Top 10 Largest Fish Ever Caught (By Species)
Top 10 Species
These are the fish that get noticed by FishyAF anglers. Click any species to deep dive and learn more.
1
Bluefin Tuna
Verified
World Record
1,496 lb 0 oz
Ken Fraser / 1979
Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia
Ken Fraser / 1979
Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia
Signature Fact
Bluefin run a built‑in furnace, keeping muscles, eyes, and brain up to 20°C warmer than seawater.
2
Black marlin
Verified
World Record
1560 lb 0 oz
Alfred Glassell Jr. / 1953
Cabo Blanco, Peru
Alfred Glassell Jr. / 1953
Cabo Blanco, Peru
Signature Fact
Black marlin are the only marlin that cannot fold their pectoral fins flush against the body.
3
Tiger shark
Verified
World Record
Pending
Signature Fact
Stomach checks have turned up license plates, tires, and even a fur coat in tiger sharks.
4
Goliath Grouper
Learn More Here Verified Catch
World Record
680 lb 0 oz
Lynn Joyner / 1961
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Lynn Joyner / 1961
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Signature Fact
It "booms" like a subwoofer-swim-bladder muscles thump so hard divers feel it in their ribs.
5
Giant Freshwater Stingray
Species Guide Coming Soon
World Record
—
Signature Fact
More details coming soon.
6
Mekong Giant Catfish
Species Guide Coming Soon
World Record
—
Signature Fact
More details coming soon.
7
Alligator Gar
Learn More Here Verified Catch
World Record
279 lb 0 oz
Art Weston / 2011
Rio Grande, Texas
Art Weston / 2011
Rio Grande, Texas
Signature Fact
Their eggs are poisonous to humans, even after cooking-roe tacos are a very bad idea.
8
White Sturgeon
Learn More Here Verified Catch
World Record
0 lb 5 oz
Steven J. Cozza / 2001
Cape May, New Jersey
Steven J. Cozza / 2001
Cape May, New Jersey
Signature Fact
Eleven‑foot white sturgeon sometimes launch completely out of the water-prehistoric armor doing full‑on tarpon acrobatics.
9
Greenland shark
Learn More Here Verified Catch
World Record
Pending
Signature Fact
Oldest known vertebrate on Earth; radiocarbon-dated individuals reached nearly 400 years old.
10
White Shark
Species Guide Coming Soon
World Record
—
Signature Fact
More details coming soon.
FAQs
What is the largest fish ever caught by anglers?
Large sharks like great whites and tiger sharks, along with bluefin tuna and marlin, are among the biggest fish ever caught by anglers.
Why only one fish per species in this list?
This approach keeps the list diverse and highlights the biggest representatives across different species rather than repeating the same type of fish.
Are these records officially recognized?
Some are recognized by organizations like the IGFA, while others are historical or regional records that are widely accepted.
Can anglers still catch fish this large today?
Yes, though many of these sizes are rare. Conservation rules and catch-and-release practices also impact modern records.
What makes a fish a record-breaking catch?
Size, weight, and length relative to the species determine whether a fish is considered record-breaking.
