Outdoor Life - Offshore RSS

Trinadad and Tobago Anglers Land 1,000-Pound Marlin, Set Tournament Record

Alex Robinson — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:05:20 -0400

When the Penn International 80 started zipping off line, the crew of the Predator had no idea that the blue marlin on the end of the line would be a record-breaking 1005.9-pound grander.

Captain Brendan Farfan, 27, worked the throttle while the angler, 21-year-old Brendan Bernard, was assisted by crew members, 24-year-old Peter Reid, 26-year-old Michael Rostant and 14-year-old Simon Bernard. All of the crewmembers are from Trinidad and Tobago.

The grander fell for a Black Bart Magic Candy lure, and the ensuing three-hour fight culminated in landing the crew first place in the 2013 Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament as well as setting a new record for the Southern Caribbean Billfish Circuit.

For icing on the cake, the crew also won a B Class Mercedes Benz for their catch.

Photo:JJ Slater/SlaterProductions.com

Record Fish: German Angler Lands 103-Pound Cod, Could Break World Record

Alex Robinson — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:18:18 -0400

Michael Eisele of Kiel Germany caught this enormous 103-pound cod while fishing off the coast of Norway. If the catch is approved by the International Game Fish Association, it will break the current world record (which has stood for 44 years) by about 5 pounds.

Eisele battled the fish for half an hour before two of his friends finally helped him haul it into the boat, according to the Daily Mail. The cod measured more than 5 feet in length.

According to the Daily Mail: "I saw two red dots on the sonar-screen and it looked like a big one. So I concentrated from that moment on. It felt like ground contact. I took it very slowly and carefully. It took me more than half an hour to get the fish up. When we saw the fish my knees was starting shaking. It was so big … It was an indescribable feeling. It was fish of a lifetime."

Eisele is donating the cod to the Norwegian Fisheries Museum in Bergen which will mount and display the fish.

Feeding Frenzy Video: Insane Tuna and Dolphin Action Off Panama Coast

Alex Robinson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:45:01 -0500

This video was shot off the coast of … PANAMA! (thanks Van Halen). @TackleGrab tweeted it on our page and it's just too good not to share. Just when the video starts to get a little repetitive, one of the anglers decides to jump in the water and shoot underwater footage of the feeding frenzy. See if you're quick enough to spot the shark cruise across the frame.

UK Angler Lands 1,320-Pound Marlin, One of Largest All Time

Alex Robinson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:18:03 -0500

Talk about beginner’s luck!

Kevin Gardner’s first blue marlin is one of the largest ever pulled from the sea, weighing an incredible 1,320 pounds.

The United Kingdom angler was trolling off Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean on Monday afternoon when the leviathan hit. Harmattan skipper Olaf Grimkowski detailed the event later on his Facebook page. "In the distance, we saw her lunging and she looked promising," Olaf wrote. "After three surface runs she went a bit deeper and for the last 90 minutes Kevin fought her [into the] sunset." All told the fish fought for more than three hours before wireman Emil Ruud was able to bring the blue in close enough to gaff.

Kevin’s fish is the second largest blue marlin taken off Ascension Island, an area known for "granders" or 1,000-pound marlin. The largest, a 1,337-pounder, was caught back in 2002.

The IGFA all-tackle world record for Atlantic blue marlin is 1,402 pounds. That brute was caught off Brazil in February 1992.

Kevin’s fish measured 149 inches from the tip of the lower jaw to the inner fork of the tale and carried a girth of 83 inches. By all accounts, it was a welcome sight to all aboard the Harmattan.

"We had a pretty slow season until now when it comes to marlin fishing, but it seems to be true that when you have a long hard time, you are saving up for something special," Olaf wrote. "Well, we had our special day today."

Big Fish: Potential State Record Greater Amberjack Caught in Louisiana

Alex Robinson — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:17:23 -0500

The dead of winter in the Gulf of Mexico is anything but dead when it comes to offshore fishing. Tuna, wahoo, and amberjack await if winter winds allow you to get out — resulting in some of the biggest catches of the year. Just ask Tyler Fairbanks. He landed a greater amberjack that will possibly rank No. 8 in Louisiana’s state record books.

