A 9-year-old girl has set a new Maryland fishing record after catching a 94.6-pound cobia.
The Daily Times of Salisbury reports that Emma Zajdel of Ocean City caught the fish on June 30 while fishing with family and friends at Little Gull Shoals near Assateague Island.
Zajdel says she struggled for about 20 minutes to reel in the fish, which she originally thought was a shark.
After catching the fish, Zajdel kept it iced overnight before taking it to a certified scale, where a fisheries biologist confirmed the species and catch. The fish measured in a 66.5 inches long.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Zajdel's record shattered the previous 79-pound state record set in 2014.
Zajdel’s catch could become a new International Game Fish Association Small Fry World Record for a fish caught by someone under the age of 10, according to the DNR. The current record is 48 pounds.