It’s not just men but also women are quite active in the pursuit of IGFA World Records. So for the September Hot Catches we lead off with a trio of female record setters and their recent fishing accomplishments now before the IGFA world records committee reviewing potential new records. IGFA World Records Coordinator Jack Vitek also updates us with other pending records from across the globe including Australia, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, Italy and the U.S.
A young lady angler who has held 81 world records and who is adept with fly gear, Heather Michelle Harkavy, of Coral Springs, Fla, USA, landed a greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) on July 12, weighing in at 12.25 kg (27 lb 0 oz) while fishing off McClellanville, South Carolina, USA. Guided by Chris Morrison, Harkavy’s AJ took her 30 minutes to land and qualifies for the women’s 10 kg (20 lb) tippet record. The current IGFA record is 10.88 kg (24 lb 0 oz) from Florida’s Dry Tortugas, in 2002.
IGFA Representative Dr. Julie H. Ball of Virginia Beach, VA, USA, is another lady angler, who has 11 world records to her credit and after a 100 minute fight on June 11, may have a 12th record after catching a 33.57 kg (74 lb 0 oz) cobia (Rachycentron canadum). She made the local newspapers for her Chesapeake Bay, Virginia catch that qualifies her for the IGFA’s women’s 10 kg (20 lb) line class record. Guided by Rudy Levasseur, the cobia took a live eel that Julie was using for bait. The current IGFA record is 31.93 kg (70 lb 6 oz) from the Gulf of Mexico off Destin, Fla., USA in 1996.
Lady fly angler Margaret Shaughnessy of Medford, Oregon, USA, may set a new record by breaking her current record after landing a roosterfish (Nematistius pectoralis) June 3 off Bahia de Los Suenos, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Guided by Jesus Jorge Green Lucero, the fish weighed 8.62 kg (19 lb 0 oz) which is heavy enough to qualify for the women’s 4 kg (8 lb) tippet record. Shaughnessy landed the rooster in 40 minutes after taking her kinky muddler fly. Her current women’s IGFA tippet record is 3.63 kg (8 lb 0 oz) recorded almost a year ago to the date from the same waters. The fish was released.
With John Winzel as his guide fly angler Peter Morse of Leura New South Wales, Australia, landed a southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) on April 22, while fishing Pedra Blanca, Australia. Morse’s tuna weighed in at 25 kg (55 lb 1 oz) and qualifies for the men’s 10 kg (20 lb) tippet record. Morse used a Fat Boy fly and took 40 minutes to land the fish. The current IGFA record is 16.2 kg (35 lb 11 oz) caught in 2002 off Tasmania, Australia.
