The International Game Fish Association has certified that Juliana Merighi holds the junior female world record for catching a striped bass.
The 14-year-old from Vineland reeled in the 58.29-pound striped bass during last year's The Press of Atlantic City Fishing Contest. It took until Thursday for the group to say the catch beat the old record of 47 pounds.
Merighi told the newspaper it took about 10 minutes to land the fish. The angler, who has been fishing since she was 5, says she didn't think it was any big deal until she went to weigh it in.
The fish was 54 inches long and had a girth of 32 inches.
---
Information from: The Press of Atlantic City
