Boy Catches Giant Mahi-Mahi, May Have Shattered World Record
A 14-year-old boy's 72.14-pound dolphinfish/mahi-mahi catch in the North Carolina's Hatteras Inlet and might have set a new junior world record.
Lucas Duke of Dexter, Georgia caught the gargantuan mahi-mahi on Tuesday while onboard the Wasabi out of Teach's Lair Marina.
At the moment, the International Game Fish Association's junior world record of the biggest mahi-mahi caught was a 61-pound 8-ounce fish that was captured by John Henderson at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana on May 23, 1999. But the IGFA has to verify Duke's catch before it can be officially declared as a new record through a process that normally takes several weeks.
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Yet according to a report from BNQT, the teenager's catch already made him join an elite group of recreational anglers since finding a 70-plus pound dolphinfish is a rare occurrence. In North Carolina, the biggest dolphinfish captured reportedly stands at 79 pounds.
Dolphinfish, scientifically called the Coryphaena hippurus, is more commonly known as mahi-mahi in Hawaii as well as in restaurants in the US. In Mexico, the fish is often referred to as the dorado.
This kind of fish normally lives in tropical and subtropical waters all over the world. According to the Hawaii Seafood website, the fish has thin skin and has a firm, light pink flesh. It also has a delicate flavor that is faintly sweet.
"Most of the fish are between 8 and 25 pounds, but larger fish are caught by trollers. Mahimahi over 15 pounds in body weight is the preferred market size. Commercial Mahimahi landings in Hawaii are made by trollers and longliners," the website stated.
Duke's catch was recorded on the Hatteras Landing website. The young angler was also given the nickname "Duke of Hatteras" in reference to the popular fictional character Luke Duke from the hit TV series "Duke of Hazzard" that ran from the 1970s to the 1980s.
