CANADA: lake of the Woods record burbot

The 35-year-old angler Aaron Guthrie from Bemidji loves catching and eating burbot, also called eelpout. So he was all smiles Friday after hooking a 19.5-pound burbot while fishing in his ice house on Lake of the Woods. If certified by the Department of Natural Resources, it will be a state record, edging out a 19.3-pounder caught in Lake of the Woods in 2001.

ECUADOR: Galapagos end February report

San Cristobal, the weather has been absolutely spectacular the last few days. The water color and fishing has been a roller coaster as well. Green upwelling just a few days ago near the island have now lead to lots of bait and beautiful blue water. The inshore fishing has been incredible for tuna, wahoo, grouper and bottom fish. The marlin fishing has been quite good on 88 Bank.
Feb 18, 2012 Mike Eakins and Tom Noonan are regulars with our operation for the last 6 years. The fished on the Big Fish and headed out to 88 Bank. The seas were calm and skies were sunny. Water was 80 F in the AM and blue. Plenty of dolphin life on the bank and sardines could be seen on the monitor. 8 stripey tailers were spotted at one time on the surface. We spotted 3 more marlin tailing. The marlin were not very aggressive and only 3 fish were raised with one bite. There are days when you know the fish are there but just won’t bite. This was one of them.
Feb 19, 2012 we decided to take the Big Fish with Mike and Tom to the area called the Easter Egg. Hoping for a repeat of the success the week before with the Haywoods we fish the 3000 foot drop. Water was a greenish blue tint and may have not been ideal. The only predators to come close to the baits were a large tiger shark and bonitos. Sharks are not allowed to be fished for so no chance at trying to catch the large tiger. The day was beautiful and sunny but unfortunately we did not raise any marlin.
Feb 20, 2012 on-board the Big Fish we returned to Bank 88. The day was perfect for fishing. The ocean was calm with 78 F in the AM. The same pod of dolphins that had been there 2 days before was feeding on the bank. By 12 pm we had raised two stripeys and broke one off apparently cutting the line with its tail near the boat. As the afternoon progressed the bite got hotter and we got clobbered by clusters of marlin. Quite a few window shoppers as well. By the end of the day we had raised 13 striped marlin had 8 bites, broke one of and caught one fish. We used small ballyhoo and large ballyhoo on 8/0 and 9/0 circle hooks but could not get good hook sets. Just one of those days I guess.
Feb 21, 2012 it was hard to believe but the days was nicer than the previous. Flat calm ocean, blue water and just a perfect day to fish. Mike and Tom made their way on the Big Fish to Bank 88. No birds, no dolphins and apparently no life when we arrived. However we were greated by schools of sardines and bonito on the surface. It did not take long before a rather large striped marlin came out with dorsal fin determined to eat the starboard long rigger bait. The morning was slow but the bite began to pick up around mid day and the action became nonstop until we left. 13 striped marlin and 1 nice blue around 300 plus were raised. Mike released a stripey of around 180#. Tom released 2 stripeys each around 170# and got within 5 feet of the leader with a blue. The blue ate a purple and black hair lure usually pulled down the middle of the spread. We don’t usually fish lures but there are times that the stripeys become very finicky and will window shop every bait in the spread and rather eat a lure. The day ended with 14 raises total, 9 bites and 4 releases.
Feb 22, 2012 The Big Fish headed for 88 Bank. The day was very calm and the water was cobalt blue. Water temp was 78.6 F to start the morning and we were the only ones fishing on a partly cloudy day. The action started late morning and progressed as the afternoon went on. 9 striped marlin were raised with 6 bites, one broken leader and 2 releases. Tom and mike each caught a nice stripey around 200 lbs.

www.ecuagringo.com

NEW ZEALAND: Killer Whale hooked!!!

Robbie Lewis is no stranger to big fish, catching a record southern bluefin tuna, but battling a big sea mammal was definitely not in his plans at the Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club’s Eastland Port Marlin and Tuna Hunt.

Lewis and his crew aboard C Crazy 2 were searching for some big-eye tuna on day three of the 4-day tournament. After finding a pod of tuna, four killer whales came up and started following their lures.

“One started jumping like a dolphin — we weren’t sure if it was a whale or a big tuna to start with, then realised it was one of the orcas and it had eaten one of the lures," said Lewis to The Gisborne Herald.