Fairbanks was fishing the Midnight Lump for yellowfin tuna on Thursday when Captain Brett Ryan started marking fish on his finder. The anglers dropped their jigs and Fairbanks hooked up almost instantly. Captain Ryan said the AJ hit the jig attached to 80-pound Suffix braid at “full throttle.” Fairbanks landed the 116.2-pound greater amberjack after a fierce tug or war.

The fish was examined by a state biologist. If approved, the fish will stand alone as No. 8 in the state records. That’s a big donkey!

10-Year-Old Boy Catches World Record Black Grouper

Alex Robinson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:43:40 -0500

A black grouper caught by Matthew Poldy, 10, was recently certified by the International Game Fish Association as a world record in the Small Fry category, reports The Washington Post.

Poldy, from Fairfax County, Va., caught the 23.5-pound grouper while fishing off the coast of Key West on the day before Thanksgiving. It was a slow day of fishing.

“I was taking a break from fishing and eating an Oreo when we saw the rod bend down,” he told The Washington Post.

He was out with his father and sister, and they were using yellowtailed snapper as bait. He estimates that it only took him five or six minutes to land the fish.

The grouper was almost three feet long. Poldy's father, Greg, decided to check an app on his phone to see if it was a potential record fish because it was so large. He saw that the current junior record was 17.5 pounds and they rushed back to shore to weigh it.

An IGFA official was called in to verify the catch, and now it's certified after the mandatory 60-day waiting period.

Photo by: Greg Poldy

Potential World Record Yellowfin Tuna Caught Off Mexico

Alex Robinson — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:09:27 -0500

John Petruescu was fishing at Hurricane Bank off Mexico, aboard the Excel out of San Diego, earlier this week when he hooked into what may go down in the books as the largest yellowfin tuna ever caught on rod and reel. The leviathan of many a sushi dream, caught on a live skipjack tuna, was so large it required five gaffs to steer it into the tuna gate—which was almost too small to accommodate the monster fish.

While the crew estimated the fish’s weight at around 400 pounds by utilizing the tried and true at-sea estimate method of taping out, outdoor writer Pete Thomas exclaims on his blog petethomasoutdoors.com that the fish is much larger and that it will be officially weighed when it returns to San Diego late Saturday or early Sunday.

If the fish is as large as we have been led to believe, Petruescu has a good chance of beating the IGFA all-tackle world record of 405 pounds.

A 427.5-pound yellowfin was caught by Guy Yocom while fishing out of Cabo San Lucas in September. However, that fish has yet to be approved by the IGFA as an all-tackle record.

It will be interesting to see what happens come Saturday night!

Classic Tarpon Documentary Now Available on DVD

Alex Robinson — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:37:28 -0500

A Florida tarpon documentary produced in the early '70s was recently restored and preserved on DVD. Aptly titled "Tarpon," the movie was a cinematic masterpiece. However, it was a financial flop. The 53-minute film stars a trio of writers; late poet Richard Brautigan and novelists Jim Harrison and Thomas McGuane. The soundtrack was written and performed by then little known Keys resident Jimmy Buffett.

To really appreciate "Tarpon," one must understand the lengths the film makers went to film the action. The scenes were captured with film movie cameras mounted to scaffolding rigged on chase boats and on platforms built on the flats. Capturing an actual strike as it happened required literally miles of film over hundreds of hours. If a strike didn’t occur during the filming, the nitrocellulose film was discarded at grave expense.

"Tarpon" is available from Amazon and should be required for any serious fisherman’s library.

Warm Weather to Blame for Low Number of Juvenile Striped Bass in Chesapeake Bay

Alex Robinson — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:22:20 -0400

Striped bass reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay hit an all-time low this year.

State biologists found the lowest number of newly spawned stripers in the Chesapeake Bay since they started conducting annual surveys on the fish 59 years ago, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Officials said the "usually warm, dry weather last winter and spring" is likely to blame for the decline in juveniles this year, reported the Baltimore Sun.

Fishermen looking forward to the fall run on the East Coast don't need to panic just yet. Officials said reproduction numbers vary from year to year, and there appears to be plenty of adult striped bass returning to the Chesapeake Bay to spawn.

Mystery Eyeball Found on FL Beach Stumps Wildlife Officials

Alex Robinson — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:00:21 -0400

This giant eyeball washed ashore in Pompano Beach, Fla. this week, leaving fish and wildlife officials scratching their heads as to its source. The softball-sized peeper has been put on ice as the examination continues.

