Of all the species out there, the Pacific halibut is the largest halibut of all
Catching one of these big fish is something many anglers hope for and some have actually managed to catch some truly gigantic halibut over the years
In this article, we look at the story behind the current IGFA world record halibut as well as some other monster halibut that are in the record books as well
IGFA All-Tackle World Record HalibutAtlantic Halibut All Tackle RecordCalifornia Halibut All Tackle RecordRegarding Major Halibut SpeciesSize DistributionRange of Preferred Fishing TechniquesDiet Quality
IGFA All-Tackle World Record Halibut
On June 11, 1996, fisherman Jack Tragis was fishing in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, USA
It was here that he caught the largest halibut ever caught and earned a place in the record books
At the time of his record-breaking catch, Jack was using a Shakespeare Sturdy Stick, a 4/0 Penn Senator reel, Aimer line and a Big Ugly jig
Before landing the world record halibut, Jack and his fishing buddies had already landed several (albeit smaller) halibut and were getting ready to head back to shore after spending the day fishing in waters around 200 feet deep
On his last cast of the day Jack managed to catch his record breaker of 459 pounds
It took Jack two hours of fighting before the fish could be bought on the small boat he and his friends used that day
It took Jack two hours of fighting before the fish could be bought on the small boat he and his friends used that day
This large halibut is over eight feet long and five feet wide
Jack’s catch not only set a new record, it actually beat the previous record by nearly 20 pounds
Before Jack landed his giant pacific halibut, the largest ever caught was a 440-pound fish caught in 1978
This is a world record that will likely take a long time for anyone to achieve, let alone attempt to break
See also: Alaska fishing license: How much does it cost and how and where to buy?
Atlantic Halibut All Tackle Record
Thomas was able to submit all the necessary details to the IGFA who confirmed his catch as a new record for the largest Atlantic halibut ever caught
On July 28, 2004, angler Thomas Nielsen set a new world record for Atlantic halibut when he landed a huge halibut that weighed an impressive 418 pounds 13 ounces
Thomas caught his record breaking fish while bait fishing in Vannaya Troms, Norway
He uses a Shimano rod, Shimano reel and Dyneema line baited with cod
It took over an hour of fighting for Thomas to successfully land the fish but once he did, he was able to submit all the necessary details to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) who eventually certified his catch as a new record for the largest Atlantic halibut ever caught
California Halibut All Tackle Record
Rivera was fishing off Santa Rosa Island, California, USA on July 1, 2011 when he landed his 67 pound 5 ounce California halibut which set a new record for the largest fish of this species ever caught
In addition to his fishing gear, Francisco bottom fishes using live squid as bait
See also: California fishing license information: Cost, Where to buy and Different Types
About the Main Halibut Species
Pacific halibut can be found on the continental shelf in the northern Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea Atlantic halibut can be found in places as far North as Canada all the way to Iceland
If you are looking for Atlantic halibut in the US, then it is most common in the Gulf of Maine
California halibut is most commonly found south of San Francisco
Male Pacific halibut are usually smaller than females of the species
Although not all will grow to very large sizes, this species is sometimes referred to as the barn door fish because some can grow to about 500 pounds in weight and more than eight feet in length
Atlantic halibut have a relatively slow growth rate so their true size is not always seen
Although usually under eight feet in length, it is thought that these fish can grow up to 15 feet
California halibut can live up to 30 years and can grow to about five feet in length and up to 72 pounds in weight
One important thing to remember when fishing for halibut is to be patient and wait a little while after any halibut hits your line
One important thing to remember when fishing for halibut is to be patient and wait a little while after any halibut hits your line
Ideally, you’ll probably want to let the fish eat your bait before setting your hook
Circle hooks tend to work well for halibut fishing so this can be a useful addition to your fishing tackle
Another thing to keep in mind is that big baits can result in some big halibut being caught
Halibut is a delicious white-fleshed fish with a firm, meaty texture
Halibut contains nutrients that are excellent for your heart
Halibut is considered a high quality food source and makes a great addition to your diet
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A fisherman has caught the largest Halibut in the history of the world!
An angler has broken the world record for the largest halibut ever caught on rod and line
It was caught by Marco Liebenow who jokingly thought he was hooked into the submarine when the giant halibut took his bait
After taking 90 minutes to swing it to the surface, the 9-foot-long fish was too big to transport on his small boat in Norway
It weighed 513 pounds, easily beating the existing record of 419 pounds for Atlantic halibut as recognized by the International Game Fishing Association
Marco, who is in his 30s and from Germany, has now submitted a claim to the IGFA and is awaiting confirmation
‘When he first hooked it, it felt like he had caught a submarine because it was so big
‘It appears to be a world record for halibut but we are waiting to confirm it ‘
Marco donated the halibut to a local fishmonger
Atlantic halibut – Hippoglossus hippoglossus in Latin – is one of the largest bony fish in the world
Their native habitat is the northern Atlantic, from Greenland to the Barents Sea and as far south as the Bay of Biscay
Their food is usually other fish such as cod, haddock and herring although they face predation by seals and Greenland sharks