The New Hampshire state record for bluefin tuna was shattered last Tuesday when Captains Garth Morin, Bruce DelleChiaie and Rick Green landed a 962-pound bluefin while fishing aboard the Salt Shaker out of New Castle, NH. After hooking up near Jeffrey’s Ledge, Captain Green fought for more than 3.5 hours before the crew brought the monstrous tuna aboard the boat.

In the words of Captain Morin:

“The fish was first spotted in the chum slick as it fed directly under the boat for 15 minutes before we tricked it with a hook bait. The fish stayed on the surface for most of the fight and sprinted towards the bottom in 380 feet of water and died. We winched him one foot at a time before he surfaced head first with a mouth full of floating Herring. A large Blue Shark was circling the boat chasing seagulls and eyeing our precious catch. Fortunately he decided not to try the sushi. The 150-pound Seaguar Flourocarbon leader held tough as it was chafed quite severely in the mouth of the giant. We used a Shimano 130 Tiagra Reel and a Chatham Special rod.”

The previous record was set by Paul J. Wentworth, also of New Castle, in 2001 when he brought back an 865-pound bluefin. The documents for the new record were signed by witnesses but have yet to be officially verified by the NH Division of Fish and Game.

See more videos and pictures of the fish below.