James L. Frazetti Jr. of Crownsville has secured a Maryland state record in the Atlantic Division for a 7-pound, 8-ounce pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) and earned a FishMaryland Master Angler Award, both achieved during early October offshore trips from Ocean City. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed the record catch, which exceeded the previous mark by 5 pounds, and recognized Frazetti’s 10th qualifying trophy-sized fish for the Master Angler milestone. Frazetti, a saltwater specialist, boated the dolphinfish on Oct. 3 while trolling lures aboard the charter boat Talk’n Trash, then completed his Master Angler status the next day with a 36.5-inch golden tilefish.
The record dolphinfish measured 32.5 inches and came during a tuna run near offshore canyons, where the crew spotted a school of small common dolphinfish, also known as mahi-mahi. Frazetti’s group trolled amid the school when the fish struck, its appearance differing slightly from the more common species often schooling together. After docking, Frazetti weighed the catch on certified scales at Anglers Sport Center in Annapolis, and DNR fisheries biologist Keith Lockwood verified the species based on traits including a broad tooth patch, deeper body depth exceeding 25 percent of standard length, non-concave anal fin and 53 dorsal rays, compared to 58 to 66 on common dolphinfish. The previous Maryland record stood at 2 pounds, set in 2023 by Chris Stafford off Ocean City. Globally, the International Game Fish Association lists an 11.5-pound pompano dolphinfish caught off North Carolina in June 2022 as the all-tackle record.
Frazetti’s Master Angler qualification arrived Oct. 4 with the golden tilefish, caught during another offshore outing. The FishMaryland program requires 10 different trophy-sized species from over 60 eligible options across Atlantic, Chesapeake, nontidal and catch-and-release categories; pompano dolphinfish does not qualify. Frazetti’s list includes white marlin at 68 inches, weakfish at 24.5 inches, Spanish mackerel at 24 inches, swordfish at 41 inches, striped bass at 46 inches, yellow perch at 14.5 inches, blue crab at 8.05 inches, blueline tilefish at 29 inches, false albacore at 27.5 inches and the golden tilefish. Participants submit photos and measurements via the DNR website for verification, earning certificates and stickers; Master Anglers receive a plaque and Bass Pro Shops gift card at Arundel Mills. Since launching in 2019, the program has awarded 25 Master Anglers, promoting diverse angling amid Maryland’s year-round opportunities.
Talk’n Trash, a 58-foot Gillikin custom Carolina boat captained by Chris Little with mate Jake Bialk, departed from Ocean City’s Fishing Center for both trips. Little, a Pasadena resident with decades of experience, guides charters targeting tuna and billfish in canyons like Poorman’s and Baltimore, 50 to 75 nautical miles offshore. The vessel, debuted in 2015, ranked among the top five tuna charters in 2016 by catching over 300 yellowfin and has placed high in events like the Ocean City Tuna Tournament, where it secured first in heaviest stringer with 535 pounds in 2022. Offshore fishing from Ocean City peaks late spring through early fall, drawing anglers to eddies off the Gulf Stream where bait concentrates around drop-offs, yielding yellowfin tuna averaging 25 to 70 pounds alongside mahi-mahi and wahoo.
Pompano dolphinfish, highly migratory in tropical to subtropical Atlantic and Pacific waters, rarely exceed 4 pounds but grow to 57 inches. They favor floating debris and buoys, striking strip baits or squid chunks, and their duller blue-green hues with possible head spots distinguish them from larger common dolphinfish, whose world record reaches 87 pounds from Costa Rica in 1976. Warming ocean temperatures have increased sightings in Maryland since 2019, adding species like barracuda and cobia to state records. DNR tracks such shifts through surveys, noting southern visitors in Chesapeake and Atlantic waters.
Frazetti credits his father and uncle for instilling fishing skills, emphasizing bonds formed on the water. Watching his young daughters land their first fish ranks as his top memory. “Always keep learning, no matter how long you’ve been fishing,” he advises newcomers or Master Angler aspirants. The 26th Master Angler overall, Frazetti joins a lineage including 14-year-old Scott Hartzell Jr., Maryland’s first Florida pompano record holder in 2019.
DNR’s state records program, spanning four divisions since the Invasive category’s addition, awards plaques for verified catches exceeding marks or establishing new species. Anglers must use legal gear, weigh on certified scales and submit applications with biologist inspections; fish kept in ice water preserve weight. In 2025, six records fell, including two false albacore in July and a 21.8-pound Chesapeake channa in June. The longest-standing is a 6.5-pound chain pickerel from 1965 in the Chesapeake Division.
FishMaryland integrates with licensing, where fees from tackle, boats and fuel support conservation, stocking over 5 million trout annually and habitat restoration. Ocean City’s fleet, including 60-plus charters from the Fishing Center, hosts tournaments like the 37th Ocean City Tuna Tournament in July, with payouts topping $1 million. Beginners access via half-day inshore trips for bluefish and mackerel, while experts chase canyons’ pelagics using two-speed reels for stand-up fights or chairs for larger hauls.
