While casting a Mepps Spinner in Costa Rica’s Rio Frio on November 7, 2012, native Costa Rican angler Mauricio Solis Salas landed a 8.64 kg (19 lb 0 oz) tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus) that could earn him the new All-Tackle record. Salas was fishing with local guide Francisco Mejias Naranjo and needed 15 minutes to land the toothy fish after hooking up. The current IGFA record is 5.18 kg (11 lb 6 oz).
Angler Phillip W. Richmond, Jr., who is currently stationed in South Korea with the US Navy, has been exploring the different fishing opportunities in his temporary home. While fishing the NakDong River from his kayak on October 4th, Richmond landed a 4.6 kg (10 lb 2 oz) predatory carp (Chanodichthys erythropterus) while casting a swimbait into the chilly waters. Richmond needed five minutes to subdue the potential All-Tackle record fish, which has never before been submitted to the IGFA.
Light tackle fly angler Thane Morgan of Amarillo, Texas, USA, may have broken the men’s 2 kg (4 lb) tippet class record for tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) – a record which has stood for more than 15 years. Fishing out of Marathon, Florida with Capt. Dustin Huff on October 6th, Morgan came tight on a 54.06 kg (119 lb 3 oz) silver king after it ate the mullet pattern fly he was casting. After a quick fight and some great boat handling, the massive tarpon was subdued. The current IGFA record stands at 21.88 kg (48 lb 4 oz).
Moroccan angler Laurent Sahyoun took advantage of the great white marlin (Kajikia albida) bite off the coast of his home country and landed what could be the new men’s 3 kg (6 lb) line class record. On September 21st, while fishing with Capt. Christian Benazeth, Sahyoun pitched a live mackerel to a large white marlin and 35 minutes later the fish was subdued. Back at the docks, the marlin weighed in at 53 kg (116 lb 13 oz) – eclipsing the existing record by nearly 15 kg (30 lb).
During a recent trip to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, Florida native Dr. Jan Forszpaniak caught and released a massive bonefish (Albula spp.) while fly fishing with local guide Itu Davey on September 7th. Forszpaniak, a skilled fly angler, needed 10 minutes to land this potential All-Tackle Length record after it ate a well-presented custom fly. The bonefish measured out to 72 cm and would tie the existing record of 71 cm, if approved.
Angler Candace Kern landed the potential new women’s 10 kg (20 lb) tippet class record red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) on September 25th while fishing Port O’ Connor in her home state of Texas, USA. Kern was fishing with guide Matthew Kern and needed 10 minutes to land her 13.61 kg (30 lb) redfish after it inhaled the tarpon mouse fly she was casting. The current IGFA record is 13.38 kg (29 lb 8 oz).
http://www.igfa.org