I’m guessing a huge swordfish. What do you think?

4 Reasons Why You Miss Fish

Alex Robinson — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:05:50 -0400

Anglers whiff on fish for any number of reasons. In most instances, these miscues can be pared down to four common culprits. Master these and you’ll be less likely to be caught telling stories about the one that got away.

#1 - Incorrect Line
Each and every rod is designed and built to handle a specific weight (poundage) range of fishing lines and lures. This range is determined by mathematical modeling using guide type, guide placement, guide count, guide diameter, blank length, blank wall thickness, flexure, reel placement on the seat, butt length and style.

Each blank is graded and stamped with the correct line and lure weight for that individual rod. These guidelines are provided to help the angler get the most performance out of the rod. Throwing the wrong line or lure weight results in shorter casts and considerably increased line fouling (backlashes and rat-nests) as line does not feed off the reel at the correct pace. Always match your line and lure to the recommended weight for the individual rod.

# 2 - Improperly Sized Hook
Fishing the wrong size hook will reduce hook-up ratios by a minimum of 75 percent. Hooks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each is designed for a specific fishing application. The most common mistake made by fishermen is using the wrong size hook for their line weight and rod action.

Remember when choosing a hook, if you’re using light line, you must use a light wire gauge hook. Light line is incapable of exerting much pressure on the hook so light-gauge wire is required to drive the barb home.

Heavier lines require heavier gauge hooks. If you are using light gauge hooks with heavy line, the hook shank will bend and flex under the hook set pressure, pulling free from the fish’s mouth.

#3 - Poor Drag Selection
More fish have been lost, or worse yet, never hooked, due to the drag being set incorrectly. While it is a bit of voodoo science, anyone can learn to set a drag correctly with a bit of practice. The simple rule of thumb is this: set the drag looser for light line applications and heavier for heavy lines. In addition, when fishing braids, keep in mind that there is next to no stretch. Set your drag looser than you would for mono or fluorocarbon lines.

#4 - Poor Hook Sets
Bungling a hook set is common. I’ve seen folks wind-up and jerk their rod so hard they almost come out of their shoes and shirt. Remember, light lines and small wire diameter hooks require gentler hook sets, while heavier lines and heavy gauge hooks require more stout hook sets. However, given today’s chemically sharpened hooks, you never need to over-muscle a hook set.

Have you got any other common miscues? If so, we’d like to hear about them in the comments section below.

French Government Funds Shark Hunt After Attacks Near Reunion Island

Alex Robinson — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:26:46 -0400

Two shark attacks off the coast of the French Island of Reunion, located in the western Indian Ocean, have provoked the government to hire fishermen to hunt around 20 bull and tiger sharks in the area.

While the government is springing for an initial hunt in the interest of understanding the cause of these attacks, the future of management of this population of sharks is uncertain. The hunting of these species is currently legal, but the toxins in sharks’ flesh make them an unattractive catch.

Reuters reported that “France’s overseas minister has refused a regulated cull, saying studies must be conducted before hunting is allowed, to try to understand the source of the toxin…”

The government is taking action after 300 people demonstrated outside the Island’s police station, calling for management of the shark population.

Of the two victims, one died from injuries last Monday, while the other survived, sacrificing a hand and foot. Two others were killed in shark attacks in the same region last year.

These incidents are an example of a larger rise in shark attacks throughout the Indian Ocean. Oh wait, wasn’t it just recently that we were reporting on Australian shark attacks?

See a visual graph of shark attacks in the last 100 years (made up of half eaten silhouettes) by the Washington Post here!

Scientists Find Fish with Skin Cancer in Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Alex Robinson — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:07:01 -0400

Scientists believe that 15 percent of coral trout in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffer from skin cancer.

This discovery came about when scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science began noticing lesions on the species while conducting a survey of shark prey in the area. With the help of a research team from the University of Newcastle who was studying coral disease on the reef, the two teams concluded that the fish are getting skin cancer from ultraviolet radiation.

Members of the team said the high skin cancer rate in fish – and humans – in Australia should come as no surprise as the island-continent sits under the Earth's biggest hole in the ozone layer. Michael Sweet, a coral disease expert told the Los Angeles Times that the fish’s location on the reef might also contribute to the high cancer rate among the species.

