Atlantic Division record broken for the third time in one year
Cooper Clark next to his state record false albacore being weighed on a certified scale at Sunset Marina, Ocean City. Photo courtesy of Cooper Clark.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has officially recognized Cooper Clark of Ocean City as the new state record holder for false albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus) in the Atlantic Division. Clark’s 28.2-pound catch surpasses the previous record of 26.0 pounds that was set in July 2025, just eight days after the record fell for the first time in 30 years.
Clark caught the false albacore on July 3, 2026, at the “Jackspot,” a commonly fished area 20-30 nautical miles off Ocean City near the 20-fathom line.
Clark and his fishing party were trolling for bluefin tuna with skirted ballyhoo. He thought he had a small bluefin tuna on his line until they brought it into the boat. The anglers were not impressed with the false albacore and placed it in the fish box to be used for bait. The next day, they realized that it might be a state record fish.
Clark, 19, attends Salisbury University and works for his uncle’s construction business. He has lived in the Ocean City area his whole life and is very close to his uncle and cousins, frequently fishing with them from his uncle’s boat named “Baby Girl.” The July 3 trip was their fourth trip this year.
The record fish was weighed on a certified scale and verified by DNR fisheries biologist Gary Tyler at Sunset Marina on July 4.
The false albacore is a frequent summer visitor to the Ocean City area. They are more closely related to mackerel than tuna, and are sometimes called “little tunny.” Their flesh is very dark and not usually eaten, but is often used for bait. They are a very hard-fighting fish and a challenge on light tackle.
The Department of Natural Resources maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions: Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal, and Invasive. Anglers who believe they have caught a potential record-setting fish should complete the state record application and call 410-991-0748. The department recommends keeping the fish immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be verified and certified.
Maryland state fishing licenses are available on DNR’s MD Outdoors website. Fishing licenses, fishing tackle, boats, and marine fuel purchases fund DNR’s fish and wildlife conservation work.
