World Record Pacific Bonefish from Honolulu, Hawaii

Triana holds seven all tackle and line class records for Pacific bones, including one 10-pounder.

“Pacific bonefish on ultra light tackle in Hawaii has been the most challenging record to break,” notes Triana. “It’s difficult to find a Pacific bonefish large enough to eclipse an existing record, because those
larger specimens are few and far between, and spook so easily.”  

World Record Yelloweye Rockfish from Seward, Alaska

Triana has captured 19 IGFA records in this small town two and a half hours south of Anchorage. Among the record-breaking species: yelloweye rockfish and Pacific cod.

“These species are some of the oldest fish on the planet, reaching 80 to 100 years old,” says Triana. “Having the opportunity to fish for large specimens gives you multiple chances to encounter that perfect fish.”

World Record Grass Carp in Miami, Florida

Triana’s hometown has provided him access to myriad oddball species including hornet tilapia, Orinoco sailfin catfish, Oscar, and a record-breaking 48-pound, 12-ounce grass carp caught in the suburb of Palmetto Bay.

“Grass carp were introduced into the South Florida canal systems decades ago to control the rapid growth of hydrilla weed that completely choked the waterways,” Triana explains. “They are the largest member of the minnow family, and grow to massive proportions.”

World Record Andalusian Barbel from Portugal

As Triana does for all his travels, including family trips, he researches species that are unique to the area. The Andalusian barbel record came in the summer of 2022 during a family vacation to Portugal, where they spent a good chunk of their time in the southern region of Algarve.

“The barbel is a common and popular freshwater game fish in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe,” Triana says. “They belong to the carp family, and can be found in river systems and reservoirs.”  

World Record Talang Queenfish from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Before it was the megalopolis of today, Dubai was a fishing village, and Triana’s research revealed that Talang queenfish is a popular game fish in the Persian Gulf. Triana made the trip with his family in March 2022.

“I rigged a Clouser fly with 6-pound tippet, and waited for the chance to cast,” he says. “Like a light switch, schools of talang queenfish appeared all around the boat chasing small minnows. A queenfish attacked the fly. It fights down and dirty like a jack crevalle, but jumps like a tarpon. After multiple loops around the boat, I landed the fish.”

World Record Black Durgon from Varadero, Cuba

Triana wanted to explore the untapped reef fishery, but Cuba only allowed government-run fishing vessels that troll outside the reef line.

“We anchored in the clearest water I’ve ever seen, and I break out my light spinning rods with 6-pound-test line, and diced-up lobster for bait,” Triana recalls. “I can see the school of black durgon on the bottom.” He caught a 2-pound fish, topping the existing record of 1 pound, 14 ounces.

World Record Tiger Trout in Salt River, Wyoming

Call it world record by bycatch. While fly fishing along the banks of the Salt River in search of brown trout, Triana caught a baby tiger trout. He quickly made his way back to his car to reference the IGFA yearbook he always travels with to check the tiger trout records.

“I saw there was only a 2-pound fish as the existing record on 6-pound-test line class. I quickly put together my 6-pound spinning outfit and began casting a fly. It wasn’t too long before caught another tiger trout in the same exact area.” Except this time, it was a much larger specimen.

World Record Collared Large-Eye Bream from the Great Barrier Reef

Triana traveled to Australia in 2001 hoping to catch a black marlin. After the liveaboard anchored up one evening, “I rigged up one of my light tackle rods and began bottom fishing, catching a multitude of species,” Triana recalls. “One of them was a very big collared large-eye bream. I kept it on ice until I had a chance to do some research the next day.” It turned out he had caught an IGFA world record.

The post One Man’s Hunt for Record Fish appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Whether you’ve heard them called red drum, redfish, channel bass, or spot tail bass, you’ll be hard pressed to find an angler who doesn’t call it a premier game fish. These magnificent fish can be targeted in several inches of water with fly or lure, or caught in deep inlets with heavy tackle and natural bait. Their hard-fights, willingness to take a variety of natural and artificial baits, and beautiful coloration make the red drum one of the most highly sought after game fish species in the world.

A scroll through the IGFA World Records reaffirms the redfish’s popularity amongst the angling elite, with prominent names like Ballantyne, Hogan, and Werking listed alongside their respective records. But much like the largemouth bass, part of what makes the redfish popular is its availability to the masses. Million dollar boats and high-tech tackle are not required, which is evident by the fact that the largest redfish ever recorded by the IGFA were caught from shore or from piers, using basic tackle and a chunk of bait.

This compilation of red drum world records highlights a handful of records set for this species, and clearly illustrates just how diverse fishing for redfish can be.

All-Tackle World Record — 94 Pounds, 2 Ounces

• Weight: 42.69 kg (94 lb 2 oz)
• Angler: David Deuel
• Place: Hatteras, North Carolina
• Date: Nov. 7, 1984

It’s only appropriate, and no surprise, that the All-Tackle world record red drum was caught in the waters off Hatteras, North Carolina. After all, every redfish to hold the All-Tackle title has come from this area, not to mention the countless other monsters that these waters have produced over the years. David Deuel’s massive 42.69 kg (94 lb 2 oz) red drum was caught from shore, just as every other All-Tackle submittal for redfish. Deuel was rigged up the same way as many other surf-casters were on the morning of Nov. 7, 1984 as he hit the beaches of Avon, North Carolina. However it was his chunk of mullet that was picked up by the heaviest redfish ever recorded. Nearly an hour after hooking up, Deuel pulled the huge drum ashore and immediately knew it was a special fish. The fish measured 57 inches in length (to the fork), and sported an incredible girth of 38 inches. Deuel’s monster redfish replaced the previous record by more than 10 pounds, and also earned him the 24 kg (50 lb) line class world record.

