As a sequel to our gallery, 50 Greatest Women’s World-Record Catches, we wanted to share some of the top world records in the International Game Fish Association‘s junior-angler category. This category stipulates the angler be 11 to 16 years of age (and of course accomplish their catches while abiding by IGFA rules and ethics).
Many fine catches in addition to these could be included, but we found these 40 (presented in random order) particularly impressive. (Also, some catches wouldn’t work for this gallery simply because the photos provided to the IGFA with the record application weren’t good enough to try to share here.)
A major word of thanks to Jack Vitek at the IGFA for his above-and-beyond help in finding these photos in the association’s archives.
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(If you enjoy this gallery, check out the greatest world-record catches by small fry — kids 10 and under.)
Finally, this editor’s note: Sport Fishing does not condone or encourage the killing of marlin, sailfish, tarpon or large sharks by anglers. In general, we avoid showing photos of such fish, dead at the dock. However, we make a rare exception in cases where legitimate world records are involved. But generally, we hope young anglers learn the satisfaction that comes from seeing a trophy fish swim away from the boat in great shape.
105-POUND BLACK DRUM
Age: not listed
Location: Virginia Beach
Date: August 1997
Reel: Penn 650 SS
Method: Casting a bucktail jig
Fight time: 22 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
105-POUND, 13-OUNCE GIANT TREVALLY
Age: 12
Location: Réunion Island
Date: March 2009
Reel: Shimano Stella 20000FA
Method: Bait fishing (bait type not specified)
Fight time: 1 hour, 12 minutes
Note: Also the women’s 130-pound line-class world record Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
1,001-POUND BLUE MARLIN
Age: 13
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Date: Aug 2000
Reel: Shimano
Method: trolling
Fight time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
90-POUND, 9-OUNCE ALMACO JACK
Age: 15
Location: Golfo de Papagayo, Costa Rica
Date: June 2010
Reel: Accurate Boss Magnum 870
Method: Drift fishing a live pompano
Fight time: 25 minutes
Note: Also the men’s 20-pound line-class record Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
86-POUND COBIA
Age: not listed
Location: Chesapeake Bay
Date: 45 minutes
Reel: Shimano
Method: Fishing an eel
Fight time: 45 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
868-POUND, 9-OUNCE BLUEFIN TUNA
Age: 13
Location: North Lake, Prince Edward Island
Date: September 2014
Reel: Penn
Method: Fishing a mackerel
Fight time: 1 hour Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
547-POUND, 6-OUNCE THRESHER SHARK
Age: 15
Location: Kona, Hawaii
Date: May 2014
Reel: Shimano
Method: Drifting an opelu (scad)
Fight time: 2 hours, 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
14-POUND, 1-OUNCE BONEFISH
Age: 15
Location: Islamorada, Florida
Date: December 2002
Reel: Daiwa Whisker 1600
Method: Bait fishing with a crab
Fight time: 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
58-POUND, 8-OUNCE GAG GROUPER
Age: 16
Location: Gulf of Mexico (no more information listed)
Date: May 2007
Reel: Shimano
Method: Drifting cut mackerel
Fight Time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
102-POUND WHITE MARLIN
Age: 11
Location: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Date: August 2011
Reel: Shimano
Method: Bait fishing a live scup
Fight time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
250-POUND YELLOWFIN TUNA
Age: 16
Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Date: July 2005
Reel: Penn
Method: Trolling a skipjack
Fight time: 2 hours Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
124-POUND HALIBUT
Age: 16
Location: Icy Bay, Alaska
Date: July 2008
Reel: Penn
Method: Jigging bait
Fight time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
147-POUND, 11-OUNCE PACIFIC SAILFISH
Age: Not listed
Location: El Tamarindo, El Salvador
Date: April 1998
Reel: Penn 80tw
Method: Trolling a Williamson’s Marlin lure
Fight time: 35 minutes penn 80 tw Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
68-POUND KING MACKEREL
Age: 15
Location: Key Largo, Florida
Date: December 2002
Reel: Shimano 6500B
Method: Drift-fishing a ballyhoo
Fight time: 35 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
46-POUND, 12-OUNCE RED DRUM
Age: 12
Location: Chesapeake Bay
Date: September 2001
Reel: Penn 320 GTI
Method: Fish a croaker
Fight time: 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
44-POUND AFRICAN POMPANO
Age: 16
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Date: February 2008
Reel: Accurate Boss
Method:Fishing a goggle-eye
Fight time: 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
60-POUND STRIPED BASS
Age: 14
Location: Fishers Island, Connecticut
Date: July 2010
Reel: Shimano Baitrunner
Method: Casting a live eel
Fight time: 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
