Tag: King salmon

‘Absolute beast’ of a king salmon landed from shore in Argentina

Alaska holds the all-tackle world record for king salmon, but Argentina might soon take over that distinction, based on previous catches.

Alaska holds the all-tackle world record for king salmon, but Argentina might soon take over that distinction based on previous catches, including a recent one described as “an absolute beast.”

Fabian Mengo, fishing with guide Tomas Biott from Tres Amigos Fly Fishing Outfitters, landed an estimated 66-pound king salmon from the shore of Lake Pearson in Santa Cruz, Patagonia, Argentina.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AIwibH8Qk6Y

Every year, chinook (or king) salmon go upriver from the Atlantic Ocean to reach the waters of Glaciers National Park where salmon up to 90.3 pounds have been reported caught by anglers.

The world record for a king salmon is 97 pounds, 4 ounces caught by Les Anderson on the Kenai River on May 17, 1985, according to the International Game Fish Association.

Could a king salmon bigger be landed in Argentina? Possibly.

“I think this place is unique,” Juan Manuel Biott of Tres Amigos Fly Fishing Outfitters told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “Nature is so overwhelming and fish so big that only in dreams could it be this way. Glaciers, lakes and kings up to [90 pounds]. Anytime, the world record is about to be broken.”

Mengo used a spoon on spinning gear, and fought the 66-pounder for 20 minutes before it was netted. It was soon released, as you see in the video.

“It was a bit over the average of the big ones caught every week,” Biott told For The Win Outdoors.

The fish measured 46.5 inches in length with a girth of 31 inches.

As Tres Amigos Fly Fishing Outfitters stated on its YouTube description, it was “an absolute beast!”

12-year-old catches 26.6-pound salmon, hits the jackpot…literally

An annual father-son fishing trip produced a once-in-a-lifetime catch for a 12-year-old who landed a grand-prize-winning king salmon on Lake Ontario.

An annual father-son fishing trip produced a once-in-a-lifetime catch for a 12-year-old boy who landed a 26-pound, 10-ounce king salmon on Lake Ontario while fishing with Rochester Sport Fishing.

Finnan Murphy fought the salmon for 30 minutes with the fish “screaming out” line on runs of 600, 400 and 300 yards, Capt. Kip Mammano told NewYorkUpstate.com.   

“I thought I’d lost the fish two times when it stopped fighting,” Murphy told NewYorkUpstate.com. “And then it would take off again. I’d reel and it just kept pulling line out. When I got it close to the boat, it dove and was pulling even more.

“When it was netted and on the boat, the captain said it might be a $15,000 fish. My jaw just dropped.”

Last Sunday was the 10th and final day of the Spring LOC Derby on Lake Ontario and, sure enough, Murphy’s fish turned out to be the grand-prize winner, beating out the 25-12 Chinook caught by Walter Zebker, 76, just the day before.

It was the first time an angler in the youth category (ages 10-15) had won the Spring Derby, which has been held since 1989.

The annual father-son fishing trip consists of three father-son duos. Finnan and his father Shane Murphy, Joel and Josh (17) Bezel, and Jeff and Jacob (17) Liberman—all from Pittsford, N.Y.—were all fishing with Mammano.

Amanda Murphy told NewYorkUpstate.com that during last year’s trip, Finnan was the only one in the group that didn’t get a chance to grab a rod, and reel in a fish, so he was the first in line this year.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Lake Havasu yields another redear sunfish of world-record size

When Mammano netted the fish, he shook the boy’s hand and told him he was a winner.

“You could hear it in his voice,” Mammano told NewYorkUpstate.com. “He didn’t know what to think. He was intoxicated with energy and disbelief.”

It became official when the fish was weighed on a certified scale at the Wilson Boatyard.

What does young Finnan plan to do with his winnings?

“Most of the $15,000 will go to a college fund,” Finnan said at the LOC Derby Awards Ceremony at Captain Jack’s Restaurant in Sodus Point, according to the Buffalo News. “I would like to get my mom and dad a present, and maybe get a few toys and video games.”

Photos of Finnan and his fish, and Finnan with his trophies next to his father Shane and Capt. Mammano (holding fish) courtesy of LOC Derby and  Rochester Sport Fishing

[listicle id=1024028]