Men’s 3 kg (6 lb) Tippet Class — 41 Pounds

• Weight: 18.59 kg (41 lb)
• Angler: Jim Seegraves
• Place: Houma, Louisiana
• Date: April 2, 2004

Arguably one of the more impressive redfish world records was caught by angler Jim Seegraves on April 2, 2004 while fly fishing out of Houma, Louisiana, USA. Seegraves battled this beautiful bronzed red drum for nearly two hours after the fish crushed the crab pattern fly he was casting from Capt. Dawny Ayo’s custom skiff. Why such a long fight? Seegraves was fishing with only 3 kg (6 lb) class tippet, and his record redfish tipped the scales at an impressive 18.59 kg (41 lb).

Women’s 3 kg (6 lb) Line Class — 44 Pounds

• Weight: 19.96 kg (44 lb)
• Angler: Maureen Klause
• Place: Ocracoke, North Carolina
• Date: Nov. 11, 2008

Angler Maureen Klause, a recipient of IGFA’s Bob Herder Light Tackle Award, set the women’s 3 kg (6 lb) line class world record for red drum on Nov. 11, 2008 with this gorgeous 19.96 kg (44 lb) specimen. Klause was fishing out of Ocracoke, North Carolina aboard the Drum Runner with local Captain Ernest Doshier when the fish ate the dead menhaden she was fishing on the bottom, right outside of the surf. Klause skillfully played the fish for approximately 45 minutes, before it could be landed. Once secured, the fish was quickly run to shore where it was properly documented and released alive.

Women’s Smallfry — 50 Pounds, 4 Ounces

Battle at the Bay

• Weight: 22.79 kg (50 lb 4 oz)
• Angler: Kristen Dize
• Place: Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
• Date: Sep. 15, 2001

Kristen Dize holds IGFA’s female smallfry record after landing this 50-pound, 4-ounce redfish in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Dize was bait fishing with a croaker when the fish hit, taking her 20 minutes to land. The catch happened in September of 2001, making this record more than 20 years old.

Men’s 15 kg (30 lb) Line Class — 90 Pounds

• Weight: 40.8 kg (90 lb)
• Angler: Elvin Hooper
• Place: Rodanthe, North Carolina
• Date: Nov. 7, 1973

At approximately 3 am on Nov. 7, 1973, angler Elvin Hooper hooked into an enormous red drum while fishing with a chunk of mullet from the Hatteras Island Pier in Rodanthe, North Carolina. After battling the stubborn fish for over an hour, Hooper had the fish alongside the pier, where it was eventually landed with a pier net. Tipping the scales at a whopping 40.8 kg (90 lb), Hooper’s fish became the biggest redfish specimen ever recorded by the IGFA at that time. Although the All-Tackle title has since been eclipsed, Hooper’s incredible catch still holds the men’s 15 kg (30 lb) line class record, and is the second largest red drum on record with the IGFA.

Women’s 6 kg (12 lb) Line Class — 51 Pounds, 8 Ounces

• Weight: 23.4 kg (51 lb 8 oz)
• Angler: Joan S. Dull
• Place: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
• Date: Nov. 19, 1958

One of the longest standing world records for redfish is also one of the most impressive. Angler Joan S. Dull of Wayne, Ohio, USA set the women’s 6 kg (12 lb) line class world record with this 23.4 kg (51 lb, 8 oz) drum she caught on Nov. 19, 1958 while soaking a chunk of cut mullet in the surf off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA. Despite the large size of the fish and her light surf casting gear, Dull bested her record redfish in just 20 minutes — all done without the assistance of a boat and with only 15 inches of leader!

Men’s 2 kg (4 lb) Line Class — 52 Pounds, 5 Ounces

• Weight: 23.74 kg (52 lb 5 oz)
• Angler: George Hogan, Jr.
• Place: Indian River Lagoon, Florida
• Date: Feb. 24, 1996

Light tackle expert George Hogan, Jr. has spent years pursuing IGFA world records for prestigious saltwater and freshwater game fish. However as Hogan describes in the testimony for his 2 kg (4 lb) line class record, “the day was planned to be a fun trip fishing with my sons.” But Hogan goes on to explain that “when the chance is there for another record catch, I’m always willing and prepared.” That was certainly the case on Feb. 24, 1996 when he caught and released this 23.74 kg (52 lb 5 oz) redfish while fishing Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. Hogan needed only 21 minutes to land the record fish after it ate the crab he was using for bait.

Women’s 10 kg (20 lb) Line Class — 65 Pounds

• Weight: 29.48 kg (65 lb 0 oz)
• Angler: Lyn Gottert
• Place: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
• Date: Nov. 11, 1983

North Carolina is renowned for its monster red drum, especially in areas such as Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke. It’s no surprise then that Lyn Gottert’s record 20-pound-class redfish came from these exact waters. Gottert was surf fishing in November 1983 when the 65-pound fish hit a mullet.

Men’s 3 kg (6 lb) Line Class — 51 Pounds, 8 Ounces

• Weight: 23.36 kg (51 lb 8 oz)
• Angler: Raleigh Werking
• Place: Oriental, North Carolina
• Date: Aug. 24, 1999

Light tackle extraordinaire and past recipient of the IGFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Raleigh Werking has set more than 50 world records over his incredible angling career, but few are as impressive as the 23.36 kg (51 lb 8 oz) redfish he caught on just 3 kg (6 lb) line. Werking was fishing with local guide George H. Beckwith, Jr. out of Oriental, North Carolina, USA on Aug. 24, 1999 when he caught this record redfish. Werking skillfully played the fish for just 20 minutes on his light tackle set-up, before the fish was landed, documented, and then released alive.

