International Game Fish Association (IGFA)
50 GREATEST WOMEN'S WORLD-RECORD CATCHES
Catching an amberjack weighing about as much as the angler is a real feat, and even more on light line.
(Scroll down to see more on this record.)
If you think saltwater fishing is a man’s sport, the anglers in this gallery would no doubt beg to differ (or just whack you upside the head with their fly rod). Since the International Game Fish Association keeps world records in separate categories for men and for women, I thought it would be fun (and revealing) to compile a gallery of photos and information covering some of the most impressive world records taken by those of the feminine perusasion. These include outstanding all-tackle, line-class and tippet (fly-rod) records.
Granted, it's a subjective list, and these 50 records are not all that one might include here. And some I would have liked to include were omitted for the lack of a decent photo. But I think you’ll agree that all the anglers listed can boast a considerable accomplishment in setting these records. A major note of thanks to Jack Vitek at the IGFA for his considerable assistance in finding these photos in the association's archives.
(But wait! There's more! Watch for our next gallery of greatest catches — those made by junior anglers.)
IGFA
112-POUND AMBERJACK, 30-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Peggy Knapton
Location: Islamorada, Florida Keys
Date: April 1983
Reel: Penn International 30
Method: Drifting a bonito (little tunny)
Editor's note: Sport Fishing does not condone or encourage the killing of marlin, sailfish, tarpon or large sharks by anglers. In general, it avoids showing photos of such fish, dead at at the dock. However, we make an exception in a case like this, where most of these records are historic and show fish taken many years and often decades ago.
IGFA
911-POUND, 12-OUNCE MAKO SHARK, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Audrey Cohen
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Date: April 1962
Reel: Fin-Nor 12/0
Method: Trolling a mackerel
IGFA
60-POUND GREAT BARRACUDA, 16-POUND TIPPET
Angler: Jodie L. Johnson
Location: Cosmoledo Atoll, the Seychelles
Date: December 2005
Reel: Abel
Method: Casting a Tandem Needlefish fly
IGFA
454-POUND GIANT SEA BASS, 50-POUND LINE
Angler: Lillian Scott
Location: Catalina Island, California
Date: September 1980
Reel: Penn International 6/0
Method: Bottom fishing a Pacific bonito
IGFA
265-POUND, 5-OUNCE SWORDFISH, 12-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Marg Love
Location: Gordon's Bay, Cape Point, South Africa
Date: May 1993
Reel: Shimano
Method: Drifting squid
IGFA
49-POUND ATLANTIC SNOOK, 20-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Judy Heidt
Location: Parisimina River, Costa Rica
Date: October 2001
Reel: Shimano Bantam Mag 50
Method: Casting a 1-ounce bucktail jig
IGFA
1,170-POUND BLUEFIN TUNA, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Colette Perras
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date: October 1978
Reel: Penn
Method: Trolling a mackerel
IGFA
83-POUND, 6-OUNCE DOLPHINFISH (MAHI), 20-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Mrs. Eugene Wooten
Location: Mazatlan, Mexico
Date: April 1972
Reel: Penn International 20
Method: Trolling a mullet
IGFA
111-POUND BLACK DRUM, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Betty Drummond Hall
Location: Cape Charles, Virginia
Date: May 1973
Reel: Penn Long Beach
Method: Casting clams
IGFA
1,525-POUND BLACK MARLIN, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Mrs. Charles Hughes
Location: Cabo Blanco, Peru
Date: April 1954
Reel: Penn Senator 14/0
Method: Trolling a mackerel
IGFA
39 1/2-POUND KING MACKEREL, 16-POUND TIPPET CLASS
Angler: Dotty Ballantyne
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: February 2007
Reel: Abel
Method: Casting a baitfish-pattern fly
IGFA
249-POUND TARPON, 30-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Frederique Jarland
Location: Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone
Date: April 1994
Reel: Penn International 30
Method: Dead-bait fishing a mullet
IGFA
199-POUND PACIFIC SAILFISH, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Carolyn Steiner
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: January 1968
Reel: Penn Senator 10/0
Method: Trolling a Pacific bonito
IGFA
368-POUND PACIFIC HALIBUT, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Celia Dueitt
Location: Gustavus, Alaska
Date: July 1991
Reel: Penn 113H 4/0
Method: Bottomfishing a herring
IGFA
1,164-POUND WHITE SHARK, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Janet Forster
Location: The Pages, southern Australia
Date: March 1994
Reel: Penn International 130
Method: Still fishing with an eagle ray for bait
Comments: White sharks are now protected and may not be kept.
