June 28, 2015

Delaware man catches state record 19.7-pound blueline tilefish

William Fintel of Lewes set a state record competing in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament

By Michael Tanenbaum
PhillyVoice Staff

Lewes Harbor Marina /DNREC

William Fintel of Lewes with his state record 19.7-pound blueline tilefish.

A man competing in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament set a state record when he caught a 19.7-pound blueline tilefish in the Atlantic Ocean's Baltimore Canyon, about 65 miles offshore.

William Fintel, of Lewes, was aboard the charter boat Snow Goose on June 19 with Captain Ed Sigda when he caught the deep-dwelling blueline tilefish, a species sought by both recreational and commercial fishers as a food fish, according to a news release from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The record 33-inch, 19.7-pound catch was initially confirmed at the Lewes Harbor Marina before it was verified by Officer Adam Roark of the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources police.

Blueline tilefish are relatively new to the tournament, though others have been submitted, but Fintel's catch was the first to be verified by DNREC personnel. The species can grow up to 35 inches long and may live as long as 43 years, feeding on bottom creatures including crabs, shrimp, snails, worms, sea urchins and small fish.

Because of the increasing popularity of the species, federal and state agencies, including the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, have proposed fishery conservation measures to keep the harvest of blueline tilefish at a sustainable level.