When it comes to game fish of inshore waters and shallow reefs, these eight brawlers have probably broken more hearts — and rods — than other species. Sure, it’s subjective and, sure, there are other species that might have been included. But no angler who knows his game fish will dispute that these are very tough on rod and reel. Most don’t fight fancy, leaping and cavorting like tarpon, but battling hard, down and very, very dirty. Keep in mind, by the way, that this list is limited to inshore and shallow-reef waters. (So species such as amberjack, that tend to be on somewhat deeper reefs, aren’t included.)

GIANT TREVALLY (Caranx ignobilis)

GT are actually as tough as they look, which is saying something. One of the largest of the jacks (family Carangidae), GT are one of the ultimate, bucket-list game fish for anglers fishing areas such as Australia, New Caledonia, Oman, the Andaman Islands, and even Hawaii. A favorite method for the big boys is throwing large poppers and stickbaits over reef and channel edges — and then trying, often fruitlessly, to power them away from structure, even with 80- to 100-pound braided line. The IGFA world record is an amazing 160 pounds, 7 ounces caught in Japanese waters in 2006.

ROOSTERFISH (Nematistius pectoralis)

Roosters are arguably the most exotic of all nearshore eastern Pacific game fishes, with their distinctive coloration and, particularly, the unique high, comb-like dorsal fin. But, as anyone who’s caught them will tell you, their very tough combatants when hooked. Though not jacks, roosterfish take a page from the playbook of that stubborn family of fishes. Unlike jacks, roosters jump and may clear the water in spectacular fashion. They’re found in the tropical waters of Mexico south into the waters off Peru. The IGFA all-tackle record, caught off La Paz, Mexico, in 1960, is 114 pounds.

MAORI WRASSE (Cheilinus undulatus)

By and large, wrasses tend to be active little colorful fishes of tropical reefs. But the humphead Maori (aka Napoleon wrasse) is a big powerhouse of a fish that can reach 400 pounds or so, dwarfing a man. Seldom are specimens more than a fraction of that landed. Once these fish take a lure, there is truly no stopping them from swimming right back into or around coral. Amazingly strong, they pretty much go wherever they want, whenever they want to go there. Found throughout the Indo-Pacific, the IGFA world record is, surprisingly, just 43 pound, 10 ounces.

PAPUAN BLACK SNAPPER (Lutjanus goldiei)

Widely called a “black bass,” these powerful snapper in fact live in the lower rivers of southern Papua, New Guinea. Heavy currents in muddy waters swirling around omnipresent snags (sunken trees) make for a great challenge; many more of these fish are lost than are landed. But anglers from developed countries make the long trip for the bragging rights of releasing one. The biggest brag goes to the angler with the world record of 47 ½ pounds, taken in December 2015.

PACIFIC CUBERA SNAPPER (Lutjanus novemfasciatus)

There are other species of cubera snapper; the Atlantic and the African versions both get a bit larger. However, unlike those, the Pacific cubera loves to prowl rocky headlands and shallow reefs, and as such is a prime target in the clear waters for anglers throwing large poppers and stickbaits, as well as for those slow-trolling live blue runners. That habitat also means stopping these cubera is critical — and very hard to do. The world record of 81 pounds, 3 ounces was caught in Isla Senora, Archipielago De Las Perlas, Panama in 2022.

RED STEENBRAS (DenItex ruprestris)

Anyone who’s ever fished for porgies — rather small but tasty tropical/temperate fishes — might have trouble accepting the fact that the thick, aggressive steenbras of South Africa’s coastal and estuarial waters is a porgy. In fact, it’s the largest porgy of that family and sports big canine teeth. The slow-growing predators are prized and tightly regulated. The world record is a whopping 124-pound, 12-ounce fish from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa, taken in 1994.

CALIFORNIA YELLOWTAIL (Seriola lalandi)

Although similar in morphology, appearance and down-and-dirty fight to the amberjack, California yellowtail (caught primarily from Southern California south along Baja and the Sea of Cortez) often frequent waters quite near shore and around kelp beds and rocks — where many big yellowtail are hooked and lost. Unless found offshore around floating kelp, light tackle for yellowtail often ends in sorrow (for the angler). Most IGFA yellowtail records come from the California or Baja regions, but some anglers in Japan are also making noise in the record books.

GOLDEN TREVALLY (Gnathanodon speciosus)

In true trevally fashion, goldens are fighters to the end. While they don’t get nearly as large as the giant trevally, goldens fight as hard pound for pound. They also offer anglers a particularly striking appearance with their yellow coloration, and their very widespread availability — throughout the Indo-Pacific all the way to the eastern Pacific, from Baja south to Ecuador. They are caught in near-coastal waters as well as clear flats where, in Australia, they are prime sight-casting targets.

