[kellyhound]

A German angler hooked a world record-breaking Atlantic halibut that tipped the scales at 513 pounds.

The nine-foot-long fish weighed more than a gorilla and was so big it could not be hauled onto the fishing boat after Marco Liebenow spent an hour and a half fighting it with hook and line.

According to the outdoors life publication Field & Stream, the fish was heavy enough to shatter the International Game Fish Association's (IGFA) current world record for Atlantic halibut by 94 pounds.

Liebenow and his shipmates tied a rope to the fish's tail and towed it to shore, where it had to be brought to land with a crane.

When he first hooked the fish it put up such a fight that Liebenow joked he may have caught a submarine.

The fish was caught during charter fishing expedition. Liebenow does not speak English, but Daivd Bottcher, a representative from Angelreisen Hamburg, the angling tour operator that organized the fishing trip to Kjollefjord, Norway, relayed the following:

"It took four men to bring it towards their 19-foot boat and then they could only put a sling around its tail and pull it back to the harbour.

Marco was elated afterwards and celebrated with the boat skipper and their housekeeper by having a few beers.

The IGFA maintains world records for both Pacific and Atlantic halibut. Liebenow's catch handily bests the Atlantic halibut record of 418 pounds, which was set in 2004.

The record for Pacific halibut is 459 pounds and was set in 1996.

Liebenow reportedly donated the prize halibut to a local fish dealer.

[aintthatathing]

I fish off the west coast of British Columbia in Canada. There are many reasons to let this fish go, few for keeping it.
At an age of 150 to 200 years old this fish has had time to accumulate loads of naturally occurring mercury and would be toxic to humans.
Its advanced age makes the meat taste like an old shoe. Our policy is to take nothing over 80lbs anything over is unpalatable.
This is obviously a superior fish with great genetics and a shit load of sperm or eggs. With stocks so low let it go!
Or you can take a pretty picture then send the rest to the local fish dealer to be ground down to feed a few hundred hungry dogs.

[Wardead]

I wonder why these kind of pictures only show the white side of the halibut?

[Iliketurtles]

I honestly would of took a picture and some video but let it go.

[kellyhound]

Originally Posted by aintthatathing ↗

There are many reasons to let this fish go, few for keeping it.
At an age of 150 to 200 years old this fish has had time to accumulate loads of naturally occurring mercury and would be toxic to humans.

Nowhere i could find they get that old ?


http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/fldrs/halibut/

[Blewvane]

In 2 minds about this. First off the guy caught a record breaker and has proof, and bragging rights for the rest of his life. Then again it is a shame the fish had to die in the process.

[Sharon]

Great catch yet I'm always sad they have to die. Money I guess.

[Faline]

[Kanda444]

Originally Posted by aintthatathing ↗

I fish off the west coast of British Columbia in Canada. There are many reasons to let this fish go, few for keeping it.
At an age of 150 to 200 years old this fish has had time to accumulate loads of naturally occurring mercury and would be toxic to humans.
Its advanced age makes the meat taste like an old shoe. Our policy is to take nothing over 80lbs anything over is unpalatable.
This is obviously a superior fish with great genetics and a shit load of sperm or eggs. With stocks so low let it go!
Or you can take a pretty picture then send the rest to the local fish dealer to be ground down to feed a few hundred hungry dogs.

it's a sport. i'd of kept it too and i understand the reasons for letting it go....

[Kanda444]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

Nowhere i could find they get that old ?


http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/fldrs/halibut/

they dont. the oldest (i believe) was around 40+ years old.