It’s been a big year for big game state records. The Massachusetts record book has been rewritten twice so far with a 1,260-pound blue marlin and a 187-pound yellowfin. Now, their northerly neighbor has a new massive big game record in the books.
Capt. Jamie Savage of Savage Charters out of Rye Harbor headed out from Rye Harbor on Saturday evening for an overnight charter. Conditions were difficult, according to his client, Brandon McGirl, and the crew waited hours for a bite while other boats around them hooked fish. Just as the trip was drawing to a close, Savage and McGirl had their number called.
The didn’t know how big the fish was until they arrived at the dock, and the scale registered 1,116 pounds, the largest bluefin ever caught in New Hampshire. The fish toppled the old state record of 962 pounds by 154 pounds caught by Richard Green in 2013.
The giant tuna bite has been on fire since the storm, with captains from Montauk to Maine reporting steady action on big bluefin tuna.