World record breaking opah fish was caught by recreational fisherman in the Mexican waters. One of the opah fish, also known as moonfish, weighed 181 pounds, surpassing the world record of 163 pounds. The fact that not just one, but three opah fish were caught is unheard of. But these fish are not for consumption due to their high mercury level.

On board Excel, Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala were looking at some yellowtails when something viciously heavy tugged at their lines. Little did they know that a group of opah fish were right below their boat.

“The fish were pulling the guys up the rail toward the bow, and back toward the stern, then back to the bow, but they weren’t really taking any line,” Justin Fleck, the captain of Excel, said according to GrindTV. “We weren’t sure what they were.”

After 30 minutes of tugging, chasing and fighting, the three anglers lifted red-toned, colorful fish right out of the water. They were all over 100 pounds for sure.

Big fish usually contain high levels of mercury.

Opah fish, known for their beautiful hues and round shape, immediately weighed down the boat. They are known for traveling alone, which adds to the rarity of three simultaneous catches.

Joe Ludlow caught the heaviest of the three, weighing in at 181 pounds. it weighed 18 pounds heavier than the current world record of heaviest moonfish caught.

According to Grind TV, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) currently lists the 163-pound opah fish, caught in “October 1998 off San Luis Obispo in Central California” as the heaviest moonfish caught to date.

“We must have just been in the right place at the right time,” Fleck said, “And we were following IGFA rules.”

If Joe Ludlow’s opah fish is approved, it will go down in the IGFA world record.

But Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala won’t be eating their trophy fish due to their high mercury level. They better take lots of picture with it then!