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An enormous yellowfin tuna crashed the bait of young angler Keith Brandner of Tenafly, New Jersey, as he was fishing off Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, August 7. Guided by Hercules Marsella, Brander was free lining a live goggle eye when the 241-pound 4-ounce yellowfin hit. The youngster had a brutal 1 hour and 45 minute fight to boat the potential IGFA male Junior record fish.
Danish angler Frank Jensen of Aabyhoej, landed a beautiful 24-pound 11-ounce Atlantic salmon (landlocked), while fishing Klaralv, Sweden. Jensen was using a nors flue for bait and needed 45 minutes to land the potential new IGFA all-tackle record.
Fishing this summer in Seward, Alaska, junior angler Jace Heller of Seal Beach, California, USA, guided by IGFA Certified Captain Andy Mezirow, landed a yelloweye rockfish weighing 28-pound. The fish hit a herring being fished on the bottom and was landed in 20 minutes on August 27, qualifying Jace for a new male IGFA junior record.
Angler Fiona Stallard, of Perth, Western Australia, guided by Captain Adrian Watt, landed a 46-pound 4-ounce wahoo on August 30, to qualify for the IGFA women's 6-pound line class record. Captain Watt was pulling a Halco Lazer Pro 160 when the toothy critter hit Stallard's line. Less than a half hour later the fish was on board and the boat was headed to the weigh station.
Trading his Southern Hemisphere winter to fly fish in a Northern Hemisphere summer, Frank Bluch of Corio Victoria, Australia, landed a monster lake trout on Great Bear Lake, in Canada's Northwest Territories. Using an ultra thin tippet, Bluch fought the 30-pound 8-ounce lake trout for over four hours after it hit his white dumbell strip tease fly. Great angling by Bluch, and boatmenship by guide Captain Mike Harrison, can be credited for this amazing catch and potential fly record.
Ajka, Hungary angler Zsedely Attila, landed a 297-pound 9-ounce potential IGFA all-tackle record wels on March 11, while fishing Italy's River Po. He was using a Rapala plug when the monster fish hit and needed the better part of an hour to bring this fish to the boat. Aside from the enormous size of the fish, what is even more amazing is that the River Po has produced three potential IGFA All-Tackle wels records within the past year, not to mention that all three have been released alive.
Andres Fanjul of Palm Beach, Florida, landed a potential all-tackle roundscale spearfish on August 20, fishing the Baltimore Canyon, off Maryland. Captain Heaton II was trolling naked ballyhoo when the 70-pound spear came into the spread. Fanjul battled the fish to the boat 30 minutes later for a potential new IGFA all-tackle billfish record.
Two IGFA World Records might be going to junior angler Maximilian Hampl of Cartago, Costa Rica, for a single fish. While fishing Boca Chica, Panama, guided by Captain Antonio Isaza, Hampl landed a beautiful 29-pound 8-ounce mullet snapper using a live blue runner for bait. Ten minutes after the fish hit, Hampl had the fish in the boat and was qualified for both the men's 30-pound line class record and the male junior record.
On July 11 of this past summer young small fry angler Jazmine Olivia Evans, of Melfa, Virginia, landed a 53-pound 6-ounce bluefin tuna. They were fishing out of Sams Hill, Virginia, trolling a Seawitch skirted ballyhoo when the bluefin hit her line. About 30 minutes later, Jazmine had the fish in the boat and a new potential female IGFA Smallfry record.
Using just a bread ball for bait, Pamela J. Henry of Stuart, Florida, USA, landed a blue tilapia on August 31, while fishing the Florida's South Fork River. She needed six minutes to land the 9-pound 6-ounce potential IGFA all-tackle record fish.
IGFA multi-record angler Ian Middleton of Cairns, Queensland, Australia, guided by Oliver Middleton, landed one of his favorite fish, a 34-lb black Papuan snapper on July 11, while fishing Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea. The freshwater snapper qualifies for the 50 lb line class record, and took Middleton eight minutes to boat. The current IGFA record is 30 lb 13 ounces recorded last year in the same region. Middleton holds four other records for the species.
Anglers from all around the world continue to break records. See the latest giants from the International Game Fish Association.
