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.

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Dan Caricaburu-Lundin, of Anchorage, Alaska, launched his kayak on Montana’s Ackley Lake with a mission to break IGFA’s all-tackle length world record for tiger muskie. In a Facebook post the morning of May 20, he wrote “I’m not looking for a fish today; I’m looking for ‘the fish.’” The accompanying photo showed a large, trout-patterned glide bait and an official IGFA measuring device.

Sometimes things do go as planned. A few hours later, he found himself posing for photos with a 115-centimeter (45.28-inch) tiger muskie that beat the previous world length record by about 6 inches. IGFA officially approved the new record in August.

“I’ve fished [Lake Ackley] a lot, and the biggest one I’ve caught was 44 inches,” Dan said. “So, catching one that big is pretty cool.”

Montana Tiger Muskie Fishing

Tiger muskellunge are a hybrid cross of true muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) and northern pike (Esox lucius). They inherit traits from both sides of their parentage, which makes them ferocious and toothy ambush predators. They are an awesome game fish with record weights heavier than 50 pounds.

Lake Ackley’s tiger muskie are no accident. Dan said he’s fished the small 226-acre lake a good bit and has seen a number of big ones. Ackley has long been a trout fishery, and about 10 years ago, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) began stocking tiger muskie annually to counter out-of-control populations of less-desirable longnose and white suckers. The resulting tiger muskie population is well-fed.

Catching The World Record Tiger Muskie

Dan said his fish was easily heavier than 30 pounds. He spotted it on Garmin LiveScope cruising about 3 feet deep over deeper water and cast an 8-inch-long, 2.5-ounce custom kokanee salmon glide bait that he made himself in his garage. He was in the process of turning his kayak when the fish ate.

“I wasn’t ready for the bite, so I made kind of a half-a**ed hook set and he jumped like 5 feet out of the water,” Dan said. “I was kind of panicking a little bit. I was kind of under-gunned for it. I mean that fish barely fit in my net.”

Dan made his way to the bank, where he was able to subdue the fish from shore. Fishing guide Boone Tullet just happened to be driving by and saw Dan fighting the fish. He pulled over and helped get photos and an official IGFA measurement before releasing the fish. The previous length record measured 100 centimeters (39.37 inches). It was caught at Blue Water Reservoir, New Mexico by Joshua Daniels in 2022.

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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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Striped Bass: 81 pounds, 14 ounces

• Gregory Myerson
• Long Island Sound, Connecticut
• August, 4 2011

Who better to ask about the next World Record striped bass than the current record holder. It’s been over a decade since Greg Myerson caught one of the world’s most famous fish and he’s ready to set the next mark. “If they ever lift the slot limit, I’ll catch the next world record, too,” he says. His boasts aren’t hot air, Myerson holds the several striped bass records and striper tournament trophies. Myerson credits the deep ocean bottom and strong tidal currents off Connecticut and Rhode Island for bringing a steady stream of bait and big bass. “Big bass don’t like to move a lot so they are looking for a live lobster.” Myerson even predicts how the next world record bass will be caught; he has developed a rattling sinker that imitates the sound of a startled lobster. “The fish hears the sound and comes to investigate, that’s where he finds my eel.”

Red Drum: 94 pounds 2 ounces

• David Deuel
• Avon, North Carolina
• November 07, 1984

Forty years ago, Frank Folb was working at the tackle shop that weighed the World Record red drum. Today, Folb has retired from tackle shops and taken up gardening, but he remembers the day the world’s biggest red drum was hanging from the scale. “Gosh, it was a fat fish,” he recalls. He says David Deuel fought the trophy drum down the Hatteras Island beach almost a mile before landing it. Due to the current slot limit on redfish, the red drum record will most likely never be broken. Back in the heyday of beach drum fishing, Folb rigged up a mobile scale to weigh a potential record on the beach. “We never had a fish large enough to break the mark,” he says. Folb has heard credible stories of redfish passing the length and girth test, but the fish were released. Despite the difficulty in setting a red drum record, Folb believes a 100-pound redfish is swimming somewhere off the Virginia or North Carolina coast.

