The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has certified a new state record for White Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex). The record was set by Thomas Woo from Wilmington, who caught a 19-pound, 3.2-ounce fish offshore from Wrightsville Beach on May 8, 2025. This marks the first state record for this species in the United States. Previously, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record for White Trevally was established in Japan in 1998.
Woo’s catch occurred approximately 55 miles offshore to the south of Wrightsville Beach in waters that are about 150 feet deep. The fish struck his slow-pitch jig and measured a fork length of 32.2 inches with a total length of 37.8 inches.
The fish was weighed at the Wilmington DMF office by fisheries staff, and a genetic sample was collected for further study by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The White Trevally is rarely encountered by recreational anglers off North Carolina’s coast, and when it is found, its average size is typically only around 16 inches.
For additional details on state record fish, individuals can visit the division’s State Saltwater Records webpage or reach out to the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament staff via email at saltwater.citations@deq.nc.gov.
A photo of Woo with his catch is available for download at https://www.deq.nc.gov/media/48309.
