A New Hampshire teenager refused help from seasoned fishermen as he battled a 177-pound halibut that could land him in the record books.
Jackson Denio, 13, of Hampton spent over 30 minutes reeling in the North Atlantic halibut during a 20-hour fishing trip with Al Gauron Deep Sea Fishing, CBS-affiliate WBZ News reported. The International Fish and Game Association (IFGA) is now reviewing whether Denio’s catch sets a new record for anglers under 16.
“I didn’t want anybody touching the rod. I wanted to do it myself,” Denio said. “Thirty seconds into the fight it started to fight like a halibut.”
The halibut stood three inches taller than Jackson and outweighed him by over 50 pounds.
Captain Jim Walsh, who witnessed the catch aboard the American Classic, expressed surprise at the teen’s determination. “Even some young adults that age when they hook up on a fish like that, they usually pass the rod off,” Walsh said.
“I was very excited”: A 13-year-old from New Hampshire was fishing about 100 miles offshore when he reeled in this massive, 177-pound halibut Sunday! https://t.co/xUQmuDKbtr pic.twitter.com/au7DKmgbro
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) September 5, 2025
Denio recalled the moments before the catch, according to WBZ News. “Around 8:30, I decided I was going to put out the shark rod that I brought, and one of the mates, Angelo, he said, “Drop it all the way to the bottom and see what happens,” the teen said, adding that it will take days for the IFGA to determine whether what he reeled in was record breaking.
Walsh emphasized the potential significance of Denio’s achievement. “It could possibly be an international record with the size and his age,” the captain said. “That was a prize of a prize. I got to tip my hat to him.”
Denio said he and the crew spent hours cutting the halibut into steaks, though the young angler admitted he hadn’t tasted his trophy catch yet. (RELATED: Kid Catches Sturgeon Measuring Nearly 10 Feet Long In Idaho)
Young anglers landing monster fish has become a recurring theme across America. Last year in Idaho, a 12-year-old caught a sturgeon measuring nine feet, 11 inches — just one inch shy of a regulation basketball hoop’s height. Bradley Courtright hauled in a 95-pound flathead catfish on Pine Creek Reservoir in Oklahoma back in May 2024, though 15-year-old Jaylynn Parker topped that with a 101.11-pound blue catfish from the Ohio River in April.