The old fish at the surface at last, white belly shining. 
We have a new camp record. This week our waters gave up the biggest halibut in the history of Røst Fishing Camp, a 249 cm Atlantic halibut. It beats the previous camp record of 235 cm set by Ingemar Boström, and the way it happened still makes me smile.
It started with a cod
The whole thing started with a cod, of all things. Jimmy was working a soft bait and hooked a small cod, around 3 kilos. As he brought it up to the surface, a big shadow came up behind it. A giant halibut, following its meal all the way to the top.
Right at the surface the old fish decided the cod was hers, and she attacked. Here Jimmy got lucky. She grabbed the cod and the hook at the same time, and the hook held.
A long fight on light tackle
Now the fun part. Jimmy was fishing a Daiwa Saltist slow pitch rod. That is very light gear for a fish like this, the kind of rod you would never pick on purpose to fight a 249 cm halibut. The fight was long and we honestly were not sure how it would end.
The fish pulled line and tested every bit of that light rod. Jimmy kept his head, and thanks to Mattias driving the boat to keep a good angle for the fight, she finally came up to the boat. Mattias and Jimmy showing how teamwork works in those critical times before securing the fish boatside. Good teamwork, a bit of luck, and a lot of patience.
An old fish with a story
How old is a fish like this? Big Atlantic halibut grow slowly and live a long time. The ages biologists have actually measured top out around 50 years, and some scientists think the very biggest females might reach 80 or more. A real 100 has never been confirmed, so we will not claim it. Either way, a 249 cm halibut has been around for decades. She has survived everything these cold seas can throw at a fish, and that alone should earn respect.
A fish like that also carries some of the best genetics in our waters, and that is worth protecting.
Released with pride
For us, putting a fish like this back is not even a legal question. We do it with pride. We measured her, took a few quick photos, and watched her swim slowly back down to where she belongs. Releasing our big halibut is how we keep the genetics of our giants in Røst waters, and how we make sure the next angler gets a shot at the fish of a lifetime.
We have tangled with giants like this before. A few seasons back, Sylvain our guest landed a 205 cm halibut here, and you can watch the whole fight on my channel.
Records are made to be broken. The old 235 from Ingemar Boström stood since 2015, and now 249 is the mark to beat. We know that the next one is already down there, waiting for you.
Tight lines, and see you soon at Røst Fishing Camp.
👉 A few weeks are still open for the 2026 season. Come and try to break the record: rostfishing.com/bokning/
📸 Daily catch reports on Instagram @rostfishing
Captain Jullian
