North Carolina Man Catches Potential World-Record Puddingwife Wrasse

The uniquely colorful fish is a new state record, and it could unseat the current world record

Stone holds the 3-pound, 11-ounce wrasse off the southern coast of North Carolina. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Connor Stone of Southport, North Carolina, made history on July 27 when he reeled in what has now been certified as the state’s first-ever record puddingwife wrasse, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality reported Monday. He hauled in the eye-catching fish 10 miles offshore of his hometown, which is on the southern coast of North Carolina just across Cape Fear River from Bald Head Island. 

What makes the unusual catch even more notable is that the 3-pound, 11-ounce wrasse might also break the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record, which hasn’t been touched in over 20 years.

Stone caught the fish on squid and 50-pound braid with a Fiblink…