1,116-Pound Bluefin Tuna Shatters NH Record

Record bluefin tuna caught in New Hampshire. Photo Northeast Media Group created using video captures and AI help.

Talk about the catch of a lifetime! Angler Brandon McGirl and Captain Jamie Savage of Savage Charters have apparently rewritten the Granite State record books by landing a jaw-dropping 1,116-pound bluefin tuna.

Fishing an overnight charter out of Rye Harbor aboard the F/V Out of Line, the tandem shattered New Hampshire’s 13-year-old state record—a 962-pound giant taken in August 2013—by an astonishing 154 pounds. With Savage at the helm and McGirl on the rod, the team brought the colossal fish to the scale on Saturday night, October 3. Once state wildlife officials finalize the certification paperwork, the catch should officially take its rightful place atop the leaderboard as New Hampshire’s new all-tackle benchmark.

According to reports from BroBible and WMUR News Coverage, the historic adventure didn’t exactly start out like a party. The ocean was rougher than expected, making for surprisingly difficult fishing conditions. For hours, the fishing remained agonizingly slow, with tuna finding the lines of nearby anglers but none inhaling their own baits

The pair was just about ready to call it a night when the boat’s heavy-duty fishing reel finally let loose a furious clicking sound. Once the hook was set, they chased the monster fish for about a mile. After the strategic battle concluded, they dragged the leviathan back to port, unaware that they were towing a record class fish until it was weighed at Rye Harbor.

The heavily marbled behemoth has been sent off to global markets, where it is expected to fetch a premium price due to its high quality. While the rest of the fish travels the world, its impressive tail will stay behind at Rye Harbor as a permanent trophy testament to New Hampshire’s ultimate fishing triumph.

Written by Tom Schlichter