First-time big game fisherman Charlie Destounis strapped into the chair, the crew began an epic battle. The orca peeled off more than 750 yards of line three times before busting off.

With the reel literally smoking, the harness broken, and Destounis tiring, the killer whale finally broke off.

IGFA: February Hot Catches

 

Fishing in the Milwaukee Harbour on Dec. 16, 2011, in his home state of Wisconsin, USA, angler Eric Haataja landed a brown trout (Salmo trutta) while casting a skirted jig. After a tough 10 minute fight, Eric boated the brownie to measure and photograph, before releasing it alive. Measuring 97 cm, Haataja’s fish qualifies for the potential new All-Tackle Length record, as the existing record stands at 64 cm.

 

Last December, Aussie angler Nicholas Hamilton-Smith traveled south to the neighboring country of New Zealand to do some offshore fishing out of the infamous Whakatane. While vertical jigging on Dec. 4, 2011, Hamilton-Smith hooked into a brute of a southern yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) that measured 131 cm after a tough 20 minute fight. By releasing the fish alive after the proper measuring and documentation on IGFA’s Official Measuring Device, Hamilton-Smith qualifies for the potential new All-Tackle Length record – currently standing at 112 cm.

 

Barramundi maestro Mark Hope, of Yungaburra, Australia, has pulled another potential record barra from Australia’s Lake Tinaroo. Fishing from his kayak on Jan. 7, 2012, Hope hooked into this 28.3 kg (62 lb 6 oz) fish that took the Z Man Swimmer he was trolling. After a 15 minute fight, he had the fish subdued and was on the way to the scales with this potential 6 kg (12 lb) line class record fish. The current IGFA record is 27.1 kg (59 lb 11 oz).

 

Angler Christopher J. Hudson, of Rockledge, Florida, USA, was bottom fishing in the Bahamas with friend and captain Scott Lehrmann on Jan. 9, 2012, when he landed a red grouper (Epinephelus morio) that qualifies for the men’s 08 kg (16 lb) line class record. The 10.21 kg (22 lb 8 oz) grouper ate a Guppy Bucktail Jig, and took Hudson only 5 minutes to pull from the bottom.  The current IGFA record is 8.84 kg (19 lb 8 oz).

 

Australian native Benchawan Thiansungnoen has been spending time in Thailand racking up records on some unique freshwater species. One of her most recent catches is a 13.35 kg (29 lb 13 oz) rohu (Labeo rohita) that she caught while fishing the Khao Laem Dam on January 6, 2012. Thiansungnoen’s fish ate a lump of bread mix she was soaking, and after a quick 5 minute fight, the rohu was subdued. After snapping a few photos and getting the necessary measurements, Thiansungnoen released this new potential All-Tackle record fish alive. The existing IGFA record stands at 12.5 kg (27 lb 8 oz).

 

Kiwi angler Scott Tindale traveled from his home in Auckland to New Zealand’s Behinve Island in early December to target a variety of bottom species. Casting a bucktail sea habit fly on Dec. 9, 2011, he landed this gorgeous snapper (squirefish) (Pagrus auratus) that weighed in at 4.75 kg (10 lb 7 oz). Tindale needed 25 minutes to land his potential men’s 03 kg (6 lb) tippet class record, which currently stands at 1.27 kg (2 lb 12 oz).  

 

The rich fishing grounds of Golfito, Costa Rica have produced another potential record for angler Roberta G. Arostegui and her captain, IGFA Lifetime Achiever Bobby McGuinness. Fishing a live pilchard dangerously close to the jagged shoreline, Arostegui needed 20 minutes to land this impressive Pacific snook (Centropomus spp.) on Jan. 4, 2012. Before being released alive, the fish weighed in at 4.08 kg (9 lb), qualifying Arostegui for the new women’s 24 kg (50 lb) line class record. The current IGFA record is 2.04 kg (4 lb 8 oz).

 

When angler Martin Larsson and guide Maddalena Martinengo decided to troll a skirted ballyhoo while fishing off their native coast of Tanzania on Nov. 30, 2011, hooking into a giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) was certainly possible, but not very probable. However, 35 minutes after his Shimano Tiagra started singing, Larsson pulled up an enormous GT. Weighing in at 56.6 kg (124 lb 12 oz), his amazing catch qualifies for the potential men’s 24 kg (50 lb) line class record, which currently stands at 54.1 kg (119 lb 4 oz). 

