MARYLAND- A Princess Anne man has reeled in a record-setting fish in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Division.
The Department of Natural Resources says Brian Summerlin caught the 16.6-pound Sheepshead on Sunday in the Tangier Sound off Crisfield in about 15 feet of water. Officials say he targeted the fish using a soft crab rigged on a sliding sinker “fishfinder rig” with an 8/0 circle hook, a spinning rod with a 60-pound braid, and a 60-pound fluorocarbon leader.
DNR says the sheepshead’s weight was confirmed on a certified scale at Kool Ice and Seafood Company in Cambridge, and it was measured at 26.25 inches in total length.
Summerlin’s catch broke the previous record of 14.1 pounds set by Daniel Mastronardi Jr. in August 2020.
“I thought it was a black drum at first, due to the way the fish was fighting with some big head shakes, but then I saw it was a very large sheepshead as it surfaced near the boat,” Summerlin said. After landing the fish, he checked the fish in for preliminary weight and photographs at Sea Hawk Sports Center in Pocomoke City. He knew the fish was a “contender” after checking the state’s current state records online.
The department maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions – Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal, and Invasive – and awards plaques to anglers who achieve record catches.