The new year begins with eight hot new catches from around the world! A striped bass in New Jersey , USA leads this month's IGFA report, followed by more great catches from Brazil , Canada , Cayman Islands, Japan , Panama , and California and Wyoming , USA
The Cayman Islands have produced another potential All-Tackle record escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum)! This time it was local angler Emil Terry who boated the potential record fish; a 78.81 kg (173 lb 12 oz ) monster that he landed in 25 minutes after it hit the strip bait he was drifting with guide Jonathan Ebanks, and current record holder Charles Ebanks, whose current record stands at 72.89 kg (160 lb 11 oz ).
Angler Maureen Klause of Ocean City, NJ, USA landed a striped bass (Morone saxatilis) while fishing the Delaware Bay, NJ, USA with Capt. Ricky Wheeler on Dec. 4, 2011. Klause was fishing the bottom with a bunker (menhaden) head when the 108 cm striper hit. After a 12 minute fight, Klause and Capt. Ricky boated the potential All-Tackle Length record fish for the necessary photos and measurements before releasing it alive. The current IGFA record is 89 cm .
Brazilian angler Fabricio Bigua was fishing Serra da Mesa Lake, Brazil 4.54 kg (10 lb 0 oz ) fish hit. After a quick five mintue fight, Bigua was able to photograph, weigh, measure and release the fish alive. The current IGFA record is 4.02 kg (8 lb 13 oz ).
French angler Jean Paul Estradere was casting topwater plugs off the coast of Isla Coiba, Panama 115 cm Pacific cubera snapper (Lutjanus novemfasciatus) exploded on his Sebile Splasher. With the help of local guide Olivier Charpentier, Estradere was able to boat this potential All-Tackle Length record fish in 10 minutes. After a few quick photos and measurements, the toothy snapper was released alive to fight another day. The current IGFA record is 107 cm and is held by Estradere’s guide, Olivier Charpentier.
Far from his home in Thayne, Wyoming, USA, angler Doug Bull landed the potential men’s 10 kg (20 lb ) line class great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) while fishing Holmes Reef, Australia on Dec. 1, 2011. Guided by Martin DeBanks and drifting cut skipjack, Bull needed only 5 minutes to land the 29.94 kg (66 lb 0 oz ) ‘cuda. The current IGFA record stands at 29.5 kg (65 lb 0 oz ).
Angler Bob Gaines of Irvine , California , USA 111 cm Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) on Dec. 15, 2011 while fly casting on the Smith River, California with guide Andy Martin. After the fish ate a well-presented orange shrimp fly, Gaines fought the salmon for 40 minutes before finally bringing it in the boat. As with all potential All-Tackle Length records, the fish was released alive after the necessary photos and measurements were taken. The current IGFA record stands at 84 cm .
On Nov. 11, 2011, Japanese angler Norifumi Yamamoto traveled from his hometown of Wakayama to fish the shoreline of Kushimoto , Japan 8.65 kg (19 lb 1 oz ) Suzuki while casting a Daiwa shiner. After a 25 minute battle from shore, Yamamoto had landed the potential new men’s 04 kg (8 lb ) line class record. The current IGFA record is 8.25 kg (18 lb 3 oz ).
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