The post Toughest Nearshore Game Fish appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Ask Beau Leaman about beginner’s luck. The Santa Clarita, California, salesman was on his first fishing trip when he caught a potential world-record-breaking fish. Even more amazing, Leaman’s catch was of an extremely rare fish called an opah (Lampris guttatus). “It really was a blessing,” Leaman says.

Leaman was on an overnight tuna trip on the headboat Horizon out of San Diego, California. “I was with a group from church and some friends,” Leaman explains. Although this was Leaman’s first time on the ocean, he had experience trout fishing in lakes and streams. Leaman laughs, “I thought we were going to find some fish and cast spinning rods.”

Once he was on the boat, it didn’t take long for Leaman to realize he wasn’t in Kansas anymore. “I have never tried to sleep on a boat,” he starts. The rolly, noisy ride had Leaman tossing and turning. Up on deck, the scene was equally unsettling. 

The crowd was a mixture of families and first-time anglers, along with grizzled veterans you’d expect to see on a party boat. “There were guys with tattoos of fish and hooks,” Leaman marvels. He recalls one angler showed him pictures of a 300-pound tuna.

Leaman describes another angler pacing back and forth, staring at the ocean all night. “Holy cow, what kind of environment am I getting myself into?” he remembers.

When the boat stopped, Leaman had more surprises. “I didn’t know we were fishing with live bait,” he says. Leaman rented two rods: a lighter rod for live bait and a heavier rod for deep jigging. “The mates showed us how to hook the live bait and people in our group had experience,” Leaman says.

Still, Leaman spent a lot of time tangled with other anglers. At one point, he lost track of his fishing rod. “I was searching all over the boat looking for my rod.” Eventually he found his rod and marked it with a yellow ribbon. By late afternoon, the highlight of the day was a bonito Leaman hooked with another angler. “Nothing much was going on,” he says.

When the captain announced he was marking fish 30 feet below the boat, experienced anglers grabbed the light live-bait rods. Leaman decided to use his heavier jigging rod. “I figured I would warm up by jigging a lure from 300 feet,” he explains.

Leaman watched the depth-marked line leave his reel until his lure reached 300 feet. “I felt a bonk,” Leaman remembers. When he started cranking the reel handle, he found the line was stuck. “I thought I was snagged on a rock ,” he says. Leaman knew the water was too deep for a snag, so he continued to try to turn the reel handle. 

“I didn’t want to cry wolf,” he laughs, so he continued to struggle with the reel in silence. Eventually a friend asked if everything was okay. “The line was tight, but nothing was pulling. I felt steady, heavy pressure.” 

After other anglers confirmed Leaman must be hooked to a large fish, the crew started to buzz with excitement. In a few minutes, the captain was standing next to Leaman coaching him to fight the fish. 

At one point, the fish dashed to the bow and then ran to the stern. Leaman says, “The captain took the rod and helped me weave in and out of the other anglers.” Mayhem ensued with anglers yelling and shuffling while Leaman fought his fish.

When the huge fish surfaced, the captain yelled for gaffs. Four deckhands worked together to secure the big round fish and drag it onboard. 

“I was shocked,” Leaman says. A bystander remarked the strange fish looked like something engineered by the government. An opah is shaped like an angel fish with flat, silver sides mottled with shades of red and speckled in white spots. Sometimes these fish are also called moonfish.

“The fish had a huge eye and was covered in armor,” Leaman adds. Several places on the fish showed bites from cookie-cutter sharks. Leaman reflects, “There is so much grandness in the fish; I couldn’t help thinking of God’s creativity and power.”

Back at H&M Landing, the Opah weighed 188.6 pounds. The previous world record, set by Joe Ludlow in 2014 at San Quintin, Mexico, was 180 pounds, 12 ounces. Of course, the captain’s assistance and the shark bites could be ruled violations of International Game Fish Association rules, but the opah is still the biggest recorded rod and reel catch for this species. 

Leaman laughs, “My wife asked, ‘Why couldn’t you catch a normal fish?’” Leaman’s already shared the meat with friends and he’s looking online for opah recipes.

The post Rare Opah Catch Smashes World Record appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

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.”

The post Another World Record Bass Out of Texas appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

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.

Angler Steve Jackson was ecstatic when he recently made a Facebook post that he had just been issued a state fishing record.

“Well it’s finally official. I am now the Louisiana state record holder for red grouper caught on a rod and reel,” he wrote. “Huge shoutout to Capt. Joey Davis of Relentless Sportfishing for putting us on lots of nice fish that day.

“Best of all, I had my son with me to see it happen and push to get it in the (record) books. Thanks, now it’s time to go back and do it again.”

Jackson, 52, a salesman from Benton, Arkansas, was entertaining four business customers and his son on Aug. 12 when they drove 10 hours to Venice, Louisiana to try for tuna. The weather was poor that morning for trying tuna, but Capt. Joey Davis said they could try for bottomfish when the weather laid down a bit at 9 a.m.