Common Snook: 53 pounds, 10 ounces

• Gilbert Ponzi
• Parismina Ranch, Costa Rica
• October 18, 1978

The oldest record on the list is one of the most coveted. While Florida accounts for the largest population of snook anglers, Costa Rica holds the all tackle world record. Stuart-based Capt. Mike Holliday has landed snook up to 40 pounds, but beating the record in his home waters is almost impossible to imagine. “The next record will come from Costa Rica,” he says. Holliday explains the warm Latin American climate allows the snook to feed year-round and reach extraordinary size. Why hasn’t a bigger fish been caught in Costa Rica? Holliday says the fish in the 1970s and 80s were bigger. “People used to brag about the 40-pound club, now they brag about the 40-inch club.” Once again, fishing regulations are the biggest obstacle to breaking the record. Slot limits throughout the snook’s range keep the record safe from American anglers.

Spotted Seatrout: 17 pounds, 7 ounces

• Craig F. Carson
• Ft. Pierce, Florida
• May 11, 1995

Capt. Mike Holliday has personal experience with the World Record spotted sea trout. “I interviewed the guy who caught it,” he remembers. The long-time contributor to local and nationwide publications was on the beat when the fish was caught. “Craig Carson was visiting from Daytona and caught the fish on a Zara Spook off Dynamite Point.” Even though he didn’t witness the weigh-in or see the actual fish, looking at photos of the catch gives Holliday suspicions. “It doesn’t look like a 17-pound trout,” he insists. And the angler weighed the fish on a grocery store scale. And then there’s the incredible size. Holliday shakes his head, “I’ve never heard of a trout even close to 17 pounds.” The speckled trout record has stood for almost 30 years and Holliday thinks it will never be broken. “I’ve fished the same area for decades and caught one fish over 13 pounds,” he says.

Tarpon: 286 pounds, 9 ounces

• Max Domecq Rubane
• Guinea-Bissou
• March, 4 2003

Close your eyes and picture a 300-pound tarpon jumping through the air, diving under the boat and rolling on the line and you’ll understand the difficulty in breaking the silver king’s world-record mark. Zack Bellipigna, angler recognition manager at IGFA, is confident the record can be broken. “As sure as I’m sitting in my chair, there is a 300-pound tarpon swimming off the coast of Africa right now,” he insists. Bellipigna attributes the long-standing record to a lack of angler interest. “Hardcore tarpon anglers are more interested in setting line-class records in the Keys or along the Gulf Coast than going to Africa and catching a giant tarpon.” Bellipigna says IGFA’s Grand Slam awards are also seeing a lot of interest. “Catching a tarpon and two other trophy species in one day is a hell of an achievement but it is achievable.” Still, many of the line class records pale in comparison to the massive 286-pound beast.

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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.”

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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.

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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

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Many of the fish were caught earlier this year, because approval by IGFA takes time. The agency may have to verify fish lengths, weights, certification, and witness procedures, plus lines and leaders also must be tested and verified by the organization for some records.

It can be a lengthy process, but a necessary one to maintain the high standards of the organization for recognizing new world records.

Redtail Catfish

Last Aug. 12 angler Antonia Molinari landed a huge redtail catfish (pirarara) in Brazil’s Xingu River to set an IGFA length record for the species at 54.72 inches. He caught the fish using live bait and recorded the fish on an official IGFA “measuring device” to qualify it for a world length record. After measuring the pirarara, Molinari released it back into the Xingu River.

While Molinari’s redtail catfish was not weighed, the current IGFA All-Tackle World Record for the species scaled 123-pounds, 7-ounces and measured 55.43 inches long. That fish was caught by in 2010, also in Brazil, by angler Gilberto Fernandes

At less than an inch in length from the world record all-tackle weight mark, Molinari’s redtail catfish surely is one of the biggest of the species ever caught.

Sankomenuke

Yuuma Nishino was fishing very deep water near Manazuru, Japan on May 11, 2022 when she hooked and fought for 40 minutes an IGFA All-Tackle record sankomenuke. The fish weighed 10-pounds, 9-ounces, and topped the old record by nearly two pounds.

Sakomenuke are a bottom-dwelling species that can bury into the ocean floor, much like flounder. They’re common in Japanese waters and have been documented as deep as 1,600 feet.

Muskie

Meredith McCord is something of an IGFA fishing phenomenon, with 241 IGFA records to her total credit, and a current IGFA record count of 110 for 52 different fish species from 10 different countries.