Women’s 6 kg (12 lb) Tippet Class — 40 Pounds

• Weight: 18.14 kg (40 lb)
• Angler: Dotty Ballantyne
• Place: Venice, Louisiana
• Date: Nov. 19, 2014

On Nov. 19, 2014 while fishing out of Venice, Louisiana with guide David Mangum, Dotty Ballantyne caught and released this 18.14 kg (40 lb) redfish. Ballantyne set the women’s 6 kg (12 lb) tippet class record after skillfully playing the fish for approximately 30 minutes. Not only a world record, Ballantyne’s fish is also one of the heaviest fly-caught redfish ever recorded by the IGFA.

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Update: Art Weston can add to his already impressive list of records with a massive 283-pound alligator gar he caught while fishing in Sam Rayburn Lake, Texas on September 2, 2023. The giant gar overtakes his previous best of 251 pounds, and if approved will potentially set both the IGFA All-Tackle and IGFA Men’s 6-pound Line Class World Records for the species. Weston was once again fishing with Capt. Kirk Kirkland aboard the Garship Enterprise when the big gar hit, and gave him an incredible 2-hour and 45-minute battle before getting the fish to the scale. Like most of Weston’s records, this gar was weighed on a certified scale and released. The IGFA states this record is currently pending and under review.

(Original article continues below.)

Even for an expert in catching world-record fish, this one was special: a freshwater specimen nearly 8 feet long from a river in Texas.

Art Weston has made a specialty of setting International Game Fish Association records. In fact, the massive alligator gar was one of six potential IGFA record fish Weston caught on a recent trip to the Trinity River, including a 142-pound alligator gar on 50-pound test, and a 191-pounder on 130-pound line.

He caught the big fish – 7.5 feet long and 251 pounds – on 80-pound braid. “It was easier to catch than the 102-pound fish on 2-pound line, I can tell you that,” which he did Oct. 1, 2022, he said.

A Gar Fishing Record Setter

Weston, who lives in Union, Kentucky, and manages the artificial intelligence department for a bank, already has a long list of IGFA records, including six that are pending. If they and his most recent submissions are all certified, his total will be 46. And counting.

“I think probably record fish are caught every day, but people don’t know that they’re records, or know the rules for submitting them,” he told Sport Fishing magazine.

Weston is obviously a serious angler, and fishes where the big fish are, including Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil. He also knows the requirements for certifying a catch and has the gear and equipment to satisfy them. For example, while big alligator gar are caught on the Trinity River all the time, most of them are caught on baited treble hooks — and that’s against the IGFA rules. Weston fishes for them with J hooks.

Along with knowing the IGFA rules inside out, he’s made a hobby of assessing things like line breaking strength, hook strength, the effects of abrasion. “I actually have a digital force gauge in my house,” he said. “I make hundreds and hundreds of leaders every year. All of that I did to have an advantage in record hunting.”

Weston even shares his know-how on his YouTube channel, Analytic Angling.

A Surprise Bite from a Record Gar

The big gar took a piece of carp on the Trinity on April 16. Weston was fishing from shore with Capt. Kirk Kirkland, who’s landed thousands of the big fish as a commercial fisherman and a guide. The fish never set off the rod’s alarm; Weston had only picked up the rod to re-cast when he discovered he had hooked up.

You don’t fight a fish like that standing on the bank. Weston and Capt. Kirk boarded the Garfish Enterprise, Kirkland’s custom-built, flat-bottomed Weldbilt, and pursued the big gal on the river. The fight was a relatively brief 25 minutes. Kirkland saw the fish first. “He just yelled out, ‘That’s the one, that’s the one you want,’” Weston recalled. “I’m like, ‘Is it big?” and he’s like, ‘it’s huge.’”

They both thought they might have caught an actual alligator, which are common in the area. “It pulled the boat in circles,” Weston said. The gar surfaced, Kirkland got a lasso around it (permitted by IGFA), and they towed it to shore, hauled it up to the game tripod on the bank, weighed and measured it, and released it back to the river.

“It had a lot of fight left in it,” Weston said. “It just happened to surface and Kirk was fast enough to get the lasso around it. We were very fortunate to land it fast. It wasn’t out of the water for more than five minutes, and they’re air breathers. It was released alive and well with no issues.”

The current IGFA 80-pound-test record for alligator gar is 132 pounds, set by Jennifer Schall in the same river in 2021. The all-tackle IGFA record for alligator gar is 279 pounds, set way back in 1951.

Careful Selection Leads to More Records

Not all of Weston’s records are enormous fish. He picks his battles, seeking species that aren’t well represented on the IGFA lists. For example, the IGFA recently determined that Alabama bass were misclassified and wiped out all the records. The fish in question is now called spotted bass. On the April trip, Weston caught one on 2-pound line, one on 4-pound, and one for its length, and expects them all to be IGFA records, at least for a while. “I don’t mind being the first one,” he said.

Another example: two of his teenage kids caught IGFA records a mile from their house. A nearby pond had been stocked with hybrid striped bass, which are also known as wipers, but which the IGFA calls whiterock bass. No one had submitted a catch for the species. Emery and Elyse Weston each caught two and entered the record books.

