Pennsylvania angler breaks Maryland tilefish record during his first time fishing

Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently confirmed Dominic Vuotto, of Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, as a new state record holder for blueline tilefish.

Vuotto landed a 21.3-pound blueline tilefish July 26 while fishing offshore near Washington Canyon. The outing was Vuotto’s first time fishing.

Vuotto was fishing aboard Foolish Pleasures with charter captain Dale Lisi out of Ocean City. The group was originally trolling for tuna, but after no luck, they stopped to target blueline tilefish at a spot where the captain had found success in the past.

The anglers used only hand-crank reels because fish caught with the aid of electric reels are ineligible for state and world records.

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Vuotto dropped his line into deep water and felt a strike. He set the hook and began reeling in the fish that put up a tough fight.

“My friends were kidding that it was taking too long,” Vuotto said. “But when the fish reached the surface, everyone cheered at the size of it.”

Staff at Bahia Marina in Ocean City weighed the fish on a certified scale. Vuotto’s catch bested the previous record of 20.6 pounds set by London Anthony on Aug. 24, 2024.

Vuotto now plans to do more fishing and spend more time boating in Ocean City. He has already made plans to go fishing offshore again.