Her most recent IGFA-approved fishing record is a 17-pound, 9-ounce muskie caught on Aug. 17 from Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada. The fish tops the IGFA Women 16-pound line class world record for the species. She used a Mepps #5 “Giant Killer” lure to land the prized musky quickly, weighed it on an IGFA certified Boga Grip, and released it safely back into Lake of the Woods. Her new record musky was 38.63-inches long, with an 18-inch girth.

Sheefish

Dr. Jan Forszpaniak is an IGFA representative with a long history of catching world record fish in many different locations. Last Aug. 10 he was on the Alaska’s Hunt River where he caught and released several inonnu (sheefish), including one on fly tackle measuring 35.4-inches, to claim the All-Tackle Length Fly World Record for the species.

The hard-fighting and high-leaping sheefish is chiefly an anadromous coastal fish species, found in Alaska from the Kuskokwim River (Bering Sea drainage) north, throughout the Yukon River into Canada as well as the MacKenzie River. However, it occurs in many inland lakes where it has become strictly a freshwater fish, which includes Great Bear and Great Slave Lakes in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It’s also found in parts of Asia, including the Caspian Sea.

Read Next: 5 New IGFA World Record Fish

Filefish

Yukihiro Sakamoto also is a veteran IGFA record holder, who has tallied 166 records for 99 different fish species from Japan in just 10 years. Currently, 105 of those IGFA records are still world marks. His most recent catch of a 5-pound scrawled filefish on June 19 of this year sets the IGFA All-Tackle World Record for the species.

Yukihiro was fishing in Yakushima, Japan with a small piece of natural bait. Following a quick fight he was able to land this record fish, make a few quick photos, record the filefish’s weight on certified scales and then released it. Scrawled filefish also are known as scribbled leatherjacket filefish, and are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters.

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While foremost factors are the species and line (or tippet) class, in some cases the time it took an angler to bring in a record fish can be of interest, hence this look at a few of the shortest and longest fight times for generally large fish.

It should be noted that however long the catch took (from hookup to grabbing the leader at the boat), all of these records were approved only after the IGFA ascertained that no angling rules were broken in the capture of a fish.

Often with the application form in the record folder are letters from the angler, crew and witnesses offering additional information or testimony. That’s particularly true when catches are outlandishly quick. But most of those are made by anglers out to set records, with a crew well-prepared to act quickly and decisively once a potential-record fish is hooked.

However, some “instant catches” are more serendipitous than calculated, as was the case with the two‑minute world-record tuna.

Monster Yellowfin in 120 Seconds

The very thought of battling — especially stand-up from a dead boat — a 388.5-pound yellowfin tuna is enough to make most bodies ache. But for Curt Wiesenhutter on April 1 (no fooling), 1977, there wasn’t time enough to experience any pain, nor much strain.

Landing a yellowfin approaching 400 pounds would be a formidable task in even an optimal situation. But on a drifting San Diego-based long-range boat (Royal Polaris, in this case), among dozens of lines in the water around a rail high above the water, where an angler can’t easily follow a fish around the boat on his own, you might figure landing such a behemoth would be impossible.

Whether the catch was “sporting” is subjective, but the IGFA — after months of investigating and correspondence with the angler, captain (the late, legendary Bill Poole) and others — determined that the fish was landed without breaking any rules; it became the all-tackle world record at that time, and it’s still the men’s 80-pound record today.

Here’s how it went down.

Wiesenhutter was soaking a live caballito (scad — a Pacific goggle-eye) off the port side of the 115-foot long-range boat when he was bit and then, as they say in California, bendo. In a letter to the IGFA, the angler explains, “The fish took 40 to 60 yards of line, then turned back at the boat.” It circled near the boat and darted under it, coming up on the other side.

His friend, Larry Ward, fishing in the starboard corner 30 feet across from the port side, said he looked over the rail and saw the huge tuna for whatever reason “laying on its side, splashing” water as high as the rails. Ward yelled that it looked like a record fish.

By then, Poole was on deck and had gaffed the fish, but many more hands were required to bring it up the boat’s high sides, so three more crew/anglers (including Wiesenhutter, who apparently had set down his rod in free-spool), stuck the fish with gaffs, and eventually the group had the monster on the deck.

On August 30, 1977, IGFA president Elwood K. Harry wrote to Wiesenhutter to say his catch “now holds the all-tackle and men’s 80-pound-line-class world record.”