All of which goes to show there are opportunities for recognition. “You actually have a better chance than most people think, depending on what you’re trying to catch,” Weston said.

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Lea Anne Powell’s already extensive resume has a new entry. Along with race car driver, TV host, competition angler, and cover model, she is now an official International Game Fish Association largemouth bass record holder.

Powell, of Lake Jackson, Texas, received official certification as the women’s 12-pound class record, having caught (and released) a 12-pound, 3-ounce jumbo at O.H. Ivie Lake in late February. The bass was her second personal best in 15 hours; she boated a 10.6-pound largemouth the previous evening.

Powell was fishing with her friend Dalton Smith, owner of Dalton Smith Guide Service, on his time off.

“We just planned on hanging out and having a good time,” she said. “We didn’t plan on breaking any personal bests.” Tossing a Strike King 10XD crankbait, Smith caught a bass they guessed was around seven pounds, then handed the rod back to Powell, who was soon connected to a 10.6-pounder.

“When she hit, the line just went soft,” Powell said. “I started winding and then felt pressure. I’m pretty sure everyone on that lake heard me, because I lost my mind. I was yelling and jumping.” Her previous best bass was 7.8 pounds.

The pair were back on O.H. Ivie the next morning. An impoundment of the Colorado and Concho rivers about 200 miles west of Dallas that gave up a 17-pounder this winter, the lake is stocked and fished hard. This time, Powell was using an Ugly Stik spinning rod, an old reel spooled with Seaguar Red Label 10-pound fluorocarbon, a Damiki jig head, and a small 6th Sense soft plastic swimbait (white with a chartreuse tail).

“We showed that bass a very small presentation, compared to what most people are throwing at O.H. Ivie,” she said. “It is stocked, but it is a giant body of water that is highly pressured.” Using a Garmin LiveScope from Smith’s tournament boat, the two could watch educated bass reject baits and then sidle up alongside some cover, seemingly spooked by the lure and finished feeding for the time being. “These big fish didn’t get big by being stupid,” she said.

The record fish put up the kind of tussle you would expect, forcing Powell to tighten and loosen drag during the fight as the bass bulldogged among sunken saltcedar trees. When it was finally in the net, the hook fell out of the fish’s mouth.

“We put her in the live well and had to take her to Elm Creek RV & Campgrounds, which had the certified scale,” Powell said. The bass went to the scale in a weigh bag, was measured and weighed, returned to the livewell, and back to O.H. Ivie. “She was released cleanly, and goes back to torment people who don’t know how to finagle big ol’ fish,” Powell recalled with a laugh.

Auto racing takes up much of Powell’s bio, but she’s also a self-described fishing fanatic. After losing both of her parents and a close friend in late 2014 and 2015, she took up fishing in, of all places, the Middle East, where she worked as a driving coach at the Yas Marina Circuit Formula 1 facility in Abu Dhabi.

“I met some locals and started fishing,” she said. “I had a natural knack for it and I just homed in on it. I don’t do much in moderation. I found both peace and excitement in it.”

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Part of the fun of fishing is not knowing what you’re going to catch — even if you’re an avid and experienced angler. Jeremiah Elliott, his brother Zach, Chandler Butler, and Trevor Burns were wrapping up an afternoon of swordfishing on Jeremiah’s Regulator 26 center console 60 miles off Morehead City, North Carolina, when they hooked something strange.

Jeremiah began retrieving the buoy line on a rod with a manual reel, only to find he had a fish on. It was not a species he recognized. It was probably a world record. And it tasted good.

Unusual Species from the Deep

Pomfrets are a deep-water fish belonging to the Bramidae family, which contains about 35 species worldwide. Though they can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, most species are somewhat rare. The bigscale pomfret, which is what Jeremiah hooked, is the largest in the family. And Jeremiah’s is as big as they come.

Pending World Record Pomfret

Heading in, the anglers called Chasin’ Tails Outdoors Bait & Tackle in Atlantic Beach, “making sure we had the scales ready at the shop as they were coming through the Beaufort inlet with a possible world record fish,” the shop reported on Facebook. “We really had no idea what they had as it was hard to hear them over the phone.”

The rod was rigged with 80-pound braid, 130-pound leader, a 10-pound weight, and an 18 inch squid. The 35.5-inch pomfret took the bait 1,700 feet down, salvaging the afternoon. “No luck on the swords,” Elliot said. That morning, the group caught three mahi and a number of bottom fish.

The paperwork is being prepared to submit Elliot’s 26-pound, 11.4-ounce bigscale pomfret to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). The current IGFA bigscale pomfret record is 20 pounds, 10 ounces, caught by W. Gordon Davis in St. Augustine, Florida, in Oct. 2004. Along with the pending IGFA record, Elliot’s catch is also tops in North Carolina, which had no statevrecord prior to the catch.

“We’ve already cleaned it and it was delicious,” Elliot said. “Odd fish, but it tasted good.”

The post Unexpected Catch Leads to Potential Record appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

For most anglers, the thought of seeing their name in the International Game Fish Association’s annual World Record Game Fishes book is to dream the impossible dream. How do you beat so many amazing records, some that have stood unchallenged for decades? The short answer is: You probably don’t. But the longer answer is more complicated — and more hopeful.

Before we get to some very specific opportunities, which I’ll provide as examples, first let’s make sure we understand the IGFA’s system, since only by understanding it can you really take advantage of it.

