New Hampshire fisherman catches record bluefin tuna weighing 1,116 pounds

A New Hampshire fisherman caught the state's largest bluefin tuna, weighing 1,116 pounds, surpassing a record that had stood for over a decade. Brandon McGirl boarded the Out of Line, a boat operated by Savage Charters NH, for an overnight fishing trip out of Rye Harbor on Saturday. McGirl noted that the fishing conditions were challenging, stating, "It was a little bit rougher than we were hoping for." After several hours without a catch, McGirl's reel began to click, indicating a fish was on the line. The crew pursued the fish for about a mile before managing to bring it alongside the boat. Due to its size, they towed the fish back to the harbor for extraction. Captain Jamie Savage remarked, "We lifted it out of the water and immediately knew it was way bigger than what we thought and bigger than anything either of us had seen before." The catch weighed over 150 pounds more than the previous New Hampshire record set in 2013. McGirl expressed disbelief at the size of the fish, stating, "If you tuna fish for a long time, to catch a 1,000-pound fish is something that you dream of." The record catch drew congratulations from Governor Kelly Ayotte, who commented on Facebook, "Now THAT is a catch." The tuna is expected to be sold, potentially reaching markets as far as Japan, while its tail will remain at the harbor as a memento of the record-setting day. McGirl mentioned that he would receive payment for the fish later and was uncertain about its market value. This record comes shortly after fishermen in San Diego caught a nearly 500-pound bluefin tuna last month.