IGFA
64-POUND WHITE SEABASS, 50-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Susan Mercer
Location: La Fonda, Mexico
Date: July 2009
Reel: Shimano Torium
Method: Bait fishing live squid
IGFA
996-POUND, 14-OUNCE PACIFIC BLUE MARLIN, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Melanie Kisbee
Location: Bateman's Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Date: March 1999
Reel: Shimano Tiagra 8
Method: Trolling a Top Gun Awesome high-speed lure
IGFA
126-POUND, 6-OUNCE COBIA, 30-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Cindy Knight
Location: Destin, Florida
Date: April 2000
Reel: Penn Spinfisher
Method: Sight-casting a live eel
IGFA
109-POUND, 5-OUNCE WHITE MARLIN, 16-POUND TIPPET CLASS
Angler: Jodi Pate
Location: Mahammedia, Morocco
Date: September 1999
Reel: Billy Pate Marlin
Method: Casting a Kate Howes Profiler fly
IGFA
93 1/2-POUND BLACK GROUPER, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Amy Sharma
Location: Gulf of Mexico (further details unavailable)
Date: July 2009
Reel: Daiwa Sealine
Method: Bottomfishing a dead sardine/mackerel combo
IGFA
1,073-POUND ATLANTIC BLUE MARLIN, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Annette Lopez
Location: North Drop, U.S. Virgin Islands
Date: July 1982
Reel: Fin-Nor 9/0
Method: Trolling a mackerel
IGFA
157-POUND, 10-OUNCE DOGTOOTH TUNA, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Maddalena Martinengo
Location: Latham Island, Tanzania
Date: February 2003
Reel: Shimano Tiagra 50W
Method: Trolling an Ilander Seastar
IGFA
153 1/2-POUND WAHOO, 50-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Ann Blumenfeld
Location: Kona, Hawaii
Date: July 1978
Reel: Penn International 50
Method: Trolling bait
IGFA
423-POUND, 4-OUNCE STRIPED MARLIN, 50-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Robyn Hall
Location: Whangamumu, New Zealand
Date: June 1983
Reel: Penn International 80
Method: Trolling a lure (no additional details available)
IGFA
53-POUND LINGCOD, 6-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Ruth Stoky
Location: Kodiak Island, Alaska
Date: September 1995
Reel: Shimano TLD 5
Method: Jigging a 2-ounce Leader jig
IGFA
49 1/2-POUND BLACKTIP SHARK, 6-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Rebecca Wright
Location: Crane Key, Florida
Date: October 2007
Reel: Shimano Stella 4000FA
Method: Still-fishing cut bait
IGFA
998-POUND BLACK MARLIN, 20-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Kay Mulholland
Location: Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia
Date: October 1982
Reel: Penn International 30
Method: Trolling a scad
IGFA
36-POUND, 12-OUNCE RED DRUM, 2-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Elizabeth Hogan
Location: Ocracoke, North Carolina
Date: November 1995
Reel: Shimano TLD 20
Method: Still-fishing cut mullet
IGFA
102-POUND PACIFIC SAILFISH, 2-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Deborah Dunaway
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: July 1992
Reel: Shimano TLD 15
Method: Trolling a ballyhoo
IGFA
314-POUND YELLOWFIN TUNA, 130-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Candace Meyer
Location: Ada-Foah, Ghana
Date: May 2003
Reel: Shimano Tiagra 80
Method: Trolling a Wellsys high-speed lure
IGFA
42-POUND JACK CREVALLE, 20-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Marilyn Mattson
Location: Colorado River, Costa Rica
Date: October 1978
Reel: Garcia 6500C
Method: Casting a MirrOlure
IGFA
209-POUND, 6-OUNCE STRIPED MARLIN, 4-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Eryn Jacobsen
Location: Three Kings, New Zealand
Date: March 2009
Reel: Shimano Tyrnos
Method: Not listed
IGFA
46-POUND, 12-OUNCE STRIPED BASS, 6-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Emme Golinski
Location: Fisher's Island, New York
Date: September 1995
Reel: Unknown
Method: Still-fishing a live menhaden
IGFA
803-POUND WHITE SHARK, 30-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Mrs. Robert Dyer
Location: Cape Moreton, Queensland, Australia
Date: July 1957
Reel: Fin-Nor
Method: Drifting a mackerel tuna
Comments: White sharks are now protected and may not be kept.
