David Vogt // Shutterstock
1 / 31Albacore Tuna
- Weight: 80 lbs 0 oz
- Location: not available
- Record set by David Francella in 1987
- Location: not available
- Record set by David Francella in 1987
Record fish caught in Delaware
Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at any number of tackle shops or marinas, and compared to the IGFA's online records database. Sport-fishing enthusiasts can even have their own scales certified by the IGFA for a $40 fee.
Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in Delaware using data from Land Big Fish. Fish pictured are not the actual record catch. Keep reading to see which bodies of water in your state hold some of the most massive fish around.
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Biswaphotograhy // Shutterstock
2 / 31American Shad
- Weight: 6 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Brandywine Creek
- Record set by Bayard Conaway in 1972
- Location: Brandywine Creek
- Record set by Bayard Conaway in 1972
Canva
3 / 31Atlantic Croaker
- Weight: 5 lbs 3.5 oz
- Location: Indian River
- Record set by Catherine Simpson in 1980
- Location: Indian River
- Record set by Catherine Simpson in 1980
Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock
4 / 31Black Drum
- Weight: 115 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Delaware Bay
- Record set by Kenneth H. Smith in 1978
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Delaware Bay
- Record set by Kenneth H. Smith in 1978
Colin MacDonald // Shutterstock
5 / 31Blue Marlin
- Weight: 820 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Bruce King in 1986
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Bruce King in 1986
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johnnyraff // Shutterstock
6 / 31Bluefish
- Weight: 21 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Rehoboth Beach
- Record set by Bill Thoroughgood in 1980
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Rehoboth Beach
- Record set by Bill Thoroughgood in 1980
dcwcreations // Shutterstock
7 / 31Bluegill Sunfish
- Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz
- Length: 13"
- Location: Diamond Pond
- Record set by Arnold Harmon in 1998
- Length: 13"
- Location: Diamond Pond
- Record set by Arnold Harmon in 1998
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock
8 / 31Carp
- Weight: 45 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by Ronald Burnett in 1976
- Location: Delaware River
- Record set by Ronald Burnett in 1976
Michael Sundberg // Shutterstock
9 / 31Chain Pickerel
- Weight: 7 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Horsey Pond
- Record set by Earl Messick in 1972
- Location: Horsey Pond
- Record set by Earl Messick in 1972
dcwcreations // Shutterstock
10 / 31Crappie
- Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Noxontown Pond
- Record set by Marvin Billips in 1976
- Location: Noxontown Pond
- Record set by Marvin Billips in 1976
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Fabien Monteil // Shutterstock
11 / 31Dolphin
- Weight: 49 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean
- Record set by Kelly Price in 1987
- Location: Atlantic Ocean
- Record set by Kelly Price in 1987
Jan Philipp Kreysing // Shutterstock
12 / 31False Albacore
- Weight: 17 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - 30 Fathom Line
- Record set by Scott A. Werner in 1980
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - 30 Fathom Line
- Record set by Scott A. Werner in 1980
Canva
13 / 31Hybrid Bass
- Weight: 13 lbs 13.5 oz
- Location: Lums Pond
- Record set by Earl Blevins in 1990
- Location: Lums Pond
- Record set by Earl Blevins in 1990
Bignai // Shutterstock
14 / 31King Mackerel
- Weight: 4 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Bethany Beach
- Record set by Billy Hastings in 1973
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Bethany Beach
- Record set by Billy Hastings in 1973
Bignai // Shutterstock
15 / 31King Mackerel
- Weight: 48 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - B Bouy
- Record set by Gordon Harris in 1992
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - B Bouy
- Record set by Gordon Harris in 1992
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock
16 / 31Largemouth Bass
- Weight: 10 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Andrews Lake
- Record set by Tony Kaczmarczyk in 1980
- Location: Andrews Lake
- Record set by Tony Kaczmarczyk in 1980
MPH Photos // Shutterstock
17 / 31Ling Cod
- Weight: 44 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Five Fathoms Bank
- Record set by John Osborne in 1975
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Five Fathoms Bank
- Record set by John Osborne in 1975
wildestanimal // Shutterstock
18 / 31Mako Shark
- Weight: 975 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 132"
- Location: Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Thomas Barnes in 2000
- Length: 132"
- Location: Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Thomas Barnes in 2000
Pavlo Baliukh // Shutterstock
19 / 31Porgy
- Weight: 5 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean
- Record set by Herman Schmidt in 1979
- Location: Atlantic Ocean
- Record set by Herman Schmidt in 1979
Clint H // Shutterstock
20 / 31Redear Sunfish
- Weight: 3 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 15"
- Location: Diamond Pond
- Record set by Marty Messick in 1998
- Length: 15"
- Location: Diamond Pond
- Record set by Marty Messick in 1998
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Canva
21 / 31Sheepshead
- Weight: 13 lbs 11 oz
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Haystack
- Record set by Frank Piectrazak in 2000
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Haystack
- Record set by Frank Piectrazak in 2000
CSNafzger // Shutterstock
22 / 31Smallmouth Bass
- Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Jerry Proffitt in 1989
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Jerry Proffitt in 1989
slowmotiongli // Shutterstock
23 / 31Striped Bass
- Weight: 51 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Indian River Inlet
- Record set by Betty Roseu in 1978
- Location: Indian River Inlet
- Record set by Betty Roseu in 1978
bekirevren // Shutterstock
24 / 31Swordfish
- Weight: 276 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Delaware Bay
- Record set by Albert E. Scott in 1978
- Location: Delaware Bay
- Record set by Albert E. Scott in 1978
Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock
25 / 31Tautog
- Weight: 19 lbs 13 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Ocean Wreck
- Record set by Ivan J. Brown in 1999
- Length: 32"
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Ocean Wreck
- Record set by Ivan J. Brown in 1999
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock
26 / 31Tiger Muskellunge
- Weight: 15 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 39"
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Richard Harris in 1991
- Length: 39"
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Richard Harris in 1991
Fabien Monteil // Shutterstock
27 / 31Wahoo
- Weight: 94 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Julian D. Brake in 1986
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Poormans Canyan
- Record set by Julian D. Brake in 1986
wwwarjag //Shutterstock
28 / 31Walleye
- Weight: 6 lbs 14 oz
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Nesbit Copenhaver in 1995
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Brandywine River
- Record set by Nesbit Copenhaver in 1995
lunamarina // Shutterstock
29 / 31White Marlin
- Weight: 120 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Baltimore Canyan
- Record set by William Garner Jr. in 1972
- Location: Atlantic Ocean - Baltimore Canyan
- Record set by William Garner Jr. in 1972
M Huston // Shutterstock
30 / 31White Perch
- Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 15"
- Location: Indian River
- Record set by Wayne Hastings in 1997
- Length: 15"
- Location: Indian River
- Record set by Wayne Hastings in 1997
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John Piekos // Shutterstock
31 / 31Yellow Perch
- Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz
- Location: Red Clay Creek
- Record set by Mervin Kessinger in 1976
- Location: Red Clay Creek
- Record set by Mervin Kessinger in 1976
