Record Atlantic Halibut Caught Through the Ice in Saguenay Fjord

Ice fishing and halibut aren’t two phrases you normally hear collectively in the identical sentence. Atlantic halibut are saltwater giants most anglers affiliate with deep offshore water, not frozen bays. However that’s precisely what occurred in Quebec’s Saguenay Fjord, the place Alain Hamel hauled an enormous halibut by way of the ice after a marathon battle.

The fish measured greater than 6.5 ft lengthy, weighed 244 kilos, and was later confirmed by scientists as the biggest Atlantic halibut ever recorded within the fjord, and one of many largest ever caught by way of the ice anyplace.

For anglers, the small print are what actually stand out.

Hamel battled the fish for roughly two and a half hours earlier than his crew was in a position to get it topside. In line with biologists concerned with the challenge, that battle time will not be uncommon. Some anglers in this system have spent six to 12 hours linked to halibut that in the end broke off. These will not be fast tug-and-reel fish. They’re endurance contests that demand heavy gear, persistence, and a coordinated workforce on the ice.

The report Atlantic halibut was formally weighed, with the meat later shared amongst fishermen concerned within the scientific challenge. Photograph: Musée du Fjord.

This catch was made underneath a particular scientific allow tied to a winter halibut analysis challenge run in partnership with the Musée du Fjord. The Saguenay is likely one of the solely locations in North America the place Atlantic halibut may be legally caught by way of the ice, due to its distinctive mixture of freshwater influx and deep, chilly saltwater beneath the ice.

Solely about 35 particular licenses are issued every winter, and strict guidelines apply. All halibut underneath 33.5 inches should be launched. Bigger fish are harvested for science, with heads and abdomen contents analyzed to assist researchers perceive progress charges, eating regimen, and motion patterns. Hamel’s fish yielded roughly 170 kilos of meat, which can be shared among the many fishermen concerned.

One fascinating observe for anglers who love fish conduct particulars. Scientists discovered a crab within the halibut’s abdomen, reinforcing what many saltwater fishermen already know. These huge flatfish are opportunistic backside feeders that can crush absolutely anything they’ll pin down.

Atlantic halibut are kin of the Pacific halibut many West Coast anglers are conversant in, however they develop considerably bigger. The all sort out world report acknowledged by the International Game Fish Association is slightly below 419 kilos, caught in Norway in 2004. A specimen reported off Sweden as soon as weighed greater than 700 kilos.

Maybe essentially the most encouraging takeaway for fishermen is what this catch says concerning the fishery itself. In line with challenge leaders, Atlantic halibut have been not often encountered within the Saguenay a decade in the past. Over the past 4 years, numbers have elevated sufficient that this winter’s scientific quota was reached early and the fishery needed to be shut right down to keep away from exceeding limits.

For now, this stays a tightly managed analysis program, not a public ice fishing alternative. However for anglers who recognize huge fish, lengthy fights, and the science behind wholesome fisheries, this 244 pound halibut is a reminder of simply how a lot continues to be taking place under the ice.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outside journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outside column for the Slidell Unbiased Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith e mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com