IGFA
103-POUND, 9-OUNCE SOUTHERN YELLOWTAIL, 50-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Shirley Ruane
Location: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Date: February 1991
Reel: Penn 50
Method: Trolling a blue mackerel
IGFA
772-POUND SWORDFISH, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: L. Marron
Location: Iquique, Chile
Date: June 1954
Reel: Fin-Nor 12/0
Method: Trollng a bonito
IGFA
64-POUND, 13-OUNCE NARROWBARRED MACKEREL, 8-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Janette Shuttleworth
Location: Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Date: September 1986
Reel: Shimano TLD 5
Method: Fishing a barracuda
IGFA
134-POUND, 3-OUNCE TARPON, 4-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Elizabeth Hogan
Location: Marathon, Florida Keys
Date: April 1996
Reel: Shimano TLD 15
Method: Fishing a live mullet
IGFA
97-POUND, 4-OUNCE WHITE MARLIN, 4-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Susan Goodwin
Location: Nantucket, Massachusetts
Date: September 1986
Reel: Shakespeare Sigma 30
Method: Casting a scup
IGFA
75-POUND ALBACORE, 20-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Frances Kennedy
Location: Catalina Channel, California
Date: November 1984
Reel: Penn Squidder 140
Method: Casting a sardine
IGFA
81-POUND, 12-OUNCE ATLANTIC COD, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Sophie Karwa
Location: Middlebank, Massachusetts
Date: September 1970
Reel: Penn 66
Method: Still-fishing clams
IGFA
907-POUND, 6-OUNCE PACIFIC BLUEFIN TUNA, ALL-TACKLE RECORD
Angler: Donna Pascoe
Location: Three Kings, New Zealand
Date: February 2014
Reel: Shimano
Method: Fishing a live skipjack tuna
IGFA
54-POUND COBIA, 4-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Eileen Peacock
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: December 1984
Reel: Daiwa BG 13
Method: Casting bait (additional information not availalble)
IGFA
44-POUND, 4-OUNCE DOLPHINFISH (MAHI), 2-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Sherrell Carter
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: August 2012
Reel: Shimano TLD 20
Method: Fishing a ballyhoo
IGFA
78-POUND, 4-OUNCE KING MACKEREL, 80-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Debra Sebastian
Location: Grand Isle, Louisiana
Date: November 1981
Reel: Penn Senator 4/0
Method: Drift-fishing a seatrout
IGFA
445-POUND BLACK MARLIN, 16-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Elizabeth Hogan
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: March 1995
Reel: Shimano TLD 30
Method: Live-baiting with a black skipjack
IGFA
77-POUND, 2-OUNCE GIANT TREVALLY, 12-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Esme Henderson
Location: Seymour River Estuary, Queensland, Australia
Date: June 1996
Reel: Shimano Chronarch
Method: Casting a deep-diving Lucinda lure
IGFA
91-POUND, 12-OUNCE PACIFIC SAILFISH, 6-POUND TIPPET CLASS
Angler: Stacey G. Parkerson
Location: Golfito, Costa Rica
Date: April 2006
Reel: Abel
Method: Casting a fly (fly unspecified)
IGFA
97-POUND, 7-OUNCE MAKO SHARK, 2-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Oksana Kahlenberg
Location: Opotiki, New Zealand
Date: January 2013
Reel: Shimano
Method: Bait fishing an albacore
IGFA
82-POUND WAHOO, 12-POUND LINE CLASS
Angler: Christine Currie
Location: Port Canaveral, Florida
Date: January 1989
Reel: Shakespeare Sigma
Method: Casting a homemade Nylon jig