IGFA All-Tackle Weight Records

When most of us think “world record,” the question for any species of fish then becomes: What did it weigh? Indeed, that’s always been the way most anglers most of the time have assessed their catches and those of others. Informally, anglers weigh their catches for bragging rights, or if they just guesstimate the size of their catch, they do so in pounds (or kilograms in many regions) more often than inches. Tournaments require fish to be weighed. And so too does the IGFA, at least for all-tackle world records.

That — weight of the fish — is but one category of world record in the IGFA system. But it’s a big one. All-tackle records by weight is the original and oldest category, and one the association takes seriously. Many’s the world-record catch that wasn’t — a fish large enough to beat an existing record — when, after the fact, the angler learned that the scale on which his or her catch was weighed couldn’t be certified.

The vast majority of these world records are no longer alive when they’re weighed. One reason stems from the extent to which the IGFA takes all-tackle weight records seriously: Fish must be weighed on land or a stationary platform attached to land. The reasoning is simple enough and has to do with the difficulties of reading a handheld scale in a boat bouncing in a chop. Sometimes ounces matter, particularly for example when a contender is challenging a long-standing record by 12 or 14 ounces.

As you might guess, this prestigious category can be the most difficult one to break into. But not necessarily.

Any — yes, any — species of fish that can be caught legitimately on hook and line and that weighs at least one pound can become part of the IGFA’s record-keeping system. A look through the IGFA’s all-tackle-record list reveals a huge number of species of fish from all over the world, fresh and salt, of catches approved as world records. In cases of more obscure species, often just one angler submitted a single record application, and once approved, voila: he or she is in the record book (as is that species).

Are all the species of fish one could catch already established as records? Hardly. Consider fish you catch in your area, especially any that are not considered primary gamefish, and check to see if they are in the IGFA’s list of records. There are still fish being caught out there that no angler has ever bothered to enter for a world record. But even if a species is already in the book, it may be pretty easily beatable. Again, look at species less popular as game fish — popular fish like largemouth bass or redfish will be tough, but less-targeted species present opportunities. Here are just three examples of species that could qualify you to be in the world-record book:

Lesser Amberjack (Seriola fasciata)

 A common catch in temperate and tropical waters of the Western Atlantic, there is, at the time of this writing, NO all-tackle world record for this species. The challenge is proper identification: Lesser and greater amberjacks resemble each other closely enough that most anglers would assume they caught “an amberjack” (meaning the more common greater AJ, Seriola dumerili) when in fact they’re holding a lesser amberjack. But the easy-to-count spines in the first dorsal tell the story, with the greater AJ having seven dorsal spines and the lesser AJ having eight. Also the supramaxilla — the bone that extends from the upper jaw to just under the eye — is straight on top in the lesser, but angles sharply upward under the eye in the greater. Compare images of greater versus lesser. Attainable goal: Catch a lesser AJ of at least 5 pounds or so and get your name in the world-record book.

Devil Firefish (Pterois miles)

Unfortunately, this species of lionfish is also quite common these days in the Western Atlantic as well as its native Indo-Pacific Ocean. The situation mirrors that of the amberjacks, above. The more abundant red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is already well established in the IGFA world-record system, but no one has entered a devil firefish. Here too, it’s a matter of counting (carefully!) dorsal fin rays (11 in the red, 10 in the firefish) and anal fin rays (seven in the red and six in the firefish). Keep in mind that lionfish don’t get huge, but catching a P. miles of just a pound or more should put you in the world-record book.

American Conger Eel (Conger oceanicus)

For this species, there is already a world record. In fact, it’s been in the books since 2002 when caught in Cape May Harbor. But despair not: Records show that American congers — common along most of the U.S. Atlantic coast — grow to nearly 90 pounds. The world record is a mere 15 pounds. This is, some might say, a record waiting to be beaten.

Do not, by the way, confuse the American conger with the larger conger (Conger conger) which is caught in the eastern Atlantic and can grow much larger; the all-tackle record for this species, a 133-pound fish, has held since it was caught in 1995 in the U.K.

IGFA Line-Class Fishing Records

The IGFA has deemed 191 species worthy of inclusion in its line-class record-keeping system. These species offer a shot at many records: For saltwater species, each includes a men’s and women’s category, and each of those offer separate line-class records for 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-pound test, and for larger species add, 30-, 50-, 80- and 130-pound-test classes. That’s up to 22 different records for each species. Add to that tippet-class records for fly fishers. In both men’s and women’s divisions there are 7 tippet-strength classes from 2- to 20-pound. Another 14 record possibilities. Finally, there are also male and female Smallfry (to age 10) and Junior (11-16) world records. In other words, for a given species in the IGFA’s line-class system, there are many ways to set a record.

Despite so many opportunities, for most game fish, anglers have filled line classes with catches that vary from tough (to beat) to rock-solid. Not a lot of low-hanging fruit left. But one good bet is to check out species recently added to the line-class list since at the outset all classes are vacant. True, they begin to fill up, but that can take a while, depending upon species.

Line class records for two species added last year remain mostly empty. That condition will persist longer since they’re game fish of remote areas. The snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii) is a gorgeous permit with golden fins that lives in the Indo Pacific. While a few tippet classes have been filled, all line classes remain vacant at the time of this writing. Another Indo Pacific game fish, the elusive, streamlined milkfish (Chanos chanos) is similarly wide-open.

For those less inclined to travel to fish, the ladyfish (Elops spp.) so abundant in the U.S. Southeast and elsewhere in the world includes several line classes still vacant at press time. These are in both men’s and women’s categories: 12-, 16-, 20- and 30-pound line classes. Wide open.

