New Delaware State Record Catch for Golden Tilefish by Dover Man

Logan Smith aboard the boat Blue Betty II with his new state record Golden Tilefish that weighed 56 pounds, 3.2 ounces and eclipsed the previous record by almost 3.5 pounds / Photo courtesy of Logan Smith & DNREC

DNREC officials have confirmed that a 56 pound 3.2-ounce Golden Tilefish caught by angler Logan Smith of Dover is a new state record catch. Smith’s catch measured 42 ½ inches in length and surpasses the previous record by 13 year old Dylan Baker in 2020 by nearly 3.5 pounds. 

DNREC reports Smith and friends were on the Blue Betty II at Poormans Canyon where they caught the record-setting Golden Tilefish – about 60 miles offshore from Indian River Inlet – in 650-foot-deep waters.

Additional information from DNREC:

Smith caught his prize using whole squid as bait.

When he hooked the Golden Tilefish at that depth, Smith was unsure of what was on the end of his line: “When it bit, I had no idea what it was, because it was pulling drag like crazy,” he said. “When me and my buddies finally saw some color from the fish and brought it into the boat, we thought it could be a state record.” Smith, who was surprised at pulling the massive fish aboard, said that as an angler, the state record has been his biggest fishing accomplishment so far.

The Golden Tilefish was certified by Delaware Natural Resources Police at Hook ‘em & Cook ‘em bait and tackle shop in South Bethany. Smith’s state record is one of the most recent additions to the DNREC Fishing Records page, which lists all Delaware fishing records for both freshwater and saltwater species.

Fishing state records in Delaware are managed by DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife through the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament, which has already seen four new records set in 2025. For more information on recreational and commercial fishing, including regulations and licensing, visit the DNREC Fisheries Section.