The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has certified two new state records for rarely seen deepwater fish species. The Channel Scabbardfish (Evoxymetopon taeniatus) and the Spinycheek Scorpionfish (Neomerinthe hemingwayi) were both caught off Ocracoke on July 13, 2025.
Jody Hopkins from Grimesland landed the Channel Scabbardfish, weighing 7 pounds, 3.2 ounces and measuring 60 inches in length with a girth of 10.25 inches. “Hopkins first established a state record for Bulleye in June and has now established a record for Channel Scabbardfish.” According to the International Game Fish Association, the world record for this species is 9 pounds, 9 ounces, caught in the Bahamas in 2023. There have only been a few dozen recorded observations of Channel Scabbardfish in the Western Atlantic.
Oden Hopkins, Jody’s son, set his own state record with a Spinycheek Scorpionfish weighing 4 pounds, 6.4 ounces. This unofficially ties the current IGFA world record for the species that was caught in Virginia in 2015. His fish measured over 20 inches long and had a girth of nearly 14 inches. Anglers are advised to exercise caution when handling scorpionfish because their spines are venomous and can cause injuries.
Both catches occurred while jigging about 33 miles offshore at depths close to 700 feet. The father and son used torpedo jigs on Dragon Strike DSC-633 rods paired with Gomexus SX450L reels equipped with heavy lines and leaders. Weigh-ins took place at Neuse Sport Shop in Kinston.
The Channel Scabbardfish was brought to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters in Morehead City where biologists identified it with assistance from experts at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh. The team photographed and collected genetic samples from the specimen, which will be added to the museum’s permanent collection.
More information about saltwater fishing records is available through the division’s State Saltwater Records webpage or by contacting tournament staff at saltwater.citations@deq.nc.gov.
