In the Saguenay Fjord, a Quebec ice fisherman spent two and a half hours battling a 244-pound halibut over the weekend, setting a new record for the largest Atlantic halibut ever caught in the region. Marc-André Galbrand, the president of the basin committee, described the halibut as a challenging fish to catch, requiring patience and leading to sore arms post-fishing.
Measuring two meters in length, the halibut caught by Alain Hamel in the L’Anse-Saint-Jean sector exceeded the previous record set last year by a team that landed a 194-pound halibut. The ice fishing expedition was conducted in collaboration with the local Fjord Museum as part of a scientific initiative to gather more insights about the species.
Although fishing for Atlantic halibut is prohibited in the Saguenay Fjord, participants in the project catch, tag, and transport the fish to the museum for analysis. The bones in the fish’s head provide valuable information on migration patterns. The caught halibut was officially weighed, and the meat will be distributed among fishermen, offering a rewarding experience for those involved.
Jérôme Rousseau also made a significant catch of an Atlantic halibut near Sainte-Rose-du-Nord on the Saguenay River this season, marking a personal milestone after years of participation in the scientific fishing program. The halibut was transported to the Fjord Museum for further examination, with its head and stomach removed for analysis.
Galbrand emphasized the challenges of fishing for halibut in deep waters, calling it an “extreme fishing sport” that demands expertise and caution due to the fish’s sharp teeth. The depth of the water, ranging from 120 to 180 meters, adds complexity to the fishing process, requiring careful handling to bring up the catch safely.
Following the record-breaking catch, the scientific fishing of Atlantic Halibut was temporarily halted to avoid exceeding the established quota in the fjord. Out of the 35 halibut allowed under the scientific fishing permit, 27 have been caught, with plans to authorize a small number of fishers chosen by lottery for the remaining eight, similar to restricted zones for other species like salmon or moose.
