Big Fish at Turn of the 20th Century

Click picture to massively enlarge (photo from Shorpy).

Giant Black Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas), Santa Catalina, California, 1900.

Weight of 384 pounds, and caught on rod and reel.

The all-tackle world record for this species is 563 pounds.


Click picture to massively enlarge (photo from Shorpy).

Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola), Santa Catalina, California, 1910.

Est. weight is 3,500 pounds, and probably harpooned or caught in a drift gillnet set for swordfish.

The all-tackle world record for this species is 5,071 pounds.

• Related Links:
  ** Fisheries at the End of the Line
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