Deal Island man sets new fishing record after catching sheephead

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that a Deal Island man has set a new state fishing record in the Chesapeake Division for sheephead this month.

Dave Alveberg caught the 13.73 pound record breaking fish on August 17, in roughly four feet of water off South Marsh Island near Tangier Sound. Intent on catching white perch and rockfish, Alveberg was using soft crab as bait when his line went "haywire." After a brief struggle, he reportedly pulled aboard the record sheephead.

Alveberg says, "Seeing something like this on my boat was amazing." He plans on getting his sheephead mounted for display. The sheephead's weight was confirmed by Brent Malone of How Sweet It Is, a market in Somerset County. The catch broke the previous record 13.3 pound fish caught by Dan Thomas last year.

The department keeps records for sport fish in four divisions– Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal and Invasive — and awards plaques to anglers who accomplish record catches. Fish caught from privately owned, fee fishing waters are ineligible for consideration.

Anglers who believe that they have a potential record catch should download and fill out the state record application and call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. The department suggests that the fish be immersed in ice water to keep its weight until it can be checked, confirmed and certified.