A fisherman in Virginia has very likely broken the record for the largest bluefin tuna ever caught in the state, according to authorities.
Jake Hiles, the captain of Matador Fishing Charters out of Virginia Beach, is awaiting final certification after reeling in a 708-pound bluefin tuna off the coast of Virginia Beach early on Sunday morning, Lewis Gillingham, the director of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, told Fox News.
Once certified, Hiles will officially hold the new record for the largest bluefin caught by a recreational fisherman — a catch that shattered the previous record of 606 pounds.
Earlier this week, Hiles explained on Facebook that he ventured out on Saturday morning with his friend Jeff, intending to continue his pursuit of hooking a huge tuna before the winter was over.
“There have been some really big fish around and I saw an opportunity to re-set the Virginia State record for bluefin tuna,” Hiles explained in a Facebook post a few days after the catch.
The two ended up sailing about 80 miles southeast of Rudee Inlet, where Matador is based, to a section of the waters known as the “tuna hole.”