77-POUND, 15-OUNCE CUBERA SNAPPER
Age: 16
Location: Gulf of Mexico (more specific information not provided)
Date: June 2007
Reel: Shimano
Method: Bottom fishing squid
Fight time: 20 min Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
407-POUND, 3-OUNCE STRIPED MARLIN
Age: 13
Location: Tauranga
Date: March 2003
Reel: Penn 50SW
Method: Bait fishing a kahawai
Fight time: 3 hours, 50 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
59-POUND WHITE SEABASS
Age: 14
Location: Imperial Beach, California
Date: June 2002
Reel: Shimano Corsair 400
Method: Casting a Slammer jig
Fight time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
46-POUND PERMIT
Age: 16
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Date: April 2002
Reel: Penn 975LD
Method: Casting a crab
Fight time: 35 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
231-POUND, 13-OUNCE SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA
Age: 16
Location: Hippolyte Rocks, Australia
Date: April 2014
Reel: Shimano
Method: Trolling a Rapala
Fight time: 35 miinutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
391-POUND SWORDFISH
Age: 14
Location: Middlesex Bank, New Zealand
Date: July 2004
Reel: Shimano Tiagra 80W
Method: Trolling squid
Fight time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
11-POUND, 1-OUNCE SPOTTED SEATROUT
Age: Not listed
Location: St. Lucie River, Florida
Date: May 1997
Reel: Shakespeare
Method: Fishing a live mullet
Fight time: 8 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
70-POUND, 11-OUNCE ROOSTERFISH
Age: 13
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: March 2010
Reel: Shimano Tiagra 50
Method: Trolling a live bonito
Fight time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
58-POUND, 4-OUNCE STRIPED BASS
Age: 13
Location: Delaware Bay, New Jersey
Date: October 2010
Reel: Shimano Tekota 600
Method: Bait fishing bunker
Fight time: 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
39-POUND BLACKFIN TUNA
Age: 14
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: April 2008
Reel: Shimano Stella
Method: Jig and bait
Fight time: 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
60-POUND, 10-OUNCE GUINEAN BARRACUDA
Age: 11
Location: Luanda
Date: November 2003
Reel: Penn GTI 320
Method: Trolling a Rapala
Fight time: Not listed Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
59-POUND, 9-OUNCE LINGCOD
Age: 13
Location: Kodiak Island, Alaska
Date: July 2004
Reel: Penn Formula 15KG
Method: Jigging a lead-head with plastic tail
Fight time: 9 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
146-POUND, 9-OUNCE GREATER AMBERJACK
Age: 16
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands
Date: January 2009
Reel: Shimano Stella
Method: Jigging an Evil Metal Hunter jig
Fight time: 25 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
14-POUND, 4-OUNCE BONEFISH
Age: 11
Location: Islamorada, Florida
Date: October 2002
Reel: Daiwa SS1600
Method: Casting a live crab Fight time: 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
81-POUND, 5-OUNCE ATLANTIC SAILFISH
Age: 15
Location: Lobito, Angola
Date: March 2013
Reel: Shimano
Method: Trolling a ballyhoo
Fight time: 1 hour Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
614-POUND, 3-OUNCE PACIFIC BLUEFIN TUNA
Age: 15
Location: Hokitika Trench, New Zealand
Date: April 2009
Reel: Shimano 130W
Method: Bait fishing with a hoki
Fight time: 1 hour, 57 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
94-POUND, 2-OUNCE SOUTHERN YELLOWTAIL
Age: 16
Location: Mimiwhangata, New Zealand
Date: May 2008
Reel: Shimano TLD 50
Method: Bait fishing with a kahawai
Fight time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
40-POUND RED SNAPPER
Age: Not listed
Location: 28-Fathom Ledge, Ponce Inlet, Florida
Date: July 1998
Reel: Penn 6/0
Method: Bottom fishing a live pinfish
Fight time: 12 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
62-POUND BROOMTAIL GROUPER
Age: 13
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: August 2011
Reel: Shimano
Method: Trolling a live bonito
Fight time: 12 minutes
Note: Also the men’s 80-pound line-class record Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
70-POUND, 1-OUNCE NARROWBARRED MACKEREL
Age: 14
Location: Richard’s Bay
Date: April 2012
Reel: Accurate
Method: Trolling a Mydo Bait Swimmer
Fight time: 30 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
54-POUND, 14-OUNCE CALIFORNIA HALIBUT
Age: 14
Location: Bodega Bay, California
Date: July 2014
Reel: Avet
Method: Drifting a live squid
Fight time: 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
716-POUND MAKO SHARK
Age: 16
Location: Broken Bay, Australia
Date: January 2011
Reel: Shimano Tiagra
Method: Drifting a skipjack
Fight time: 2 hours, 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
1,093-POUND, 7-OUNCE BLACK MARLIN
Age: 14
Location: Linden Bank, Australia
Date: November 2006
Reel: Penn
Method: Trolling a scaly mackerel
Fight time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