"They are at the extreme of their habitat," Sweet said. "They are struggling to cope, which means they will be more susceptible to more diseases."

Scientists said that fish suffering from cancer are also more vulnerable to predators.

Live Hunt AK: World-Class Fishing on Afognak Island

Alex Robinson — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:36:23 -0400

Tyler Freel and his buddies spent their Fourth of July battling halibut, salmon, and lingcod off the coast of Afognak Island in Alaska. Check out the photos of their incredible trip.

Anglers Battle for Seven Hours to Haul In 915-Pound Marlin off Hawaii

Alex Robinson — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:30:29 -0400

Charlotte Smith, her boyfriend, and the two co-captains aboard the Ikaika Kai are nursing sore muscles and cramped hands after landing a 915-pound blue marlin off the Palaoa Point Lighthouse on the southwest corner of Lanai, Hawaii.

Charlotte fought the marlin for two and a half hours, before her boyfriend, Atule Madan, and Captains Neil Preston and Kamal Pfeifle relieved her. They spent the rest of the time struggling to crank the dead fish up.

The spirited marlin refused to make it easy on the anglers. After circling the boat methodically for the last half hour of its battle with Smith, it suddenly dove 300-400 yards straight down and died, according to the Lahaina News.

Preston strapped himself in, stopped the fish from sinking any further down, and began the arduous process of reeling the marlin up. There was so much pressure on the line that the rod bent over the stern. After 10 minutes, the bolts holding the chair's gimbal in place broke from the strain.

Pfiefle and Madan came to his aid. It took all three of them to carefully move the rod to the gunnel without snapping the line.

The experienced anglers used what the Lahaina News calls the, “Portugues pull,” essentially pulling up the line by hand and cranking, to bring up the monster marlin.

While one of the captains manned the helm, puttering the boat forward in order to raise the fish to a more favorable angle, the other would hold the line. Then, they would suddenly reverse the boat, and pull/crank furiously to bring in the slack.

The captains took turns, gaining back their line inches at a time, with help from Madan. By the time they were able to bring the marlin to the surface, the moon was up.

Preston told the Lahaina News that the best part was "Just to see that big silhouette and go, 'Man, we actually got this one.' "

According to the newspaper, Smith’s marlin earned several titles, including biggest marlin since 2008, 3rd largest caught by a woman since 1990, and 14th largest for Lahaina and Maalaea harbors since 1972.

Congratulations crew! (I hope they really like smoked marlin for breakfast.)

Have any fish fighting tales? Share them below!

Photo by Donnell Tate.

Video: Hooked Marlin Eaten by Tiger Sharks off Coast of Australia

Alex Robinson — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 13:43:10 -0400

There are a lot of ways to lose a big fish, but having it get devoured by sharks right before your eyes might be the worst.

And that’s exactly what happened to the angler in this video while he was fishing for marlin off Cairns, Australia.

The crew estimated the marlin was about 30 feet away from the boat when at least three tiger sharks closed in for an easy meal. The boat captain spotted blood in the water and told the angler to reel in because the sharks got to his fish.

After a moment of disbelief, the mate and the angler attempted to retrieve the fish. But after some violent splashes, the mate only managed to pull up the marlin's head.

The crew estimated the marlin to be around 600 pounds. The question is, would you have reached down to grab that marlin's bill like the mate did in the end of the video?

497-Pound Thresher Shark Caught Off Montauk, NY

Alex Robinson — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:09:01 -0400

Check out the catch of the day. Captain Jon Haney, Justin Carlson and Eric Martin caught this 497-pound shark while fishing 30 miles off Montauk, N.Y.

This from theday.com:

"It was probably a half hour after that we got a bite," Haney said.

The bite on the end of the line wasn't the kind of catch you see everyday, Haney said. It was a thresher shark, and the crew spent close to four hours reeling it in.

When they pulled into Niantic Dockominium with the shark on board this afternoon, a small crowd gathered for a weigh in…

After taking the shark down, the crew said they planned to share the bounty.

'We're hoping to cut it up, make some nice thresher steaks,' Motta said. 'Just some wonderful harvest of the sea.'"

