Discover the Largest Mahi Mahi Ever Caught in Washington

A record-breaking-sized mahi mahi has been caught off the coast of Washington. It replaces the previous largest mahi mahi caught in Washington in 2013. 

On August 25, Wade La Fontaine reeled in a new state record 42 miles off Westport. The massive fish weighed 21 pounds and measured 48 inches in length. With this size, it breaks a nearly decade-old record set by Albert DaSilva in 2013. DaSilva’s mahi mahi weighed 16.27 pounds. 

Wade La Fontaine is an avid angler with more than a decade’s worth of experience off the Washington coast. He caught this state record-breaker aboard the boat of Captain Keith Johnson of Far Corners Adventures Sport Fishing.

A large male fish such as this mahi mahi aren’t common in the cooler waters of Washington. Instead, with Washington mahi mahi typically weighing between six to twelve pounds, Wade La Fontaine’s fish is more similar to those in the southern Pacific. 

Largest Mahi Mahi in the World

The International Game Fish Association record for the largest mahi mahi in the world was set in Costa Rica in 1976. Caught by Manuel Salazar, this super-sized mahi mahi weighed 87 pounds. That’s more than four times the size of the current largest mahi mahi caught in Washington!

Species Profile: Mahi Mahi

The mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is also known as the dolphinfish or dorado. It is named for its tendency to swim ahead of ships, a behavior most commonly associated with dolphins, the mammal. It can swim up to 50 miles per hour. 

Mahi mahi are a saltwater species found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. It lives in both open water and near the coast, though the latter is less common for these fish. Although they were originally considered a bycatch of other fish, such as tuna and swordfish, they have grown into popular game fish. 

As a game fish, the mahi mahi is prized for its appearance and taste. Many compare the flavor of mahi mahi to swordfish. The term “clipper” refers to the highest quality of mahi-mahi. These are frozen at sea, almost directly after capturing, in order to preserve their freshness. 

They are known as the rabbits of the sea due to their rapid reproduction. They reach maturity in three to five months and can spawn up to three times a year. Females can release as many as 80,000 to 1,000,000 eggs during each spawning season. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Jason Richeux/Shutterstock.com