Out they went 20 miles offshore on Davis’ 33-foot boat to 120-feet of water. With bottomfishing boat tackle and using pogie baits they started catching big scamp grouper, snapper and some triggerfish.

“I went to the stern of the boat after fishing at the bow for a while, dropped a bait down, and wham, something strong hit it,” said Jackson. “When I brought the fish in the captain went nuts, and said it was a red grouper and likely a state record.

“I didn’t think much about it until we got back to the marina, and my son Justin pushed the record fish idea along, and sure enough we learned it crushed the old state red grouper.”

The fish was officially weighed on certified scales at the marina, and fortunately a state fisheries biologist was on hand to verify the fish was indeed a red grouper and helped with state record paperwork.

“That was in August when we submitted it, and I was going call the record folks about what was the hold up, but the red grouper state record certificate showed up in the mail that day,” Jackson said.

When asked if he was going to have the fish mounted by a taxidermist, he chuckled.

“I have deer mounts hanging all over the place at home, so a fish mount likely wouldn’t fit in very well,” he explained. “I left the fish with the captain, and maybe he’ll mount it.

“It’s been a pretty good year for me fishing. Earlier this year I caught a blue marlin while visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Not a bad year at all.”

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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.

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The IGFA all-tackle record GT weighed 160 pounds, caught near Tokara, Japan. That’s bigger than the largest amberjack ever landed, and it’s more than double the size of the largest jack crevalle ever recorded by the IGFA.

Tanzania, November 2011

Martin Larsson, of Tanzania, hooked this 124-pound, 12-ounce ounce brute while trolling with 50-pound-class tackle. The fish attacked a trolled ballyhoo and took 35 minutes to fight to the boat.

Australia, June 1996

Fishing in Australia’s Seymour River Estuary, Esme Henderson hooked a 72-pound giant trevally while casting a deep-diving plug. The 77-pound fish took 45 minutes to land on 12-pound tackle.

Seychelles, May 1999

Giant trevally inhabit warm coastal waters of the Indian and central Pacific oceans, eastward to the Hawaiian and Marquesas Islands. Other popular waters to catch GTs include Kenya and other parts of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Hawaii.

Fly angler Colleen Vaday hooked this 45-pound fish on a deceiver fly while fishing Alphonse Island, Seychelles. She landed the fish after a 30-minute fight, taking extra care with her 16-pound tippet.

Japan, May 2006

Keiki Hamasaki, of Kagoshima, Japan, landed this all-tackle world-record giant trevally without the help of a boat. He hooked the 160-pound, 7-ounce fish from shore while casting a plug with 130-pound tackle. Total fight time was just 35 minutes. Imagine the knots necessary to fight this monster GT from land!

Kiribati, February 1995

Similar species to giant trevally include jack crevalle, horse-eye jack, Pacific jack crevalle, bigeye trevally and bluefin trevally — but the giant trevally grows the biggest of them all.

Fly angler Bud Korteweg, of River Edge, New Jersey, landed this 35-pound trevally at Christmas Island using 8-pound tippet. The fish hit a Tarpon fly and took 30 minutes to land on the flats.

Hawaii, March 1991

Some Hawaiian anglers report that the darker the night, the more actively giant trevally feed. But daylight didn’t stop Russell Mori from hooking this 145-pound, 8-ounce fish near Makena, Maui, using moray eel as bait. The shore angler landed the GT in 1 hour on 80-pound tackle.

Cook Islands, January 2014

Now that IGFA all-tackle length records are available for many different fish species, increasing numbers of anglers can release their catch and still make it into the record books. Australian Paul Worsteling fished the Cook Islands with Capt. Etu Davey to land this 42.9-inch (109 cm) fish. He cast a popper to the GT before landing the fish in just 7 minutes.

Reunion Island, March 2009

Audrey Ferrand was bait fishing near St. Gilles when this 105-pound, 13-ounce giant trevally grabbed her bait. Using 130-pound tackle, Ferrand landed the giant jack after a 1-hour, 15-minute fight time.

Mauritius, February 2010

Many adult giant trevally feed outside reef drop-offs in deeper waters. Junior angler William Klein, from France, landed this giant trevally off the coast of Rodriguez Island, Mauritius. He used a chunk of bonito head as bait to land the 94-pound, 12-ounce fish in 15 minutes.

Australia, December 1996

Raymond Revill used light 2-pound tackle and a Boone Popper to land this 31-pound, 4-ounce giant trevally in Hervey Bay, Australia. Even though the catch wasn’t the largest GT ever, it took quite a fight, lasting 65 minutes to land. On the opposite end of the spectrum, one giant trevally photo on social media showed a fish that looked close to 175 to 200 pounds. Though the mystery GT photo was never verified by the IGFA, and little-to-no background on the catch or angler is available, both of these photos show why giant trevally fishing is so popular — just look at the anglers’ faces.

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