While fishing Barra Do Kwanza, Angola with his father on August 3rd, angler Lucas Couto, age 9, caught a meagre (Argyrosomus spp.) that could potentially earn him the new Male-Smallfry world record. Couto was trolling a Storm diving plug when the fish hit, and needed 20 minutes to subdue the 18.5 kg (40 lb 12 oz) fish – which if approved, would smash the current record of 1.34 kg (2 lb 15 oz).
When it comes to catching world record barramundi (Lates calcarifer), Aussie angler Mark Hope has it figured out. Since 2008, Hope has submitted 17 world records on barra – the most recent being a 29 kg (63 lb 14 oz) fish that he pulled from Lake Tinaroo, Australia on September 2nd, while trolling a Z-Man Swimmerz lure from his kayak. Once the fish was subdued, Hope was able to quickly document the fish and then release it alive. If approved, this catch will replace the existing men’s 3 kg (6 lb) line class record, which Hope currently holds with a 25.1 kg (55 lb 5 oz) fish.
South African angler Jonathan Booysen may have potentially broken the men’s 1 kg (2 lb) line class record for leerfish (Garrick) (Lichia amia) with a 9.6 kg (21 lb 2 oz) fish he caught on October 12th while fishing Richard’s Bay in his home country of South Africa. Booysen skillfully played the fish for 40 minutes after it hit the live bait he was slow trolling. The current IGFA record is 8.5 kg (18 lb 11 oz).
www.igfa.org