North Carolina Man Catches Potential World-Document Puddingwife Wrasse

Connor Stone of Southport, North Carolina, made historical past on July 27 when he reeled in what has now been licensed because the state’s first-ever file puddingwife wrasse, the North Carolina Division of Environmental High quality reported Monday. He hauled within the eye-catching fish 10 miles offshore of his hometown, which is on the southern coast of North Carolina simply throughout Cape Worry River from Bald Head Island. 

What makes the weird catch much more notable is that the 3-pound, 11-ounce wrasse may additionally break the Worldwide Recreation Fish Affiliation all-tackle world file, which hasn’t been touched in over 20 years.

Stone caught the fish on squid and 50-pound braid with a Fiblink Signature rod and a Fin-Nor LTC16h reel. The wrasse measured 18 inches from nostril to tail and had a 13-inch girth. David Pesi caught the present world-record puddingwife wrasse off the coast of Key West, Florida, in 2003, in keeping with the IGFA. That fish weighed 3 kilos, 8 ounces, simply barely smaller than Stone’s catch. Stone plans to submit his fish for consideration by the IGFA.

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Whereas particulars are scarce on Stone’s catch, the wrasse should have been measured on an authorized scale at an official weigh station to qualify as a file, per North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries laws. 

About Puddingwife Wrasse

The blue-green fish would possibly appear to be one thing you’ll be able to solely glimpse in an aquarium, however puddingwife wrasse (Halichoeres radiatus) truly inhabit Atlantic waters from North Carolina to northern Brazil. They reside in reefs and are simply certainly one of a wide range of over 600 wrasse species—every extra colourful than the final. Nonetheless, species which can be historically thought-about unique are making their manner farther north lately.

Whereas puddingwife wrasse reside within the benthic water column, or the bottom zone closest to the ocean ground, additionally they reside near land, which implies they not often make it a lot deeper than 180 ft. They eat crustaceans, sea cucumbers, starfish, sea urchins, benthic worms, and bivalves, and are typically thought-about respectable desk fare. Another wrasse species, generally known as cleaner wrasse, meticulously clear sea lice off greater fish. Salmon farmers in Scotland even use them to maintain tanks and salmon clear.