Offshore & Billfish: world record vs average size

Bluewater legends. The 1979 Nova Scotia bluefin and the 1953 Chilean swordfish have outlived every 'unsinkable' record that followed them.

8 species <100×
SpeciesAll-tackle world recordTypical catchTrophy sizeRecord ÷ averageScale
WahooAcanthocybium solandri 184 lbBahamas (1980) 25 lb 100 lb 7×
Mahi-MahiCoryphaena hippurus 87.9 lbCosta Rica (1976) 8 lb 30 lb 11×
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares 388.8 lbPanama (1977) 60 lb 200 lb 6×
Bluefin TunaThunnus thynnus 1496 lbAulac, Nova Scotia, Canada (1979) 200 lb 800 lb 7×
SwordfishXiphias gladius 1182 lbChile (1953) 100 lb 400 lb 12×
Blue MarlinMakaira nigricans 1402.1 lbVitória, Brazil (1992) 200 lb 800 lb 7×
Striped MarlinKajikia audax 494 lbNew Zealand (1986) 100 lb 250 lb 5×
SailfishIstiophorus albicans 221 lbAtlantic Ocean 50 lb 150 lb 4×
How to read these charts: each bar's full width is the all-tackle world record. The blue fill is a typical catch; the red notch is a trophy benchmark — a fish most anglers remember for years. The record figures are widely reported all-tackle marks; the IGFA record database is the authoritative source — verify current records there before planning a record attempt. Average and trophy figures are working benchmarks from charter and tournament norms, not official statistics.

Think you beat the average?

Photograph your catch and the AI fish identifier will help you confirm the species — then check it against the records above.

Identify my fish