All-Tackle Length Records for Conventional Tackle

By far the greatest number of relatively easy opportunities for world records are in length records. In 2011, the IGFA added this alternative to weighing a fish on a certified scale on land to enter it for a weight record. In 2023, the IGFA added all-tackle length records specifically for kids 16 and under. An angler need only get a quick, precise measurement of total length and girth — which can be done with the fish in a boat or even boatside — for a length record, meaning that world-record contenders can be released — as is actually required for a length record.

While it’s taken some years to really catch on, a growing conservation ethic as well as increasingly tight harvest regulations have helped create a surge in interest in and popularity of length records. Perhaps not surprisingly, for many of the species the IGFA includes in its all-tackle-length records, the records are impressive — and hard to beat. Still, consider that many records by weight go back 20, 30 or even 50 years, while most length records have been set only in recent years, and in most cases will continue to be beaten, perhaps with some regularity.

Since most of us mentally measure fish in pounds, I looked at some popular gamefish all-tackle weight records, comparing the length of that record (which in some cases has held for decades) for a particular species to the length of the all-tackle length record for the same species. In many, the length record was nearly as long as the established weight-record length, but in some instances, the difference in lengths was great enough to suggest “beatability.” A few examples:

Albacore

True albacore, not little tunny: The all-tackle weight record of 88 pounds, 3 ounces, measured 48.43 inches. The all-tackle length record (set in 2022) measured 30.3 inches.

Almaco Jack

The 136-pound world record went 61.7 inches. The current length record (2019) measured 29.1, so a pretty good spread that suggests some opportunities to beat it.

Bluefish

The world record by weight went 31 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured 47 inches. The current world record by length is 34.3 inches, set in 2013.

Cobia

This one’s fairly tough since the weight record of 135 pounds, 9 ounces, measure 67.3 inches. The length record of 54.7 inches had held since 2011.

California Halibut

Want world record to brag on? Here’s a good bet. The world record by weight for the species is 67 pounds, 6 ounces. That fish measured 44.5 inches. The current world record by length, set in 2017, is only 29.1 inches.

Chinook Salmon

The king salmon offers a great shot at the all-tackle length record. Consider that the 97-pound, 4-ounce weight record measured 58.8 inches. Presently, the length record is held by a mere 36.6-inch fish, caught in 2021.

King Mackerel

As fruits go, this one is almost touching the ground — great shot at a world record. The 93-pound all-tackle record measured 62.5 inches. The present length record (2022) is just over half that size, at 33.9 inches.

Pollock (aka Coalfish)

For anglers who fish the North Atlantic, some possibility here. The weight record is 50 pounds and went 44.5 inches. The length record now stands at 34.7 inches, so a fair spread.

Red Drum

Another one not easy to beat. The all-tackle length record, set in 2021, measured 50 inches, only seven inches off the total for the all-tackle weight-record fish of 94 pounds, 2 ounces.

Rainbow Runner

A world record waiting to happen! That’s because there is no length record  — so far — for this species. Any fair-sized specimen should qualify! (In case you’re wondering, the weight record for the species is 37 pound, 9 ounces. But of course a far smaller fish can get your name into the record book with a length record.)

Tautog

Similarly, this one is surprising in how easily it could be beaten. Consider the spread in lengths between the 28-pound, 13-ounce world record by weight, at 35 inches, versus the mere 18.1 inches of the current holder of the length world record for tautog.

Weakfish

As with the rainbow runner, I can’t tell you the world record for length of the weakfish. It’s not a secret; rather, it’s just not there. Amazingly no angler has stepped up with the necessary forms to claim the length record for weakfish so far in more than 12 years.

Yelloweye Rockfish

And for those who fish the Northeast Pacific (Oregon to Alaska), the world record of this orange-hued bottomfish weighed 39 pounds, 4 ounces. It measured 40.8 inches. The length record is just 27.6 inches.

All-Tackle Length Records for Fly Fishermen

If you’re an ardent fly fisherman and want to see your name in the record book, you’re in a catbird seat. That’s because only recently did the IGFA, for selected species, add this third category of all-tackle length on fly to the existing all-tackle weight- and all-tackle length-record categories. At the time of this writing, for many popular game fish, world records by length on fly remain vacant — wide open and just waiting for anglers to put their names in these enviable slots. A partial list:

Any angler determined to see his or her name as a world-record holder in the prestigious International Game Fish Association annals has a surprisingly good shot at doing so. It all comes down to being strategic and willing to spend some time studying various records in the IGFA’s extensive record-keeping system. Well, not all: A dose of good luck certainly helps any effort.

The post How to Get Your Name in the World Record Book appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

This one is for the kids.

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) introduced a new all-tackle length category available for junior anglers to submit their record-breaking fish catches. Open to all anglers 16 and younger, the IGFA wanted kids to experience the thrill of setting world records, while promoting conservation through catch-and-release fishing.

That’s right, kids (and adults) don’t have to kill their catches to be recognized in fishing record books, thanks to IGFA’s different all-tackle length categories. Currently, 169 species are eligible for all-tackle length records.

The new All-Tackle Length Junior Category, which is live right now, follows the same rules and regulations as other current length record categories:

• The junior category has one record available for each eligible species
• There is no differentiation made for the angler’s gender or sex

“By introducing the All-Tackle Length Junior Category, we hope to inspire the next generation of anglers to get out and fish, while promoting ethical and sustainable fishing practices,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “Fishing is a fantastic way to connect with the outdoors, and we believe that by engaging young people with this sport, we can inspire the next generation of stewards of our oceans, lakes, and rivers and help ensure the long-term health and vitality of our aquatic resources.”

