08/28/2026
State certifies new record for cubera snapper, caught off Hatteras
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The NC Dept of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries certified a new state record for cubera snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus) that was recently caught fishing out of the Hatteras area, according to a Thursday press release.
"David Ashman of Mohnton, Pennsylvania, caught the 85-pound fish on July 31 off of Hatteras," the release said. "Ashman replaced the existing state record Cubera Snapper that weighed 58 pounds, 8 ounces, landed by Thomas Madsen in 2022."
Ashman landed the fish aboard the head boat Miss Hatteras, according to the release. He used squid for bait on 40-pound braid with a 50-pound mono leader, with an Avet MXL 5.8 reel and Shimano Trevala rod.
"The fish measured just over 56 inches total length (from the tip of the nose to the stretched end of the tail) and had a girth of 40 inches," the release said. "Ashman said it took about 15 minutes to bring the large fish up on the lighter tackle. Ashman said he frequently visits North Carolina and enjoys offshore bottom fishing aboard the different head boats around the state."
Cubera snapper are among the largest species in the snapper family, and they can reach up to 125 pounds, according to the release. The species' range is from Nova Scotia, Canada, through southern Brazil. Adult cubera snapper prefer wrecks and rocky ledges 60 to 250 feet deep.
"They can be identified by the large canine teeth that can be seen even when their mouth is closed, counting the number of dorsal and a**l fin spines and soft rays, and the triangular-shape vomerine tooth patch at the top of the palate," the release said.
For regulation information, including requirements for a descending device for cubera snapper and other snapper/grouper species, the release said to visit the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s regulations webpage.
For more information on state record fish, visit the division’s "State Saltwater Records" webpage or email the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament staff at [email protected].
📸 David Ashman and his state-record fish (photo courtesy NCDEQ)
