August 04, 2013

THAILAND: junior IGFA world record report


Here a fishing report from guide Jean Francois Helias from Thaiand:



"I’ve been guiding the Carter family from Oxford, England, here in Thailand for over 10 years. Dave, the father has became through the years a good friend of mine. I have helped his oldest daughter, Nathalie, to set these past years a total of 8 IGFA world records (not sure anymore of the exact number) which made her earned twice the number one rank in the IGFA TOP 10 in her category. I guided her youngest sister, Courtney, to a Small Fry world record for the catch of a nice Alligator Gar.

Dave’s family, composed nowadays of his new partner Stephanie, and of 4 young kids, Jack Hibberd and Courtney Carter both 10 years old, Nathalie Carter and Thaila Hibberd both 14 years old, are currently on vacation in Thailand. They booked me recently for 5 days fishing at 3 different destinations. One of that trip various goals was for the 4 young anglers to target some of the IGFA junior world records that were either vacant or still breakable.



Though we failed catching a sharptooth catfish for the vacant record for that specie, we succeeded big time by breaking the current redtail catfish record for both the male and the female Small Fry categories (up to 10 years old), setting as well a first entry for the vacant Tambaqui record in the male Small Fry category with a 11.39 kg catch.

The young 10 years old boy, Jack Hibberd, caught 3 record fishes on his two first days fishing (20.40 kg redtail on July 30, 21.11 kg redtail on July 31, and 11.39 kg Tambaqui on July 31). The young girl, Courtney Carter, 10 years old as well, caught a 22.26 kg redtail on July 31.




Though the two oldest children did not score any record, the best catch of the trip belongs to junior female angler, Thaila Hibberd, who landed – after a tremendous tug of war for such a young person - a hard fighting 43.00 kg Siamese giant carp (catlocarpio siamensis). A catch of a lifetime that lots of UK adult carp anglers would certainly be envious of… " 


Jean-Francois Helias
IGFA Lifetime Achievement Award
258 IGFA World Records       
www.anglingthailand.com