The new category is a great opportunity for kids to get hooked on angling. With teenagers more and more disconnected from the outdoors, the IGFA hopes to inspire a new wave of young anglers who are passionate about the sport. The goal of a world record is a worthy and achievable one, whether targeting species like permit, sheepshead, ladyfish or walleye.

The creation of the new record category opened up 169 vacant record opportunities. Have a plan before a junior angler submits a catch to the IGFA. First, make sure the fish species is eligible — species such as blue marlin, yellowfin tuna and tarpon are not on the eligible list. Then, make sure to follow IGFA rules when measuring the fish’s length. And finally, confirm the fish meets minimum length requirements. For example, a California yellowtail needs to be 80 cm (about 31.5 inches) minimum to be eligible for an all-tackle length record. Most importantly, get out on the water with friends and family and have fun — spring is just around the corner.

Important IGFA Resources

• Eligible Species for All-Tackle Length Records
• IGFA Angling Rules
• IGFA Release Guidelines
• World Record Submission Form

The post New IGFA Record Category Created appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Here are five newly approved IGFA catches that are resounding achievements for the anglers who took them.

Kathryn Vallilee set the IGFA Women’s 8-pound test fly rod tippet class world record permit with an impressive 26-pound, 8-ounce fish taken off Key West, Florida on Aug. 31, 2022. She was fishing the flats with well-known Capt. Brandon Cyr when a permit fell for a shrimp-pattern fly. After a 20-minute fight, Kathryn landed the fish and quickly documented the catch before releasing it.

Kathryn has four current IGFA Women’s fly rod tippet world records, three for permit and one for grey snapper. Her most recent permit of 26-pounds, 8-ounces is per best, and taken on 8-pount tippet should hold the top IGFA spot for many years.

Austria’s Traun River gave up a world record grayling weighing 3-pounds, 8-ounces to Italian angler Paolo Pacchiarini last July 14. Pacchiarini now holds the IGFA 2-pound fly rod tippet class world record for grayling. He fooled the prized grayling with a nymph fly and landed it after a short fight. After recording the weight and snapping a few photos, the grayling was released unharmed.

Pacchiarini is an IGFA representative in his native Europe, and over the years has held 15 different IGFA records, including 8 current ones. He has IGFA records for a wide array of fish, from northern pike to zander, asp, carp, wels and golden trevally. Arguably his most impressive catch to date is a 43-pound northern pike he caught on 20-pound test line in 2020 from Italy’s Centro Cadore Lake, setting the men’s IGFA 20-pound line class world record for the species.

Last July 27 Mark Foster was fishing the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay aboard the “GoFishYa” with Capt. Joe Kennedy when he landed a giant 10-pound, 12-ounce sheepshead to set the IGFA Men’s 20-pound line class world record for the species. He used a fiddler crab bait and tussled with the toothy sheepshead for nearly 10 minutes before boating the good-eating sportfish.

Foster also has an impressive and lengthy list of IGFA records, setting 15, seven of which are still recognized as the tops in their respective categories for different species. He’s set IGFA records for sheepshead, striped bass, smallmouth bass and white bass.

An IGFA All-Tackle length world record for fly-rod caught smallmouth bass was set by Spencer McCormack last Sept. 3 while he was fishing an Emmet County, Michigan Lake, in the extreme upper Lower Peninsula of the state. McCormack caught the 20.08-inch bass on a 6-weight fly rod outfit, using a “Gurgler” fly.

The bass was released and not weighed. But the In-Fisherman length-to-weight ratio calculator for smallmouth bass puts McCormack’s fish at about 4 pounds.

Laurent Sahyoun was fishing the frigid waters off Nappstraumen, Norway, when he landed a heavy 45.67-inch Atlantic cod, setting the IGFA All-Tackle Length World Record for the species. Sahyoun was jigging a swimbait when the cod struck, and he landed the fish after a quick five-minute fight. He then recorded the measurements on his official IGFA measuring device before releasing the record cod.

Sahyoun currently holds five IGFA world records, including Men’s line class marks for white marlin (116-pounds on 6-pound test) and sailfish (138-pound, 14-ounces on 80-pound test line).

The post 5 New IGFA World Record Fish appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Florida Gulf Coast spear fishermen are used to running far offshore to get into the best waters for taking big hauls of bottomfish. So, when carpenter Jacob Felts, 30, and his dive buddies headed out for a long-range overnight bottomfishing trip using hook and lines some 150 miles offshore, it was no big deal.

They were aboard Brian Stone’s 42-foot Freeman catamaran named the “Big Nasty” powered by quad 400-horsepower outboards. And they were up and gone zipping across 1-foot flat seas on Oct. 7 staring at 4 a.m.

They started catching grouper at dawn, boating a big mixed bag of Warsaw, snowies, gags, and other bottomfish, plus a few vermilion snapper or “beeliners” as they’re called by many anglers.

“We fished 10 or 12 different spots, mostly natural bottoms and some spring holes, then moved inshore to about 125 feet of water where ‘beeliners’ are more common,” said Felts, of Adel, Ga. “That’s still 100 miles offshore, a place not many other recreational fishing boats work.

“I really wanted to catch a big beeliner because they’re so darn good to eat, almost like a hog snapper or hogfish.”

Felts hid a 10/0 circle hook in a big squid bait and sent it down about mid-day. Using a Shimano Torium-20 reel spooled with 60-pound monofilament line and an 80-pound fluorocarbon leader, he hooked another good fish that he thought was just a nice grouper – until he got it topside.

