lostatsea
04-25-2009, 08:09 PM
Freshwater fish records have staying power
By Martin Armstrong
Special Correspondent
Did you know the largest freshwater fish caught on a rod and reel was a 468-pound white sturgeon documented in 1983 near Benica, Calif., USA, on 80 pound class line by Joey Pallotta III? Yes, and it's been on the IGFA's world record books for over 25 years without being broken. Other areas of the world where the top 10 heaviest freshwater fish have been documented are Italy, Egypt, Brazil and Kazakhstan.
Or, did you know the biggest saltwater fish ever documented for an IGFA world fishing record was in 1959 by Alfred Dean of Irymple, Victoria, Australia, who captured a white shark weighing 2664 pounds off Cuduna Sout, Australia, for an IGFA All-Tackle record and a 130 pound line class record?
Then just a year later, also in Australia, Dean caught a 2344 pound white shark on 80 pound line, the second largest record fish ever.
To this day the half century old records haven't been beaten and are the only documented recordings of fish over a ton apiece. More top 10 saltwater fish over 1,500 pounds have been logged in the countries of Norway, Peru, the USA and Australia.
The IGFA has been recognized as the official keeper of world saltwater fishing records since its founding in 1939. In 1978 the IGFA added the field of freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazine transferred its 68 years of records to the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum, the association's world headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
Sharks, sturgeons
and nearly 1100 other salt and fresh water species found around the world are all in the IGFA's 2009 edition of the World Record Game Fishes book. It answers the often asked question "what is the record?" that all sport fishermen ask on a regular basis.
For some 70 years the non-profit IGFA has held the distinction as the most reliable and complete source of what has now grown to nearly 10,000 fishing record categories worldwide.
Documented catches are divided into all-tackle, with 228 species eligible for line class, fly and junior angler categories in a consistent format which fishermen and fishing journalists find useful and easy to locate for quick reference. A number of years ago the IGFA added line class and fly rod divisions for the more popular fish in each of the 50 U.S. states.
The IGFA is finding more anglers today are practicing catch-and-release conservation when going after world records when they can by safely releasing the fish after they document it via weighing on an IGFA certified scale, photographing, having it witnessed, measuring it, etc.
The oldest freshwater record on the IGFA books, is in the all-tackle category, set nearly 144 years ago by Dr. C. Abbot of Bordentown, N.J. for a yellow perch weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces caught on May 1, 1865.
How about trout records? Here are four freshwater all-tackle records on page 288 of the WRGF book, still waiting to be broken:
"¢ Mr. W. Cook, caught a 14-pound, 8-ounce brook trout, from Canada's Nipigon River, July, 1, 1916.
"¢ On Dec. 1, 1925, John Skimmerhorn captured a 41-pound cutthroat trout at Nevada's Pyramid Lake.
"¢ Omaha, Nebraska's Charles Reed, caught an 11-pound golden trout, on August 5, 1948, at Cooks Lake in Wyoming, using a minnow with a spinner.
"¢ And just a year later N. Higgins of Pullman, Wash., caught a 32-pound bull trout at Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille using a Lucky Louie Plug on Oct. 27, 1949.
The 2009 edition of World Record Game Fishes features a great deal more than a listing of the thousands of world records, international angling rules, the protocol and requirements for documenting a world record and the necessary application forms. It also includes the IGFA Certified Captains, weigh stations, and members of the IGFA Member Discount Program all useful when planning your fishing travels. Plus it contains a guide to species identification and drawings, illustrated articles, tag and release information, and offers a worldwide network of fishing stakeholders communicating and acting upon their passion for fisheries research and conservation.
