Catching fish on a fly rod involves challenges unique to this specialized form of fishing. Presented here are 25 memorable International Game Fish Association world-record catches made by fly-rodders. These are not all the great fly-rod records one can find in IGFA records by any means, but all 25 are impressive by any measure. They’re listed alphabetically (by species, e.g. Red Drum is placed where “Drum, Red” would go in the list, etc).
After perusing these records, check out our galleries of the 50 Greatest Women’s World Record Catches, 40 Greatest World Record Catches by Junior Anglers, and 28 Greatest World Record Catches by Small Fry Anglers.
Finally, a word of thanks to the IGFA’s Jack Vitek for his help in providing these photos.
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Editor’s note: Sport Fishing does not condone or encourage the killing of marlin, sailfish, tarpon or large sharks by anglers. In general, we avoid showing photos of such fish, dead at the dock. However, we make a rare exception in cases where legitimate world records are involved. But generally, we hope young anglers learn the satisfaction that comes from seeing a trophy fish swim away from the boat in great shape.
ALBACORE — 47 POUNDS
Angler: Robert Lubarsky (Effort, Pennsylvania)
Location: Hudson Canyon, off New Jersey
Date: September 1992
Fly: Deceiver
Fight Time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
GREAT BARRACUDA — 60 Pounds
Angler: Jodie L. Johnson (Peterborough, New Hampshire)
Location: Cosmoledo Atoll, the Seychelles
Date: December 2005
Fly: Tandem Needlefish
Fight Time: 8 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
STRIPED BASS — 64 Pounds, 8 Ounces
Angler: Beryl Bliss (Fallon, Nevada)
Location: Smith River, Oregon
Date: July 1973
Fly: Home-tied bucktail
Fight Time: Not provided Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
COBIA — 83 Pounds, 4 Ounces
Angler: Jim Anson (Miami, Florida)
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: January 1986
Fly: Deceiver
Fight Time: 2 hours Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
DOLPHINFISH (MAHI)— 32 Pounds, 8 Ounces
Angler: Jodie L. Johnson (Peterborough, New Hampshire)
Location: The Bahamas
Date: April 2006
Fly: Popper
Fight Time: 1 minute Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
RED DRUM — 41 Pounds
Angler: Jim Seegraves (Tampa, Florida)
Location: Houma, Louisiana
Date: April 2003
Fly: Crab fly
Fight Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
PACIFIC HALIBUT — 138 Pounds
Angler: Jim Seegraves (Tampa, Florida)
Location: Icy Bay, Alaska
Date: July 2008
Fly: Not listed
Fight Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
HORSE-EYE JACK — 25 Pounds
Angler: Hermann Fehringer (Lenggries, Germany)
Location: Ascension Island
Date: April 2002
Fly: Homemade
Fight Time: 23 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
KING MACKEREL — 51 Pounds, 4 Ounces
Angler: Rick Gunion (Palmetto Bay, Florida)
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: February 1987
Fly: Streamer
Fight Time: 31 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
BLUE MARLIN — 288 Pounds
Angler: Thomas M. Evans, Jr. (Wilson, Wyoming)
Location: Port Stephens, Australia
Date: March 2002
Fly: Flashy Profile Tube Fly
Fight Time: 1 hour Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
STRIPED MARLIN — 97 Pounds
Angler: Tony Hedley
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Date: December 2000
Fly: Mackerel imitator
Fight Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
PERMIT — 41 Pounds
Angler: Del Brown (Watsonville, California)
Location: Key West, Florida
Date: March 1986
Fly: Not specified
Fight Time: 1 hour, 3 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
POLLOCK (COALFISH) — 28 Pounds, 14 Ounces
Angler: Kritian Keskitalo (Sweden)
Location: Norway
Date: August 2001
Fly: Streamer
Fight Time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
TALANG QUEENFISH — 35 Pounds, 4 Ounces
Angler: Steve Starling (Parap, NT, Australia)
Location: Darwin Harbour, Australia
Date: June 2012
Fly: Clouser
Fight Time: 35 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
ROOSTERFISH — 60 Pounds
Angler: Margaret Shaughnessy (Medford, Oregon)
Location: Punta Las Arenas, Mexico
Date: June 2013
Fly: Raton fly
Fight Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
RAINBOW RUNNER — 18 Pounds, 3 Ounces
Angler: Frank C. Carter (Wormsleyburg, Pennsylvania)
Location: Challenger Bank, Bermuda
Date: June 2006
Fly: Gummy Minnow
Fight Time: 20 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
PACIFIC SAILFISH — 136 Pounds
Angler: Stu Apte (Tavernier, Florida)
Location: Piñas Bay, Panama
Date: June 1965
Fly: Not specified
Fight Time: Not specified Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
TIGER SHARK — 490 Pounds
Angler: Rick Gunion
Location: Matanilla Shoal, The Bahamas
Date: March 2008
Fly: Orange streamer
Fight Time: 40 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
RED SNAPPER — 26 Pounds, 9 Ounces
Angler: Doug Borries
Location: Gulf of Mexico off Mississippi
Date: October 2013
Fly: Enrico Puglisi
Fight Time: 15 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
SWORDFISH — 89 Pounds, 15 Ounces
Angler: Fouad Sahioui (Casablanca, Morocco)
Location: Watamu, Kenya
Date: December 1998
Fly: Homemade
Fight Time: 25 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
TARPON — 202 Pounds, 8 Ounces
Angler: James Holland, Mr. (Vancouver, Washington)
Location: Chassahowitzka, Florida
Date: May 2001
Fly: Kilpatrick’s Slick Slider
Fight Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
DOGTOOTH TUNA — 147 Pounds, 14 Ounces
Angler: H. T. Chittum III (DeLand, Florida)
Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Date: October 2005
Fly: Konochik Tube Popper
Fight Time: 35 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
YELLOWFIN TUNA — 107 Pounds, 2 Ounces
Angler: Trevor M. Hansen (Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa)
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Date: February 2006
Fly: Sardine fly
Fight Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
WAHOO — 77 Pounds, 2 Ounces
Angler: David Long (Bilgola, NSW, Australia)
Location: Banks Island, Vanuatu
Date: February 2006
Fly: Red wahoo fly
Fight Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org