“I’d caught some beeliners before at that spot and wasn’t surprised to see the fish, but I couldn’t believe the size,” said Felts. “’Holy cow,’ I told the rest of the crew, ‘this is a heck of a snapper’.”

The anglers took a photo of the fish, put it on ice in a fish box, and kept on catching fish.

“We talked about how big that beeliner was that night, and none of us knew they even grew nearly that big,” Felts recalls.

The following day at the end of the fishing trip, the anglers loaded up their gear and headed to Sea Hag Marina in the nearby coastal town of Steinhatchee. Certified scales were there to officially weigh and measure Felts’ vermilion snapper.

Fortunately for Felts there was an official notary from IGFA who knew exactly what to do with the possible record vermilion snapper. They made plenty of photos and videos of the fish, with proper weighing and measuring.

Felts’ snapper officially weighed 9.26-pounds, with a 28 1/8-inch length and 17 ¾-inch girth.

The current IGFA All-Tackle world record is 7-pounds, 3-ounces, caught in 1987, off Mobile, Ala. by John Doss. Felts’ fish is nearly two pounds heavier.

“If it wasn’t for Kristin Skipper at Sea Hag helping us fill out paperwork and do the right things in weighing, measuring and preserving the fish, this never would have happened,” said Felts. “I’m really grateful to her.”

Felts is submitting all necessary documentation to IGFA, including leader, line and hook, and has talked with the record-keeping agency to make sure everything goes smoothly.

‘I even froze the fish whole, just in case something else is needed to document the catch,” he says. “I’d like to get a reproduction mount, because when everything is accepted by IGFA we’ll thaw it, fillet and eat it.

“My buddies are excited about eating a world record fish.”

The post Likely IGFA All-Tackle World Record Vermilion Snapper Is About to get Eaten appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

In early July Capt. George Beckwith, of North Carolina charter fishing fame, was on a four-day fishing adventure out of Quepos, on the central west coast of Costa Rica, located south of San Jose, the capital city.

First day offshore in the Pacific Beckwith and pals slammed yellowfin tuna to 60 pounds using top-water popping plugs.

On days two and three, Beckwith with good friend and fly-rod billfish angler Jake Jordon did an overnighter out of Quepos. They caught six blue marlin in the 100-to-250-pound class all on regulation fly tackle. Beckwith had four marlin, Jordon two, all released.

With that kind of stellar fishing most anglers would have taken a day off the water to recoup. But not Beckwith.

“I wanted a big snook for a possible 6-pound line class record,” says Beckwith, 52, who runs Down East Guide Service out of Morehead City, N.C., plus trips to Costa Rica. “My long-time Costa Rican buddy Capt. Roy Zapata Calderon was available. So he and I and Jordon went after snook on that fourth day off Quepos.”

Using specialized light-tackle IGFA regulation gear, including a Shimano 4000 Stradic reel spooled with true-tested IGFA 6-pound Black Widow line, and a very long and “forgiving” 9-foot spinning rod, the anglers set out in the rolling swells of the Pacific Ocean to hunt for oversize snook.

First the anglers found and caught live sardines near the beach, then put out the baits for trolling. They caught a couple smaller snook, still looking for a potential record fish, when a heavyweight took Beckwith’s bait.

“That fish made a run and took about half the line off the spool,” says Beckwith. “We ran closer to the fish and the snook tried to jump and got about half out of the water. That’s when we knew it was the fish we were looking for and for sure it was bigger than the existing 6-pound test snook record. At the time Roy thought it might be an all-tackle record because it was so huge.”

Beckwith says they positioned the boat close to the fish again trying to get it in. But the center-console was near the beach and huge Pacific Ocean roller waves the area is famed for was pitching and wallowing the boat.

“The snook was trying to get to the other side of the breakers near the beach where we couldn’t follow it, and surely would lose it,” Beckwith explained. “So I had to really put pressure on the fish to get it out of the area.”.

The long, whippy custom spinning rod he used helped cushion the fight of the heavyweight snook, almost like a fly rod would do in a similar fashion.

Finally, Beckwith got the fish close to his boat, and he grabbed the 10-foot length of 50-pound test shock leader at the end of his 6-pound line. Beckwith then knew the snook was his.

“Holding the 50-pound test leader, I walked the snook to Roy and his mate who held a dip net, and we got the fish in the boat,” described Beckwith. “Then we put it in the boat’s live baitwell, which was barely big enough for it to fit inside,”

The anglers immediately called Quepos alerting them they had caught what surely was an IGFA record snook. They kept the snook alive and got it to Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, where it weighed 43-pounds, 8-ounces. But they were concerned the weigh scale wouldn’t qualify as being a certified one. So they then drove the fish to another set of scales in Los Suenos, where it weighed 43-pounds, 5-ounces on certified scales. The snook didn’t survive the trip to Los Suenos, as it otherwise would have been released by Beckwith.

The Pez Vela scale was certified, however, and the fish’s heavier weight has just been accepted by IGFA as the new men’s 6-pound test line class world record for the species. Beckwith’s snook betters the previous 6-pound line class record Pacific snook by nearly 12 pounds.

The former Pacific snook 6-pound line test men’s record weighed 31-pounds, 10-ounces, taken by Alberto Acuna in May 2005, also in Costa Rica.

“My only regret is we couldn’t release that beautiful snook back into the Pacific,” says Beckwith. “But the drive to the second set of weigh scales was too much for it to survive.

The post IGFA Record Pacific Snook! appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.