'Monster' Bluefin Tuna, Weighing About 1,000 Pound, Reeled In By Virginia Fishermen

A father-son duo from Virginia recently reeled in a "monster" bluefin tuna, estimated to be about 1,000 pounds.

Josiah VanFleet and his son, Zeke, were 45 miles off the Outer Banks when they caught the marine creature last week. While the exact weight of the fish could not be confirmed, members of the Coast Guard estimated it to be about 1,000 pounds.

If accurate, this could break North Carolina’s current state record, which is 877 pounds and was set in 2017. The fishermen were unable to weigh the catch as the scales were not working.

A video of the incident was uploaded on YouTube with the caption: "We had been waiting for the perfect conditions to take our boat out to catch a bluefin and today was the day. We were hooked at 8:15 am and home by 3. We had no idea how big this fish actually was. Not bad for our first Bluefin."

Photos shared on Facebook showed the tuna was twice the size of 9-year-old Zeke. VanFleet said his son has been fishing since he was 3 years old. The family lives in Toano where VanFleet runs his own custom tile company.

“I think we are still in shock about this whole story. I honestly think it was just a divine moment at just the right time,” VanFleet wrote in a Facebook post about his experience. “For those of you who are worried about us, we do have plans of getting a bigger boat.”

While talking to Carolina Sportsman magazine, VanFleet said the crew “harvested as much meat as possible from it and passed plenty of it out to neighbors and friends.”

Southeastern Marine, a boat dealer that worked on VanFleet’s fishing vessel, also posted about the catch on Facebook.

According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, Western Atlantic bluefin can reach 13 feet and 2,000 pounds, and live up to 20 years. The website said bluefin tuna grow more slowly than other varieties of the fish, and added that waters off the Outer Banks are considered a prime fishing spot for bluefin.

“The Atlantic Gulf Stream meanders as close as only ten miles outside Hatteras Inlet. Because of this natural phenomenon our local Cape Hatteras deep sea charter boats can offer you the shortest boat rides this side of Miami,” the site added.