Ocean City’s fishing charters are known for catching big, photo-worthy fish off the coast. But this past week brought even more impressive fishing action than usual, with two Maryland state records broken.
Jeff Jacobs, 38, of Calvert County caught a 393-pound swordfish for a new state record during a charter, while Thomas “Tad” Bodmer of Poolesville caught a state record-breaking albacore tuna at 78 pounds, just a pound off the world record.
A state record swordfish is a feather in any angler’s cap, but Jacobs’ swordfish did not come easily. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports that he had already been on the water for eight hours aboard the charter boat RoShamBo with Captain Willie Zimmerman and crew when they hooked the swordfish in the canyons off Ocean City. The boat’s Shimano Tyrnos 50 two-speed reel was baited with eel and a blue-white skirt, DNR says.
The anglers noticed something tugging on the line and “before long,…