A Virginia angler has officially set a new North Carolina state record for almaco jack after an unforgettable battle off the Outer Banks. Henry Barksdale of Sutherland, Virginia, hauled in a massive 60-pound, 8-ounce almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) on September 18, 2025, shattering the previous record of 56 pounds, 4.8 ounces set earlier this year in the same waters.
Barksdale was fishing aboard a charter with Captain Shaun Dunn of Dunn Deal Sportfishing out of Teach’s Lair Marina in Hatteras when the record fish struck. Using an Okuma Cedros rod, Daiwa Saltist LD 50 reel, and 80-pound braid, he hooked the fish while jigging. The almaco jack measured 46 inches fork length and 32 inches in girth, and was weighed at Teach’s Lair Marina before certification by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) office in Manteo.
“He was jigging when it took the rod down to the gunnel pulling so hard,” Clayton Jones, mate on Dunn’s boat, told Wired2fish. “He looked over at me and said, ‘I don’t think this is a small one.’ We all laughed and he held on for the over 15-minute fight! When it came up, we knew it was huge, but we weren’t certain it would break the state record. Captain Shaun Dunn was in shock also.”
Barksdale, a firefighter from Virginia, had been targeting both almaco and greater amberjacks that day, making the record catch especially meaningful for the crew.
Understanding the Almaco Jack
The almaco jack is part of the amberjack family and is often confused with its close relatives, the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) and lesser amberjack (Seriola fasciata). However, the almaco can be distinguished by its elongated second dorsal and anal fins, darker body coloration, and specific anatomical features such as gill raker count and the alignment of the maxilla (upper lip) relative to the eye.
These powerful pelagic fish typically inhabit offshore wrecks, reefs, and ledges in subtropical and tropical waters, including the Gulf Stream currents that pass the North Carolina coast. Almaco jacks are fast, strong fighters and a popular target for jigging and live bait anglers. While lesser amberjacks rarely exceed 12 pounds (the current IGFA world record), almaco jacks can grow much larger, with this latest catch proving just how big they can get in North Carolina waters.
Record Certified
The North Carolina DMF certified Barksdale’s fish as the new state record for almaco jack on October 15, 2025. The fish’s weight was confirmed on a certified scale, and species verification was performed by DMF biologists to distinguish it from other amberjack species.
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