State certifies new Vermilion Snapper state record

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries recently established a new state record for Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens).

Colby Shaw of Newport caught the 7-pound, 4-ounce fish off Morehead City on April 18, 2025. The previous state record was 6-pounds, 9-ounces landed out of Ocean Isle in 2009.

Shaw was fishing in his own vessel, offshore south of Beaufort Inlet when the fish struck his cut bait. Shaw made quick work of reeling in his state record fish, landing it using his Shimano rod and reel with 65-pound braid.

Shaw’s fish measured 23.5-inches fork length (from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail) and had a 17-inch girth. The fish was weighed in by fisheries staff at the Morehead City Headquarters Office of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.

For more information on state record fish, go to the division’s State Saltwater Records webpage or contact the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament staff at saltwater.citations@deq.nc.gov.

Download a photo of Shaw and his fish at https://www.deq.nc.gov/media/48169.