Ken Fraser – The World Record Tuna – Bluefin Tuna Record Holder 1496 pounds!
Ken Fraser is the world record holder for the giant bluefin tuna. The world record bluefin tuna is 1496 lbs. It was caught off Nova Scotia, Canada on October 26th, 1979. The tuna was caught on a mackerel daisy chain.
We have fished along side Ken up in PEI and we have had him at some of our seminars in the past. Ken is a great human. It will be very difficult to ever beat his record since most anglers fight for tuna out of the rod holder now and use a harpoon to land their fish.
In order to receive a world record the fish have to be fought either in a fighting chair, or standup in a harness. The fish also have to be landed with gaffs.
In the world of big-game offshore fishing, there is one record that stands above all others—a benchmark so massive it has remained untouched for over four decades. On October 26, 1979, an angler named Ken Fraser made history off the coast of Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia, by landing an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna that tipped the scales at a staggering 1,496 pounds. For guests at Mass Bay Guides, this story isn’t just a piece of history; it is the ultimate inspiration for every “Land of the Giants” trip we take into the North Atlantic.
The Fateful Day in Aulds Cove
The late 1970s were the “Golden Era” of giant tuna fishing in the Canadian Maritimes. Ken Fraser, a local welder and seasoned fisherman, set out that October morning aboard the Lady and Misty with Captain Eric Samson. They weren’t just looking for any fish; they were hunting for the “Grander” class—tuna exceeding 1,000 pounds.
The conditions in the Strait of Canso were prime. The water was thick with mackerel and herring, the primary fuel for these apex predators. Unlike many modern battles that can last six, eight, or even twelve hours, the story of the 1,496lb record is famous for its surprising brevity. After trolling a live mackerel into a feeding frenzy, the monster took the bait. What followed was 45 minutes of pure, high-stakes adrenaline.
The 45-Minute Battle
It is a common misconception that world-record fish always require marathon battles. Ken Fraser’s victory was a masterclass in heavy-tackle efficiency. Using a Fenwick rod and a Penn International 14/0 reel—the ancestors of the high-performance Penn and Shimano gear we use today at Mass Bay Guides—Fraser applied maximum pressure from the start.
The fish stayed primarily on the surface, a behavior often seen in the most aggressive giants. Because the tuna didn’t dive deep into the cold pressure of the abyss immediately, Fraser was able to gain line rapidly. Within three-quarters of an hour, the crew managed to get a gaff into the fish. It wasn’t until the behemoth was secured to the side of the boat that the true scale of the catch became apparent. The fish was so large it couldn’t even be fully brought onto the deck of the small vessel; it had to be towed back to shore.
A Record That Withstood Time
When the Lady and Misty arrived at the docks, the crowd was speechless. After ten hours of dehydration on the boat, the tuna still weighed in at 1,496 pounds (678.6 kg). It measured 120 inches in length with a massive 83-inch girth. To this day, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) recognizes this as the All-Tackle World Record for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.
Since 1979, thousands of anglers have flocked to the North Atlantic—from the shores of Nova Scotia down to our home waters in Scituate, Massachusetts—hoping to see a fish of that magnitude. While “Granders” are caught every year, none have crossed the threshold set by Ken Fraser.
Learn more about Ken’s catch here!
From Nova Scotia to Stellwagen Bank: The Giant Connection
You might wonder: how does a record set in Nova Scotia relate to your trip with Mass Bay Guides? The answer lies in the migration. These giants are nomadic. The same “lineage” of Bluefin that Fraser targeted in the 70s migrates through the nutrient-rich waters of Stellwagen Bank and Mass Bay every season.