Alexandra Spring sets world record for Atlantic halibut off Cape Cod

On July 22, Alexandra Spring and her fiancé CJ Peppe joined Captain Ian Leonard on one of their annual summer fishing trips. They traveled from Florida to Cape Cod for three summers in a row, experiencing the legendary fishing opportunities of southern New England. This time the weather told the captain that bluefin tuna would be his best bet. They began setting up bait lines and waiting for the tuna to react, but Spring couldn’t sit still. She grabbed an ultralight slow-strike jig with an A87 diamond jig and got to work while they waited for the tuna.

After just 15 minutes of jigging, what seemed like an obstacle quickly turned into something much more unusual. The fish struggled against the inexorable weight, and when it finally approached the surface, it saw the boat and made another powerful jerk. Using her experience and determination, Spring eventually pulled the monster aboard, knowing it was a huge fish, but not yet realizing that it had made fishing history.

Sometimes fishing brings such big surprises that they rewrite the record books. For Alexandra Spring, an accomplished angler with nine previous world records, a routine tuna trip off Cape Cod turned into an unforgettable encounter with a 33-pound, 14-ounce Atlantic halibut. This remarkable fish was not only the first halibut she had ever caught, but also secured her tenth International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record, this time becoming the world record holder for Atlantic halibut in the 30-pound line class.

The group initially thought the reel was spooled with 20-pound line, suggesting the halibut might set a women’s record in that class. However, after submitting the necessary materials for certification, the line was tested to a breaking strength of up to 30 pounds. Notably, spring halibut broke a decade-old record set in Greenland in the 1980s. The IGFA recently confirmed her achievement, once again cementing her place in the fishing record books.

A chance Atlantic halibut caught in the spring is a testament to the unpredictability of fishing and the benefits of being open-minded and adventurous on the water. Whether you’re fishing for tuna with live bait or jigging to pass the time, you never know when the next bite will yield the catch that will change everything.

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