NANTUCKET, Mass. — A 14-year-old Nantucket fisherman is making waves after landing a rare fish not typically found in New England waters.
Stone Fornes was fishing off Nantucket’s south shore Friday when he reeled in a cubera snapper, a species usually found in much warmer waters farther south.
“Definitely the most unexpected thing I ever caught,” Fornes told Boston 25 News. “I still can’t believe it.”
Fornes said he immediately recognized the fish when it surfaced.
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“I saw its head and I’ve been wanting to catch one of these fish since I was like 6 years old,” he said. “I saw the teeth and was like, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s a cubera snapper.’”
Cubera snappers are generally found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and are not commonly seen north of the Carolinas, making the catch especially unusual.
The teen said he could feel the fish’s powerful teeth during the fight.
“I could feel the wire going click, click, going between the teeth,” Fornes said. “I was so shocked when I realized this was actually a cubera snapper.”
Fornes estimates the fish measured about 50 inches long and weighed more than 40 pounds.
While he is no stranger to big catches, he says this one stands out. Fornes regularly targets sand sharks and says he has landed about 15 sharks from Nantucket beaches this summer, including a great white shark.
After snapping a few photos, he released the cubera snapper back into the ocean.
“It’s really cool to get to interact with those animals, but it’s really important that you don’t do it unless you really know what you’re doing,” Fornes said.
The catch adds to an already impressive fishing resume. In 2024, Fornes set a junior world record after catching a 118-pound white marlin.
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