The 30 Biggest Record-Breaking Fish Ever Caught (2024)

FAQs

What is the biggest record breaking fish ever caught? ›

According to IGFA records, the largest fish ever caught was a great white shark that weighed an unbelievable 2,664 pounds (1,208.389 kg.). Caught off the coast of Ceduna, Australia, in 1959, it took angler Alfred Dean just 50 minutes to win the fight against this one-ton shark.

The biggest bony fish ever known (as opposed to cartilaginous fish such as sharks) is a specimen of the marine fossil species Leedsichthys problematicus. Dating back c. 165 million years, it is estimated to have reached up to 16.76 m (55 ft) in length.

The largest species is the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) of the Caspian and Black seas, the only extant bony fish to rival the massiveness of the ocean sunfish. The largest specimen considered reliable (based on remains) was caught in the Volga estuary in 1827 and measured 7.3 m (24 ft) and weighed 1,474 kg (3,250 lb).

Language. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - It's official: a 661-pound (300-kilo) stingray discovered last year in Cambodia is the largest freshwater fish ever recorded, a Guinness World Records adjudicator announced on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

At 8,022 meters down, in another deep trench off Japan, the pair of fish captured in traps marked scientists' deepest catch on record.

Leedsichthys problematicus, meaning "Alfred Leed's problem-causing fish", was another prehistoric ocean giant. Estimates put Leedsichthys at approximately 16.5m long, substantially larger than the average Megalodon. Although huge, this fish was probably a filter-feeder, not a predator.

While the whale shark is certainly a big animal, it is considerably smaller than the blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, which is the biggest animal in the world. The largest blue whale ever recorded measured a staggering 33 metres in length.

The shortfin mako shark is a large, predatory shark that lives in the open ocean and reaches lengths of 12 feet (3.8 m) and weights of at least 1200 pounds (545 kg). With top speeds of 45 miles per hour (74 kilometers per hour), the shortfin mako is the fastest shark and is one of the fastest fishes on the planet.

Like this mammoth grouper, that looks like it's from the Stone Age, come from deep to devour a reef shark whole in one swallow.

The smallest shark, a dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi) is smaller than a human hand. It's rarely seen and little is known about it, having only been observed a few times off the northern tip of South America at depths between 283–439 meters (928–1,440 feet).

What is the biggest bass ever caught? ›

The 22-pound, 4-ounce behemoth that currently holds the world record was caught some 89 years ago by George Perry on June 2, 1932, from Montgomery Lake in Georgia.

Lake sturgeons are the biggest fish in the Great Lakes. And while individuals can pass the century mark, the species has been around since the days of the dinosaurs.

The world-record tiger shark was caught by Kevin Clapson on in March, 2004 near Ulladulla, Australia. Its official weight was 1,785 pounds, 11 ounces.

Overfishing statistics: The trends are clear

Worldwide, 90% of the stocks of large predatory fish, such as sharks, tuna, marlin, and swordfish, are already gone!

On the fifth and final day of the 50th White Marlin Open, a fisherman landed the first and only qualifying billfish of the tournament, and it was a whopper worth a hefty sum.