FISHING -- An opah, also known as moonfish, caught by a North Idaho angler on Sept. 27, 2015, has been confirmed as a Washington state record.

Jim Watson of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, caught the large-eyed, orange-red colored, disc-shaped giant–while fishing with anchovies 45 miles offshore of Westport in Grays Harbor County.  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed its weight at 35.67 pounds and measured 37-7/8 inches.

“Catching the fish was a lot of work, but fun. They really fight, and it took a while,” said Watson. “The captain and crew came unglued, because you just don’t see these fish very often.”

Watson shared the fish with the charter crew, family and friends.  “It was not like any fish I’ve tasted, but it was really good,” said Watson. “Every bit of it went to good use.”

Opah are the only fish found to be warm blooded throughout their bodies, a discovery first reported in the journal Science in May.

The new opah record exceeded the previous by 7.49 pounds. That record was held by Rick Shapland on a fish that was also caught in the Pacific Ocean off of Westport in 2013.