Ocean City Angler Catches Record Gray Triggerfish

Maryland State Record Stood for Five Years

Ocean City resident Mike Glyphis set a new Maryland state record for gray triggerfish. Glyphis caught the 5.6-pound fish Oct. 30 while fishing 16 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

Glyphis said at first he thought his line was snagged on debris. But after a few tugs on his line, he says “the thing took off.” After a few minutes of fighting the fish, the veteran angler pulled up the gray triggerfish. “This was something I never expected.”

The catch broke a record held almost exactly five years by another Ocean City resident, Wayne Gower, who caught his 5.2-pound triggerfish Oct. 31, 2014.

Staff at Martin Fish Co. in Ocean City certified the new record weight. A Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologist certified the species. The state recognizes the gray triggerfish in its Atlantic Division for state records.

“It’s always really exciting when these records come in,” Recreational Fishing and Outreach Coordinator Erik Zlokovitz said. “Most of the time anglers aren’t looking to hook a record, it just happens.”

The department maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions – Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal and Invasive – and awards plaques to anglers who achieve record catches. Fish caught from privately owned, fee-fishing waters are ineligible for consideration.

Anglers who think they have a potential record catch should download and fill out a state record application and call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. The department suggests fish be immersed in ice water to preserve weight until it can be checked, confirmed, and certified.