Angler shatters swordfish record after marathon battle

The recent catch of a 393-pound swordfish off Maryland, after an epic struggle, has shattered the state record by more than 90 pounds.

Jeff Jacobs, 38, fought the swordfish for more than five hours from the charter vessel, RoShamBo. He said the billfish “jumped out of the water and looked like a Volkswagen,” in reference to its size.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which announced the record Friday, stated that Capt. Willie Zimmerman was returning to port after an eight-hour charter off Ocean City when the swordfish struck a blue-and-white skirted eel.

Image courtesy of the Maryland DNR

Already exhausted, Jacobs sprung to action, fighting the fish with a two-speed Shimano reel. “Giving up wasn’t an option,” he said. “When we saw it we all knew it was a state record.”

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The swordfish was weighed on a certified scale and the catch was confirmed by a DNR biologist.

The previous state record, involving the catch of a 301-pound swordfish off Ocean City, was set in 2021.