Bangkok native Gerhard Posch traveled to Thailand’s Palm Tree Lagoon to target some of the unique freshwater species found there. While soaking a bread mix on Dec. 23, 2011, Posch hooked into a massive catla (Catla catla) that took him 15 minutes to land. Before the fish was released alive, it weighed in at 18.9 kg (41 lb 10 oz) – enough to qualify Gerhard for the potential new All-Tackle record, which currently stands at 15.17 kg (33 lb 7 oz).

www.IGFA.org

/st1:place

THAILAND: Captain Jean Francois Helias top IGFA guide in 2011

According to the IGFA (International Game Fish Association), Capt. Jean-Francois Helias once again showed his outstanding guiding as he led more anglers to record catches in 2011 than any other captain or guide on this earth! . Previously Francois set over 220 International Game Fish Association World Records of which will need to be updated. He is a member of the prestigious IGFA Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on educating fishermen in Thailand on IGFA regulations and proper means for catch and release. As mentioned on my predictions for 2012, Thailand will next become the must to go place for trophy USA fishermen! Make sure to consider Thailand for you next trip. Francois can set up numerous packages with a variety of Monster Fish. Possibly you too can set a World Record!

Francois can be contacted at (668)1 846 98 94 e-mail: fishasia@ksc.th.com

www.anglingthailand.com

USA FLORIDA: Goliath Grouper Swallows Shark in One Bite

Goliath Grouper Swallows Shark in One Bite. Here the video:

AUSTRALIA: 574 lb tiger shark landed

Brett Sinclair was fishing in Damier, Australia on Aug. 1 when he landed this monster tiger shark. The beast weighed in at 574 lbs, 8 oz, and measured in at 274 cm. It was caught using golden trevally, and has been officially deemed the new M-06 kg (12 lb) IGFA record.

www.IGFA.org

FRANCE: Massive albino wels catfish

The Italian angler Yuri Grisendi caught this 95 inch (242 cm) albino wels catfish (silurus glanis) while fishing in Camargue on  Rodan river with some Belgian friends. The extimated weight was around 200 lb (90 kilograms)

USA: story of the giant paddlefish of last decade

Here the story: angler from Rapid City, S.D., caught the new North Dakota record paddlefish Sunday while fishing near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers.
Alex Mergen hooked the 74-inch-long, 130-pound paddlefish and fought it for 10 minutes before landing the record-breaker.  The old record was a 120-pounder caught in 1993.
North Dakota's paddlefish snagging season began on May 1.  It will run through the end of the month, unless the harvest quota is reached sooner, when it will close on 36 hours notice.
Just in case you wondered, the Montana state record paddlefish weighed 142.5 pounds and was caught in  1973 from the Missouri River near the Fred Robinson Bridge.

ICELAND: River monster spotted

The Loch Ness Monster of Iceland has been spotted, and it's not a blurry photo this time.
The London Telegraph has exclusive video footage of a river worm that may be the legendary Lagarfljot river worm, Icelandic version of the the Loch Ness Monster. Here the video:

USA Arkansas: Giant Paddelfish caught!

Two fishing guides running trotlines just for the fun of it in advance of the spring guide season had the fishing experience of a lifetime Wednesday morning when they found a 55-pound paddlefish tangled in one of their lines.

Ronny Lester, of Back Country Guide Service, said he and partner Joey Barr were running lines around 7:30 a.m. in the Ozark Isle area of Bull Shoals Lake when they noticed one end of a trot line snapped from a limb. The other end of the line was taut but holding fast to a rock on the other side of the lake inlet.

“We moved up to the other end of the line. I took the line in my hand and gave it a pull. He pulled back, and the fight was on,” Lester said.

The trotlines Lester and Barr used Wednesday morning weren’t rigged for quarry quite as powerful as the paddlefish, and the 45-minute struggle to land the fish was anything but pretty, Lester said.

“It would be a $10,000 video if we had one,” Lester said. The fish firmly was wrapped in the trotline, and other drop lines equipped with sharp hooks were a hazard to the line handler as the hog thrashed on the other end.

“The lake was white capping this morning, and we wrapped the line around the trolling motor as we pulled it in,” Lester said. “We got him to within 10 feet of the boat. I got out on the bank and tied another line to the trotline. Joey got in the lake and pushed while I pulled.”