For more monster sharks caught in New England, check out the Montauk Monster Shark Fishing tournament photo gallery.

The Best of Stanley Meltzoff: Oceans and Other Worlds Art Exhibit

Alex Robinson — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:29:02 -0400

The works of game fish painter Stanley Meltzoff are now on display at the Museum of American Illustration. Check out some of his best paintings here.

Researchers to Prove Snapper Populations Plentiful in the Gulf

Alex Robinson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:23:48 -0400

Blaming a lack of fish for an unsuccessful fishing trip might no longer be an excuse for recreational anglers fishing off the Alabama coast. Researchers from the University of South Alabama are conducting a study on the red snapper populations in the Gulf of Mexico, and they believe that snapper stocks could be more plentiful than previously estimated, according to Lone Star Outdoor News.

The researchers are using an underwater camera mounted on a remotely operated vehicle to investigate the impacts of the red snapper season on public fishing spots. They will be looking at the overall health of the fish stocks and how well they fare at the end of the 40-day season, which opened on June 1.

"We're using video and regular hook and line to sample these reefs now before the season opens. When the season is over, we'll come and sample them all again to see what kind of impact this very short season has. We'll see if they've been cleaned off or whether they are in good shape and can stand a little more pressure," Bob Shipp, head of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama, told Lone Star Outdoor News.

Guiding the ROV around an artificial reef built in the 1990s by placing obsolete tanks into the waters off the Alabama coast, Shipp and his students watched as snapper after snapper approached the machine before swimming away in search of food. Captain Mike Thierry, who has been guiding scientists in these waters for the past 20 years, says the action above the water’s surface doesn’t always translate to what’s happening in the wrecks.

"One time today my fish finder was lit up with fish and we weren't catching many," Thierry told Lonestar Outdoor News. "Then we dropped the camera down and sure enough they were there.”

Shipp said they are sampling public reefs because anglers have easy access to them. He said he has not found anything of concern so far; even in tanks that have been identified as possible sources of diseased fish after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He also said his recent trip in the Gulf showed more signs that there is an abundance of red snapper along the Gulf coasts.

Photo by T o n y on Flickr.

Old School Fish Story: Giant Grouper Mauls Spearfisherman, Revenge Taken

Alex Robinson — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:52:12 -0400

David Sikes of the Corpus Christi Caller has uncovered a classic fish story from the 1970's that's worth checking out.

The story revolves around a massive Goliath grouper that attempted to eat then 25-year-old spearfisherman Steve Withers.

From the Caller...

" 'He was so big he looked like the bottom," said Withers' diving partner John Beard. "He raised up and I got the hell out of there. I ran around the pipe and got Steve. As we came around we headed toward the bottom beside the fish.'

That's when the Goliath turned, opened its gaping maw and engulf part of Withers, head first.

'He just inhaled him,' Beard told the reporter.

Silt and sand stirred from the bottom by the strike clouded Beard's view of what happened next. Unable to see and therefore unable to help, Beard ascended to the boat, where the wives of the two divers awaited. Beard was prepared to proclaim Withers a lost diver when he spotted his partner bleeding and sitting on the stern nursing his wounds."

After this story was reported to local news outlets, another young spearfisherman named Brian Gulley set out to catch the man-eating Goliath grouper. A few days later Gulley and his dad found monster fish.

Here's the report from the Caller ...

"The big-eyed grouper backed up and maneuvered slowly to one side of a motionless Gulley.

Gully pivoted, aimed and fired in a single motion, plunging the barbed projectile deeply between the fish's eye and gill plate. In a blur, the powerful jewfish turned and bolted.

'He jerked me out of my fins,' Gulley said. 'And he circled around the pipe I don't know how many times with me hanging on. It was 20 minutes of pure rodeo.'

The fish measured 7-foot-4. It was six feet in circumference."

Gulley's fish had an estimated weight of about 650 pounds. He was sure it was the same fish that attacked Withers. But after seeing the fish, Withers said the grouper that attacked him was even bigger.

If you're curious, the world record Goliath grouper weighs in at 680 pounds and was caught off Fernandina Beach, Florida. Swim carefully folks.

OL's Best Reader Fish Photos

Alex Robinson — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:05:33 -0400

Our bragging board is filling up as the weather warms and we roll into fishing season. Check out the best fish photos and biggest catches from outdoorlife.com readers.

