FENWICK, De. – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today a Millsboro angler was crowned the kingfish king after catching a 52-pound, 11.2 ounce king mackerel off the Delaware coast in July.
Casting from his 25-foot boat, The Reel McCoy, out of DNREC’s Indian River Marina, Jeff McCoy caught the record-setting kingfish late last month, stamping out the 31-year reigning champion by just 4 pounds, 2.2 ounces.
“To be honest, it was one of those cases of pure luck – well, not pure luck but like the old saying goes, ‘I’d rather be lucky than good almost any day,’ and that was one of those days,” McCoy said of his catch.
Planning to fish for sharks that day, McCoy took to sea with his wife and in-laws before hooking the gamefish which fought his reel for over 15 minutes, entangling the fishing line with the boat’s anchor rope.
McCoy was able to gain leverage with help from his brother-in-law, Jeff Baos, and maneuver the record-setter onto The Reel McCoy. The catch was certified as a state record by Delaware Natural Resources Police Fish and Wildlife Cpl. Kyle Wharton.
McCoy’s catch was certified as a state record by Delaware Natural Resources Police Fish and Wildlife Cpl. Kyle Wharton at Hook ‘em & Cook ‘em Bait, Tackle and Seafood on the Indian River Inlet. Aboard the center console Reel McCoy with him that day were his wife, Jen McCoy, and his mother- and father-in-law, Lynda and Dennis Boas, and brother-in-law, Jeff Boas.
