On May 31st, angler Veronica Lane Ostarly caught and released an impressive 107 cm Atlantic snook (Centropomus spp.), while fishing with her boyfriend, a local fishing guide, in the C-24 canal near their home in Stuart, Florida. Ostarly needed only 10 minutes to subdue her potential All-Tackle Length record snook after it hit the bucktail jig she was casting. The current IGFA record is 104 cm.
Angler Daniel R. Kruse caught a 24.49 kg (54 lb) flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) while fishing from the banks of the Kanapolis Reservoir near his hometown of Lyons, Kansas, USA on April 26th. Kruse was casting a red and white grub when the fish hit and it took the experienced angler nearly an hour to land on his light tackle outfit. With the existing record at 20.77 kg (45 lb 12 oz), Kruse’s catch could potentially earn him the men’s 3 kg (6 lb) line class record.
Angler Caleb Newton of Fredericksburg, Virginia pulled in a massive 7.88 kg (17 lb 6 oz) northern snakehead (Channa argus) while fishing the Potomac River on June 1st. Newton was fishing with local guide Phillip Wilcox and needed just over a minute to boat the exotic predator after it hit the Lucky Craft crankbait he was casting on 8 kg (16 lb) line. The current IGFA men’s line class record is 7.85 kg (17 lb 4 oz).
Japanese angler Toshiki Matsuura was fishing with corn in Japan’s Yodo River on April 20th when he hooked something big. After a tough 20 minute fight, Matsuura finally landed an 18.8 kg (41 lb 7 oz) common carp (Cyprinus carpio) that could earn him the new male Junior record, which currently stands at 17.85 kg (39 lb 5 oz). After the fish was weighed and properly documented, it was released alive to grow even bigger.
South Florida angler Jimmy Wickett took advantage of the calm summer weather and took his boat over to the Bahamas for a few days of fishing. While he was snapper fishing off Bimini on June 8th, he attracted the attention of a 8.16 kg (18 lb 0 oz) cero mackerel (Scomberomorus regalis) that could potentially earn him the new All-Tackle record as well as the men’s 6 kg (12 lb) line class record. Wickett needed 15 minutes to land the toothy fish after it ate the ballyhoo chunk he was drifting. Both the current All-Tackle record and men’s 6 kg (12 lb) line class record are 7.71 kg (17 lb).
www.igfa.org