HOT Catches from the IGFA

January 2008

 By Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications – IGFA PR counsel

Click here to check out January's HOT News

Each month the world records department of the International Game Fish Association provides highlights of selected documented fish catches made across the globe submitted for world records. IGFA world records coordinator Rebecca Wright provided the following information on these 11 recent submissions now before the world records committee.

Fishing the Zambezi River and using ultra thin line angler Bradley Kidd, Nelspruit, South Africa, landed a nembwe (Serranochromis robustus) on Sept. 25, weighing 2.81 kg (6 lb 3 oz).  Kidd took five minutes to land the fish using 1 kg (2 lb) class line for the vacant record. Kidd currently holds a year-old record for the same species in the 2 kg (4 lb) line class.

Fly fishing Raritan Bay, New York, USA while using 10 kg (20 lb) class tippet, Joan Sharrott of Staten Island, N.Y., landed a striped bass, (Morone saxatilis) this past November 17.  Enticed by a Cowen’s Magnum baitfish patern the fish weighed 12.45 kg (27 lb 7 oz) and took her 15 minutes to land. She was guided by Dale Beacham for the potential women’s tippet record that is currently 1 lb 2 oz, caught June 18, 2006 off Catalina Island, Calif.

Using a Rapala CD14 for bait while fishing Uruguay River, Argentina, George Bogen, of Los Angeles, CA, USA, landed a 6.8 kg (15 lb  0 oz) dorado (Salminus brasiliensis). Guided by Hector Bradanini, Bogen made the catch on Nov. 19, using 3  kg (6 lb) class line and taking 12 minutes to land.  The current record for the freshwater specie is 11 lb 7 oz recorded in October 2004 from the Rio Parana also in Argentina.

Light line fishing nearby Port Canaveral, Scott Lehrmann of West Melbourne, Fla., USA, used a Spro 4 oz jig to land a red grouper (Epinephelus morio).  The Nov. 29 catch of the 11.57 kg (25 lb 8 oz) fish on 2 kg (4 lb) class line, took him four minutes to land. Lehrmann is going for a men’s line class record and is hoping to see his name on what is now a vacant record.

With 60 kg (130 lb) class line and a sea cock jig for bait, Mercier Christian, St Marie, on the French Island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, guided by Colas Yann, landed a dogtooth tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor) on October 25 while fishing Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. The fish weighed 104.5 kg (230 lb 6 oz) and took him 30 minutes to wrestle to the boat. Christian is hoping to break the men’s current line class record of 230 lb caught off La Morne, Mauritius, January 18, 1993.

Two new potential species additions to the World Record Game Fishes book may soon be decided by the IGFA committee after recent fish catches, both in Japan. Fishing Toshima, and using a kneading bait Takashi Nishino, of Kanagawa-Ken, Japan, landed a brassy chub (Isuzumi) (Kyphosus vaigiensis) on November 24, weighing 1.3 kg (2 lb 13 oz).  He’s sent in his documentation for a new All-Tackle class record. 

The second new potential specie was caught by Chiba, Japan angler Takashi Odagiri, guided by Kazushi Kinjo while fishing Yonaguni Island, Japan, when he landed a frame snapper, (Hamadai) (Etelis coruscans) on Nov. 16. He was using cut tuna for bait to attract the potential All-Tackle class fish that weighed 7.6 kg (16 lb 12 oz).  

With the Rio Emoni in Venezuela as the backdrop for his quarry, Scott Swanson of Hiawassee, GA, USA, landed a blackstriped peacock (Cichla intermedia) on Dec. 4, using a Rapala XRap for bait. It took Swanson just two minutes to capture the fish that weighed 3.86 kg (8 lb 8 oz). The current All-Tackle record is 7 lb, documented April 18, 2003.

Canadian angler Greg Amiel of Richmond-Hill, ON, landed a 4.99 kg (12 lb 0 oz) walleye (Sander vitreus) on Nov. 28th using a Rapala Taildancer for bait.   It took him 10 minutes to reel in the fish on 1 kg (2 lb) class line, while fishing Canada’s Bay of Quinte, Canada. The current record is 10 lb 8 oz caught in Lincoln, Neb. April 18, 1984.

Fly fishing her hometown waters of Port Sulphur, LA, USA, Susan Gros, guided by Bryan Carter, landed a red drum, (Sciaenops ocellatus) using 8 kg (16 lb) class tippet. She was throwing a voodoo crab fly for the fish that weighed 12.02 kg (26 lb 8 oz) and took 15 minutes to subdue. Ms. Gros is hoping to beat a nearly 10 year old record of 26 lb drum caught off Titusville, Fla.

From the waters of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Bermuda, Cynthia Mitchell of Devonshire, guided by Andrew Marshall, landed a yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) weighing 3.18 kg (7 lb 0 oz) after a 20 minute fight on Nov. 15.  She was using 4 kg (8 lb) class line and a marlin chunk for bait off the Sally Tuckers area near Somerset, Bermuda. She’s hoping to bounce the current 6 lb 8 oz women’s line class record caught off nearby Challenger Bank, June 16, 2004.