Video: TV Show Producer Dodges 40 lb. Barracuda

Alex Robinson — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:02:25 -0400

The barracuda is one of the fastest fish in the sea. Fortunately for Kevin Faver, producer of television’s "Tales from the Outdoors," he is a little faster.

The longtime angler had a close call with a 40-pound barracuda Sunday while fishing off the coast of St. Augustine, Fla. Faver was reeling in the fish when it rocketed from the water and onto his boat. The flying fish was inches from clocking Faver in the head.

Faver told Local 10.com, "When a barracuda gets hooked, they jump. See it hundreds of times. Never had one jump in my boat, especially one this big. I can't believe it happened and don't want it to ever happen again." Faver added that getting footage of such an event was even more spectacular. "I've been doing TV shows 12 years now, and to have that happen when rolling is almost impossible. To have that on video is unbelievable. It's skyrocketing at me and it's the fish I have on my line and obvious first reaction is get out of the way."

The fish was returned to the sea unharmed.

Ever had a call this close while fishing? Comment below!

Funny Video: Teens Freak Out When Monster Shark Eats Their Catch

Alex Robinson — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:32:07 -0400

Three teenagers got the thrill – or scare depending upon your interpretation – of their life when a giant shark attacked a smaller shark one of the boys was reeling in.

According to Perth Now, the three were fishing off the Florida coast last year when one of the young men hooked into a fairly good-sized shark. A dark form suddenly appeared from beneath the boat to engulf the struggling fish. The trio screamed wildly during the encounter as the unidentified form rolled over and over in attack. One boy, identified only as Brian, attempted to bait the attacking entity to keep it in front of the camera. This dance of stupidity is overshadowed by cameraman Mikah as he yells “Oh my God” an astounding 32 times during the course of the three-minute video.

That’s over 10 utterings per minute!

How would you have reacted to this encounter? Would you have baited the beast? Or screamed “Oh my God” 32 times? And what do you think the attacking predator is? I vote killer whale.

See the Video Here! (Warning: profane language)

Commercial Fishermen Accidentally Net 2,000-Pound Great White Shark

Alex Robinson — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:08:32 -0400

A great white shark of nightmare proportions was accidentally netted in the Sea of Cortez Sunday by two commercial fishermen. The kraken measured almost 20 feet in length and weighed around 2,000 pounds. The two fishermen, identified by Pisces Sportfishing in Cabo San Lucas only as Guadalupe and Baltazar, were fishing on a boat that measured only two feet longer than the shark.

Despite the fact that the predator was dead when hauled in, the two fishermen still admitted to being shocked. Guadalupe told Pisces Sportfishing’s Tracy Ehrenberg, "We were amazed and immediately realized that we had a huge, dead, great white shark, and then we thought what are we going to do?”

To put the size of this leviathan into perspective, consider that a 2012 Chevy Suburban measures 18.5 feet in length, roughly a foot and a half shorter than the shark. At 2,000 pounds, the shark’s weight is equal to approximately 10 American males. The shark was so big it took 50 people to drag it onto the beach.

White sharks were once considered rare in the Sea of Cortez, now marine biologists believe it to be a nursery for the species. Rarities aside, Pisces Sportfishing reports that fishermen in the same area caught a 990-pound white shark last month.

427-Pound Yellowfin Tuna Could Have Been a World Record But Won't Qualify

Alex Robinson — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:29:57 -0400

The blogosphere has been abuzz with record yellowfin tuna news all spring. And the latest is a post from Phil Friedman Outdoors reporting a 427.9-pound goliath caught last week off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.

The fish, caught by Robert Pedigo, is a good 20 pounds heavier than the current yellowfin record, but it won't qualify with the IGFA because another fisherman touched the rod while Pedigo was fighting the fish.

This from Friedman Outdoors…

"'Yes, this fish is not going to be a world record because I touched the rod while Robert (Pedrigo) fought the fish," said Danny Osuna. "We never thought this fish was going to go over 400-pounds.'

When asked how he felt about the giant tuna not qualifying for a new world record, Osuna was upbeat. 'We are fine with it. The best feeling we have is that we caught the biggest yellowfin ever on rod and reel.' "