13-Year-Old Reels in Record 711-Pound Tuna in Nova Scotia

Délynn Jacquard didn't think she could do it. Five hours off the coast of Nova Scotia, the 13-year-old was strapped to a fishing chair, arms burning, battling a tuna bigger than most grown men.

After more than an hour of pulling and twisting, she landed a 711-pound bluefin tuna. It's the heaviest ever caught by a female junior angler, smashing the previous world record by nearly 100 pounds.

The catch happened Wednesday during the 22nd annual Wedgeport Tuna Tournament and Festival. Délynn was aboard the Pelagic Predator, captained by her father Camille, who has fished the tournament for 20 years.

This was Délynn's first time competing. She had doubted herself mid-fight, wondering if she had the strength to finish what she started.

"I was thinking to myself, 'I don't think I might not be able to do this,'" she said Saturday. "But then I did it and I was just proud of myself."

The technique requires anglers to hook themselves to both the rod and chair. When the rod tip starts moving closer, that's the signal to twist the line and pull.

The former record of 618 pounds was set in 2014 by Nova Scotian Jenna Gavin. Délynn beat it by 93 pounds, pending official confirmation from the International Game Fish Association.

Tournament board member Brandon Doucette said the ratification process could take up to six months, but he's confident it will be confirmed. The fish weighed 711 pounds fresh from the water and 635 pounds after partial gutting, both well above the previous mark.

The same tournament also broke its own 22-year history. Captain Brent Pothier landed an 801-pound bluefin, the first fish ever to clear 800 pounds in the event.

Why This Inspires

Délynn's story reminds us that age and experience don't define what we're capable of achieving. She walked into her first tournament as a newcomer and walked out as a world record holder, proving that self-doubt doesn't have to be the final answer.

Between the 1930s and 1960s, Wedgeport was known as the sport tuna fishing capital of the world. The annual tournament keeps that legacy alive while bringing the community together to celebrate their coastal culture.

All tournament catches fall within the region's commercial fishing quota, and the fish end up in restaurants or on dinner plates across the region. When Délynn's not-sure-yet about returning next year, it's clear she's already accomplished something most anglers dream about for a lifetime.