Over the decades the membership collectively has been extremely successful with their captures. By way of example we have established over 70 IGFA World records in all lines strengths from 2 to 130lb class, plus a number of All Tackle and Fly Fishing records and also some from Freshwater. And we’ve got close with several others!
Collectively our members have caught Blue Marlin, both Atlantic and Pacific, and Black Marlin to over 1000lbs in weight, and Sharks to well in excess of 2000lbs. And one member has personally recorded three Marlin – an Atlantic Blue, Indo/Pacific Blue and Black Marlin – all in excess of 1000lbs in weight; a Marlin ‘Grander’ Slam. (Full details of his achievement which we understand is a global first are recorded on this link.) Additionally five of our members have each caught specimens of each of the ten billfish species for which the IGFA maintains records.
As you would expect all bar one of our saltwater World records have been established ‘afloat’ but that one stands out – a fly caught Rainbow Runner from the shore on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic; a fish of 16lb 6oz.
Also, and I believe this is literally unique in the World, one member whilst wading a flat in the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean targeting GTs on fly spotted a juvenile Swordfish that he successfully released. An amazing achievement! All other Broadbill taken on fly – and there haven’t been many – have been taken from boats, and normally at night.
And staying on the fly fishing front I’d always assumed, having experienced some really tough battles, that the maximum limit for Tuna on fly was likely to be around 100lbs, or perhaps a little above. But I can still remember receiving a text from a Club member fishing off Cape Town, South Africa. He’d caught, after a 5 1/2 hour battle in which the fish had dragged them 9 miles, a 190lb Yellowfin Tuna. Incredible! It was well over the current World record of 107lbs but unfortunately he hadn’t used a class tippet. A salutary lesson learned? Reflecting I would suggest it’s almost impossible to pop a 20lb tippet – the maximum permitted under IGFA regulations – on a fly rod.
Then one of our members is currently targeting 100lb plus freshwater species from natural, wild environments; not those from commercial fisheries in places in South-East Asia. And to-date, since 2013, his count is nine. What were the most impressive? I guess everyone has their particular favourites; mine were a 160lb Nile Perch from Uganda, a 220lb Arapaima from Guyana and, perhaps the most challenging, a Goonch – the legendary ‘Devil Catfish’ – from Northern India.
These are just examples though, there are so many more reflected in our record lists, and in our regular newsletters. We have added examples of our newsletters and other publications here.