That did little to quell the raging (within the angling world, particularly in Southern California) controversy surrounding the catch. San Diego fishing writer Chuck Garrison reported that Wiesenhutter acknowledged, “I have very mixed emotions about [this record].” But a record it remains.

Tarpon: A Tale of Two Records — one of Minutes and one of Hours

Angler Thane Morgan is proof that every fish, and the circumstances at the time, determines how a light-line battle will go down. The one fairly reliable prospect of such battles is that they will defy expectations, and often ruin the most carefully laid plans.

Morgan’s battles with two current tarpon records, in 2011 and 2013, couldn’t have been more different.

The Amarillo, Texas, angler never expected to land one record fish in just three minutes nor to fight one slightly smaller for six hours.

Fishing with his friend Capt. Dustin Huff — son of famed Florida Keys guide Steve Huff — Morgan was determined to set a new IGFA fly-rod record for tarpon on 4-pound tippet and did, with a 119-pounder.

“We’d probably hooked a hundred on 4 that we never landed,” Morgan says. That changed on October 13, 2013, near Marathon in the Keys, when the angler put a mullet fly in the path of yet another big tarpon. At the sting of the hook, it “went crazy, jumping,” says Morgan. No big surprise there, but the pair was surprised when the tarpon “basically belly-flopped and came down stunned.”

They quickly ran up on the fish and put a gaff in it. At that, the tarpon took off, and took Huff with it, pulling him over the side and dragging him behind, Morgan says. Huff wasn’t about to let go. In about three minutes from when the fish was hooked, it was in the boat.

(Morgan had, of course, paid for the tag necessary to boat a tarpon because he was explicitly fishing for a world record.)

Two years earlier, fishing with Huff, Morgan boated an 88-pounder on 4-pound that overtested, so it became and remains the 6-pound world record. However, that fish required not minutes to land, but hours — 18 in total.

At about 4 p.m., in outer Florida Bay, Morgan hooked a large tarpon on 4-pound line. Sometime late in the day, they discovered the gaff point had been rolled. So while Morgan fought the fish, Huff ran the boat while trying desperately to sharpen the gaff point using the only thing they had — a little fish-hook file.

Even with a good gaff, a big tarpon is hard to stick. In this case, “We probably hit it 12 times through the course of the night,” says Morgan. Three times during the night, the tarpon laid up on bottom in the Man O’ War Channel. On 4-pound tippet, it became an immovable object, Morgan says.

Finally, at noon the next day, 15 miles from where it was hooked, the pair subdued the fish.

The bad news for Morgan: The line overtested. The good news: Breaking at 5.2 pounds put it into the 6-pound-tippet category, breaking Stu Apte’s existing world record for that class, so it became a world record after all.

Seven Hours on a Bigeye

In 1986, legendary angler Stewart Campbell and Capt. Bark Garnsey ventured to Africa’s Ivory Coast to fish for blue marlin. At that time, they didn’t have a boat, so “we just kind of borrowed a guy’s boat. But the price was that he came with us.”

The boat, its setup and its tackle weren’t really conducive to pitch-baiting, as they preferred, so they just trolled small lures on his outriggers, says Garnsey, on 30-pound line.

With marlin in mind, they hooked a triple — of bigeye tuna.

They purposely broke off one in hopes of managing the double, but of course, the big fish wishboned the pair of anglers — Campbell and the boat owner.

In order to follow the boat owner’s fish, Garnsey says, “we put Stewart on a French guy’s boat.”

Fortunately, the seas were calm, but it was still a tricky transition, with Campbell holding the rod under his arm as he climbed aboard and Garnsey yelling at the crew, who were trying to be helpful, not to grab the rod.

Eventually, Campbell climbed back onto the original boat after the owner ended up losing his tuna, and finished the fight from there.

“When we finally got the fish in the boat,” Garnsey says, “it was almost dark. That was the first bigeye I’d seen at that time.

“I asked Pete Gray, who was with us, what he figured the world record for a bigeye on 30-pound might be. We ended up calling the marlin club in Abidjan and found it was around 240 pounds.” That made their 329-pounder the line-class record, as it remains to this day.

