Man claims state record catch of Almaco Jack

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) - A Massachusetts man certainly has a big fish story to tell his friends.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries says Matt Frattasio caught a 26-pound, 15.6-ounce Almaco Jack fish earlier this month on the Crystal Coast.

The catch happened November 8th near the D wreck off Morehead City.

The Almaco Jack officially measured 36.4 inches from nose to tail and had a 26-inch girth.

Frattasio landed the fish using a Hogy Tuna rod, Daiwa Saltist MQ 14000 reel, live menhaden as bait, and a 50-pound braid.

State officials say there was no state record of this fish species. The state of Georgia’s Almaco Jack record is 7-pounds, 0.7-ounce and the state of Flordia’s record is 35-pounds, 9-ounces.

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