Every angler's dream is to catch an impressive fish. After all, nothing completes a day out on the open ocean more than reeling in the best catch of the day. However, something that makes it even more spectacular is when that fish is incredibly rare. That is exactly what happened to Florida guide Laurel David and Capt. Richard Fairbanks, on one of their most recent fishing outings. These lucky Florida anglers caught an incredibly rare moonfish!
Florida Anglers Catch Incredibly Rare Moonfish
Shutterstock Image by: Saori Baba
While both of these men have spent their entire lives at sea, nothing could have prepared them for this epic moment. When speaking with Outdoor Life, David shared, "It's kind of like a unicorn." The reason he makes this claim is that this moonfish is so rare. Not only is this the first time either angler has held one in person, but the gentlemen were fairly certain it is "one of the only fish of its kind ever caught off the Florida coast."
This fish was giant, weighing in at around 148 pounds. Not only was its size impressive, but also its coloring. Fairbanks describes the beauty of the fish's color as they were pulling it towards the surface. He said, "She turned pink and orange — you can't even describe these colors. They don't come in a crayon box."
More About This Elusive Moonfish
Part of the reason this moonfish is so rare and is not often caught by anglers is its habitat. These fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more. Additionally, they are mainly found in Pacific waters. They are considered a Hawaiian species and are a primary food source for the people there. Outdoor Life shared that "Hawaii's commercial fishery alone accounted for 460,000 pounds of opah [another name for the moonfish] in 2021." While anglers rarely catch them, the moonfish is not safe from all fishermen. Instead, they are often caught and captured by ocean longliners.
