Teen Hauls 177-Pound Halibut off New England; Fish Tops His Weight, Could Be Record

A 13-year-old New Hampshire angler landed a 177-pound (80-kilogram) Atlantic halibut during a deep-sea trip this week, a catch that weighed more than the boy and could be a world record if verified.

Jackson Denio of Hampton, New Hampshire, was fishing about 100 miles (161 kilometers) off the New England coast on Cashes Ledge on Monday morning when he hooked the fish, according to his family and the charter operator. Denio, who is about 5-foot-9 and weighs roughly 120 pounds, said he screamed when he realized the size of the haul. “I think I screamed, honestly,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but I was very excited.”

Denio had set out on an overnight charter with about 30 other passengers aboard a trip run by Al Gauron’s Deep Sea Fishing and Whale Watching. After a period in which the group caught smaller species such as pollock, Denio told crew members he wanted to try for a shark and was advised to fish along the bottom. Minutes after dropping a hook baited with pollock, he felt a strong strike and fought the fish for roughly 30 minutes, at times bringing it near the boat before it dove again.

Crew members guided Denio and helped bring the fish to the surface as fellow passengers watched and cheered. The halibut was landed and weighed at 177 pounds (80 kilograms), exceeding the angler’s own body weight.

Atlantic halibut are among the largest flatfish species in the North Atlantic and can reach substantial sizes, though catches of the size reported by Denio are uncommon. The catch was described by those on board as remarkable for the angler’s age and stature, and the charter operator posted the account to social media following the trip.

Officials from relevant fishing record authorities were not immediately cited in public statements, and it was not clear whether the catch had been submitted for formal verification. The charter operator said that its crews followed safety procedures during the landing and that passengers celebrated the successful haul.

Denio and his family hailed the experience as a memorable achievement. The teenager’s catch adds to a history of notable recreational halibut hauls in the region, which remains a popular destination for deep-sea fishing during the season.

Further details on any official record consideration, including verification of species and weight under recognized standards, were not available at the time of publication.