildlife that have become “hot spot” destinations for salt water anglers from throughout the region.
Dr. Mispireta caught the huge bluefish while aboard the charter vessel Katydid with Capt. Brent Wiest and Mate Chris Vann. “Luis was winding in a sea bass caught on a butterfly jig when the 24.8-pound monster grabbed the struggling bass, and also became hooked up,” said Lewes Harbour Marina’s Joe Morris via Facebook. “After a hectic battle, the big slammer was finally brought aboard, and all on the boat realized the impressive 43 incher was not just another average blue.”
Dr. Mispireta’s new record was weighed in at Lewes Harbour where the record catch was initially confirmed by Morris, and later verified by Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Officer Joel Brosius. This new record bluefish is almost 3 pounds larger than the previous state record 21.9-pound bluefish, which was caught in 1980 by Bill Thoroughgood of Rehoboth Beach.
For more information on the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament, click on 2015 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901 and from license agents throughout the state.