How did Campbell hold up over the course of that tough seven-hour battle? “He was bionic,” says Garnsey, noting that he later saw Campbell through much longer fights, including an estimated 750 blue on 16-pound line. Ultimately, that fish came up in the darkness under the boat and jumped, breaking off right there. That, Garnsey says, was a real heartbreaker.

The One-Minute Marlin

How does an angler come to land a 226.5-pound marlin in a minute? One instance happened this way.

Saundra McMurray, at that time of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was fishing out of Los Sueños Resort off Costa Rica on February 19, 2002, on the 63-foot American Custom Stephanie Lee. Aboard were Capt. Tony Carrizosa and three mates. McMurray was loaded for bear — with the equivalent of a high-quality peashooter, her Shimano TLD 20 filled with 6-pound line. Obviously, McMurray and her crew were out to break a world record.

Around 1 p.m., the stripe came up on the right-short teaser. “I picked up the [pitch-bait] rod and pitched back a mackerel rigged with a circle hook,” writes the angler in her letter to then-IGFA president Mike Leech to explain the circumstances.

The fish whacked the bait, then circled and came back to hit it again. “I let him run, then locked up the reel. As soon as he knew the fish was hooked, Tony threw the boat in reverse, and I wound as fast as I could as the boat was flying backward toward the fish.” The marlin was “windshield-wipering” (thrusting its head side to side above the water) as the boat came back to it, says mate Barry Gottlieb.

In seconds, McMurray had wound the leader to the rod tip, and one of the mates grabbed the leader, yelling, “Caught fish!” By IGFA rules, of course, that was so. Two other mates, already standing by, immediately put gaffs into the fish, and Carrizosa, who had rushed down into the cockpit, added a third gaff.

The fish was caught and now boated.

Hard to imagine? The IGFA didn’t have to imagine any part of it: The angler provided video that showed the whole very fast and furious moment.

Sharks, Blues and Permit

The five catches described above by no means represent all of the exceptionally brief or extended battles with record game fish. Here’s the short version of a few others.

BLUE SHARK, 7 HOURS

After spotting two big bronze whaler sharks lurking in the burley (chum) trail, Dave Kahlenberg, of Rotorua, New Zealand, drifted a bait back to them. He was fishing 8-pound line mono on a Tiagra 12, hoping to beat the 130-pound line-class record. The shark took; the angler set and then held on as the fish made a screaming 100-yard run. Then began the long battle. After several grueling hours, the fish cleared the water in a number of surprisingly high leaps. But it wasn’t until more than seven hours had elapsed, 12 or so miles from where they’d hooked up and far into the night, that Kahlenberg and his mate finally managed to get the shark on the swim platform. The record catch on 8-pound line in December 2010 weighed in at more than 400 pounds.

BIGEYE TUNA, 57 SECONDS

“I remember that fish coming in on the left long,” says Capt. Jason Pipe of that June day in 2008 off La Gomera, Canary Islands. “That fish” would go on to be the men’s 6-pound-test world record once the 357-pound blue marlin was weighed in. Angler Gary Carter put a pitch bait in front of the fish, and it was hooked. The marlin jumped, coming straight up, then began thrashing as Pipe thrust the 37 Bertram Bocinegro in full back-down mode. The blue came out again, “and mate Jason Brice took his gaff shot and nailed her in midair, right in the arse!” Pipe recalls. Mayhem ensued, but eventually the fish was subdued. Pipe recalls the time from hookup to the mate grabbing the leader as exactly 57 seconds.

PERMIT, FIVE HOURS

Fishing for a world record was about the furthest thing from the thoughts of Tom Sebestyen, of Deerfield Beach, Florida. In fact, he was just fishing for live baits with sabikis off Fort Lauderdale. When a couple of big, fast-moving fish went around his boat, Sebestyen grabbed a spinning rod that had on it the little yellow bucktail jig he used for blue runners. He tipped it with a piece of shrimp and cast in front of the fish. He saw the shape follow the jig down, then came tight on it, and instantly it was ripping drag, so Sebestyen and his pal Mike followed — and followed. Sebestyen says he kept a light drag and just persisted. During the dogged fight, Mike cast out liveys and caught a couple of nice kings. At 10 p.m., roughly five hours after the hookup, the pair landed the all-tackle world-record permit of 56 pounds, 2 ounces (since defeated, but the catch remains the men’s 20-pound-class record).

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