Record oyster toadfish certified

Curious species known for having teeth to avoid

Sherman Roberts may not own the biggest entry in the Mississippi Salt Water Fishing record book, but the Biloxi fisherman can certainly claim one of the most curious.

Roberts’ 3-pound, 2-ounce oyster toadfish (Opasnus tau) was certified as a new record Tuesday by the Commission on Marine Resources, the governing board over the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

The fish was caught earlier this summer on conventional tackle south of Horn Island, and beat the previous record of 2 pounds, 4.48 ounces set in August of 2016.

Oyster toadfish, a.k.a. oyster fish, are commonly caught along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and are one of those species about which fishermen are warned to beware of teeth. The oyster fish is known to feed on oysters and have the jaws and the teeth to get the job done.