“I’d never seen a fish like that,” Lester said. “When its tail popped up, I thought, ‘What’s this? A shark?’ ”

The fish was carried to Persimmon Point Resort and weighed.

Ken Shirley, District 2 biologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the paddlefish was likely a product of Missouri Department of Conservation’s game fish stocking program. Paddlefish fry are stocked by the MDC to Table Rock Lake and grow to run naturally into streams that feed the lake. MDC hosts an annual snagging season, Shirley said.

“In the high-water years, they come through spillways and we probably have a number of them in Bull Shoals now,“ Shirley said.

ARGENTINA: Last report from La Zona

Friend Hank Szopinski and his neighbor, Ed Quinif, fished the Uruguay River during January 27th to 30th, 2012 for golden dorado. The guys fished in the area known as La Zona "Home of the Monster Dorado'. The water levels were extremely low as a drought has taken place the past few months in Argentina and Southern Brazil. Hank and Ed were guided by Untamed Angling top dorado guide, Enzo Rico who has guided more clients to monster 40lbs+ dorado then all the other guides combined! Hank, who had previously fished in La Zona earlier in 2011, landed the largest dorado at 42lbs casting large Cabela Canadian Spoons (gold coloration) toward the Uruguay side.

Numerous rocks are currently exposed which is normally where the monster dorado lay waiting for baitfish to move by with the strong currents produced by the El Salto Grande Dam turbines. Ed and Hank landed a 36lbs and 42lbs simultaneously! Hank also landed a 41lbs golden dorado earlier in the stay. Congratulations Hank for cracking the 40+ lbs barrier which in my opinion is a monster dorado. Hank decribes the stay are very nice with the food, guides, and staff of Untamed Angling being top notch. Fishing was described as good but numbers were slightly down due to the very low water levels. I think once these levels come up, the dorado fishing will be unbelievable. To get into this exciting action you can book a trip through http://www.adventuretravelalliance.com/

USA FLORIDA: 54.73 Makerel Earns Top Slot at Key West

Key West, Florida - The Bimini Twist team caught a 54.73 on the first day of the 16th Annual Key West Harbour King Mackerel Tournament and walked away with the event's $7,000 top prize. "We had a great day on the water,  catching fish all day long," said Grant Johnson. "We fished the Atlantic side in 78 feet of water,  basically near the Banana Bar, which was 37 miles from the channel. She ate a fresh blue runner about eleven-thirty. Jerry Stephenson grabbed the rod and the fight was on."

Grant went  on to tell me that they never stopped for bait, catching them while still trolling.

"We had several in the low forties and thirties. We knew that based on years past, this fish probably would not hold up, but we had a breakdown on Sunday morning and couldn't fish. It was frustrating but we're thankful it held up."

Grant's son Blake would be the Top Junior Angler in the tournament.  Grant also added that they saw a blue marlin free jumping and caught a sailfish. That's a super day!

MEXICO: monster yellowfin tuna!

The Western Outdoor News reported last week that a potential world record breaking yellowfin  tuna was caught in Puerto Vallarta. The fish went 90 inches by 62 inches and was caught by Ron Tegland of the Tenacious, according to the blog...

"Oh. My. God. My buddy Eric Huff at Erick's Tackle just sent me this pic. It's a 90x62 inch yellowfin tuna taken by Ron Tegland on his yacht Tenacious. Word is he caught it yesterday in the hot Puerto Vallarta zone that's been kicking out so many cows the past few weeks.

It taped out at 432.4 pounds. Huge fish. Mind blowing... look for more details as they come out. In the meantime, the timing couldn't be better for jumping on a flight to P.V," Brandon Hayward wrote on the WON Blog.

The current record is held by Mike Livingston and weighs 405 pounds. It measured 85 inches by 61 inches. Stay tuned as we try to hunt down more details of this catch.

AUSTRALIA: massive mako shark caught

A shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) of 2.90 metres in length and 294 kg (650 pound) in weight was caught in Australia

According to the source, the mako was caught by the two sport-fishermen Jason Finch  and Neil Sturzaker about 20-kilometres south-east of Apollo Bay.

It took two hours to reel in the shark, using 80 lb line and a salmon as bait. During the fight, the mako pulled almost all of the 800 metres of line off the reel. So they virtually had to chase him with the boat to get all the line back. After the shark was brought alongside, they realized it was too big for the back door of the boat. The fishermen had to tow their catch to shore and the weigh-in took place at Landpower Colac.