Chris Boyce of Hampton, Virginia has established a new state record for snowy grouper with a 66-pound fish caught December 9, 2007. The record-setting grouper bested the existing state record, set by Bob Manus of Ark, Virginia on June 10, 2007, by 8 ounces. Boyce has filed an application with the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) for acceptance of his snowy grouper as the World All-tackle Record for snowy grouper. Manus currently holds the IFGA record.
Boyce caught his grouper in nearly 600 feet of water near the Norfolk Canyon while "deep-dropping" with Ken Neill, III on his private boat Healthy Grin. The fish had a length of 49-1/2 inches and a girth of 37-1/2 inches. The record fish was caught on a Penn Mariner Stand-up rod, mated with a Shimano TLD 20 reel and spooled with 50-pound test Power Pro braided line on a single hook bottom rig baited with a hefty chunk of fresh false albacore.
Manus was aboard the Healthy Grin December 9th, and once the big grouper was on the surface, assisted in the netting and hoisting of the fish onto the deck. Both Manus's record catch and the previous state record snowy grouper, held by Roger Burnley of Virginia Beach, were caught aboard the Healthy Grin in the same general area near the Norfolk Canyon.
For more information, contact Lewis S. Gillingham, Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 968 S. Oriole Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, (757) 491-5160, vswft@mrc.virginia.gov
