California Kid’s Giant Sea Bass Could Be a New World Record, Except for One Technicality

A young teenager and budding fisherman from California capped off his summer in one of the best ways possible: by catching a pending world record with his family. Julian Her, a 13-year-old 8th grader, landed the big sea bass on Aug. 10. At 63 pounds and some change, it stands to set a new IGFA world record in the junior angler category.

Julian and his dad, Rinna Her, hit the water early that day along with Julian’s uncle, Ju Chong, and three of his cousins. Fishing from their boat in Tomales Bay along California’s central coast, they were mainly after halibut, and were using live smelt as bait. One of Julian’s cousins landed a decent flatfish early that morning, so when Julian hooked up hours later, everyone thought he’d hooked another halibut. But the youngster was struggling to turn the fish, and it was pulling much harder than they expected.

“We were just kind of like, ‘Knock it off. Reel it in,’” Rinna told CBS News Wednesday. “But after a while of that, I thought maybe this is a bigger fish.”

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They finally got eyes on the huge white sea bass when the fish broke the surface. Julian, who was exhausted from the battle, reeled in the last bit of line while his Uncle Chong helped hold the rod up. 

The family took Julian’s fish to Bodega Tackle in Petaluma, where it weighed 63.7 pounds on the bait shop’s certified scale. Judging by the pictures from the weigh-in, the fish was about as long as Julian is tall. 

Julian’s white sea bass also stands a good chance of beating the current IGFA all-tackle youth record. That fish was also caught off the California coast, only much further south closer to San Diego, and it weighed 59 pounds. Rinna, the dad, said he’s already submitted all the necessary paperwork to get the world record certified.

The IGFA has some stiff requirements, however, and the fact that Julian’s uncle helped him hold up the rod white he fought the fish could keep him out of the record book. Julian clarified when talking with CBS that his uncle never touched the reel. But according to IGFA rules, no other person “may touch any part of the tackle during the playing of the fish” or help in any other way besides “taking the leader for gaffing or netting purposes.”

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His father didn’t seem too concerned about the technicality. Rinna told the news outlet it was a great experience for his son, regardless of whether the fish becomes an official world record.

“I told him and he knows, and it wasn’t our goal [to catch a record],” Rinna said. “We made core memories for life, and he already loved fishing, but he’s going to be a fisherman for life now.”