The 2009 IGFA World Record Game Fishes book is only available from the IGFA with a $40 annual IGFA membership. The membership also includes on-line access to the most current updated world records on the IGFA web site, six issues of the International Angler bi-monthly news magazine, unlimited admission to the IGFA's interactive Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Fla., plus much more.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/norwalkadvocate/sports/ci_12227648
By Martin Armstrong
Special Correspondent
Did you know the largest freshwater fish caught on a rod and reel was a 468-pound white sturgeon documented in 1983 near Benica, Calif., USA, on 80 pound class line by Joey Pallotta III? Yes, and it's been on the IGFA's world record books for over 25 years without being broken. Other areas of the world where the top 10 heaviest freshwater fish have been documented are Italy, Egypt, Brazil and Kazakhstan.
Or, did you know the biggest saltwater fish ever documented for an IGFA world fishing record was in 1959 by Alfred Dean of Irymple, Victoria, Australia, who captured a white shark weighing 2664 pounds off Cuduna Sout, Australia, for an IGFA All-Tackle record and a 130 pound line class record?
Then just a year later, also in Australia, Dean caught a 2344 pound white shark on 80 pound line, the second largest record fish ever.
To this day the half century old records haven't been beaten and are the only documented recordings of fish over a ton apiece. More top 10 saltwater fish over 1,500 pounds have been logged in the countries of Norway, Peru, the USA and Australia.
The IGFA has been recognized as the official keeper of world saltwater fishing records since its founding in 1939. In 1978 the IGFA added the field of freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazine transferred its 68 years of records to the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum, the association's world headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
Sharks, sturgeons
and nearly 1100 other salt and fresh water species found around the world are all in the IGFA's 2009 edition of the World Record Game Fishes book. It answers the often asked question "what is the record?" that all sport fishermen ask on a regular basis.
For some 70 years the non-profit IGFA has held the distinction as the most reliable and complete source of what has now grown to nearly 10,000 fishing record categories worldwide.
Documented catches are divided into all-tackle, with 228 species eligible for line class, fly and junior angler categories in a consistent format which fishermen and fishing journalists find useful and easy to locate for quick reference. A number of years ago the IGFA added line class and fly rod divisions for the more popular fish in each of the 50 U.S. states.
The IGFA is finding more anglers today are practicing catch-and-release conservation when going after world records when they can by safely releasing the fish after they document it via weighing on an IGFA certified scale, photographing, having it witnessed, measuring it, etc.
The oldest freshwater record on the IGFA books, is in the all-tackle category, set nearly 144 years ago by Dr. C. Abbot of Bordentown, N.J. for a yellow perch weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces caught on May 1, 1865.
How about trout records? Here are four freshwater all-tackle records on page 288 of the WRGF book, still waiting to be broken:
"¢ Mr. W. Cook, caught a 14-pound, 8-ounce brook trout, from Canada's Nipigon River, July, 1, 1916.
"¢ On Dec. 1, 1925, John Skimmerhorn captured a 41-pound cutthroat trout at Nevada's Pyramid Lake.
"¢ Omaha, Nebraska's Charles Reed, caught an 11-pound golden trout, on August 5, 1948, at Cooks Lake in Wyoming, using a minnow with a spinner.
"¢ And just a year later N. Higgins of Pullman, Wash., caught a 32-pound bull trout at Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille using a Lucky Louie Plug on Oct. 27, 1949.
The 2009 edition of World Record Game Fishes features a great deal more than a listing of the thousands of world records, international angling rules, the protocol and requirements for documenting a world record and the necessary application forms. It also includes the IGFA Certified Captains, weigh stations, and members of the IGFA Member Discount Program all useful when planning your fishing travels. Plus it contains a guide to species identification and drawings, illustrated articles, tag and release information, and offers a worldwide network of fishing stakeholders communicating and acting upon their passion for fisheries research and conservation.
The 2009 IGFA World Record Game Fishes book is only available from the IGFA with a $40 annual IGFA membership. The membership also includes on-line access to the most current updated world records on the IGFA web site, six issues of the International Angler bi-monthly news magazine, unlimited admission to the IGFA's interactive Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Fla., plus much more.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/norwalkadvocate/sports/ci_12227648