Maryland Record Set with 301-Pound Swordfish off Ocean City Coast

Annapolis Resident and Team Mount 8-Hour Fight to Land Record Fish

Peter Schultz, second from left, and his team stand with the new state record swordfish. Photo courtesy Big Fish Classic, used with permission.

An Anne Arundel County angler is now the first officially recognized state record holder for swordfish, which he caught in a tournament July 23 at Ocean City.

Annapolis resident Peter Schultz, 36, is the first record holder for the Atlantic division – Swordfish (Xiphias gladius). Schultz caught the 301-pound swordfish while participating in the Big Fish Classic Tournament, landing the record-breaking catch roughly 50 miles offshore at Washington Canyon.

Using a dead eel on a circle hook; Talica 50 reel with 65-pound braid line; and a 25-foot, 150-pound leader, Schultz and his team reeled in the fish following an epic, eight-hour effort.

Schultz describes the swordfish as a “fish of a lifetime” and credits his team for the record catch.

“We put so much effort into this,” Schultz said “Everyone had a crucial role.” 

The swordfish weight was officially certified by Dave Hedges of M.R. Ducks – Talbot Street Pier. A Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologist confirmed the catch. 

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 the state record application and call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. The department recommends the fish be immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be checked, confirmed, and certified.