By Pete
Johnson, Johnson Communications – IGFA PR Counsel
World-class anglers, guides and
manufacturers to be honored at IGFA’s Fifth Annual World Record Achievement
Awards
Anglers, guides and
manufacturers from around the world will be honored at the IGFA’s Fifth Annual
World Record Achievement Awards (WRAA) celebration, April 12.
The ceremony will be held at the
IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame in
event recognizes the 2007 records by men, women, juniors, and professional
captains for the most world records compiled from the Top 10 list recently
published in the IGFA’s 2008 World Record
Game Fishes book.
Tackle, lure and line manufacturers
will also be honored based on the number of computer printouts of the 495 anglers
using their products in setting the new records in 2007.
Lifetime Achievement Awards to two
Highlighting this year’s ceremony
will be lifetime achievement award presentations to Captain Jay Wright Jr.,
Wright has established
over 200 world records, both as a guide and angler. The third generation
in light tackle angling and generously shares his extensive fishing knowledge by
lecturing, guiding and teaching anglers the basics of fishing both conventional
and fly. He’s
won numerous tournaments and has placed in the top three for both fresh and
saltwater Captains since the inception of the WRAA in 2004.
Helias is a guide, an
IGFA Representative of
writer. He’s been featured in numerous magazines promoting and educating
anglers of Thai species and was also featured on National Geographic channel’s Hooked, Monster Fish. Raised in France,
Helias relocated to Thailand in 1986 with the goal of putting the country on
the map as one of the world’s premier freshwater fishing destinations plus helping
to promote catch and release.
Top Anglers to be honored
.Among the top
anglers to be honored will be Ms. Jodie
L. Johnson, Peterborough, N.H. USA, who recorded the most records among
anglers with 28 for the Overall Female Angler of the year. All were caught on fly.
In
addition Dr. Martin Arostegui Coral
Gables,
Male Angler of the year with 22
records, 18 of them on fly. The retired physician gained world wide fame for
being the first angler to reach the 200 world records plateau.
Cocktails begin at
p.m.
$50.00 and include a barbecue dinner. Weekend seminars are free.
For more information or
to reserve a ticket, contact
###
From the 2008 WRAA Top
10 list — Top 3 angler award winners
Overall Female Angler (most records)
Jodie
L. Johnson: 28 records,
Overall Male Angler (most records)
Martin
Arostegui: 22,
Male Saltwater
1. Luis Ceia: 11,
2. George Bogen: 4,
3t.
Jose “Pepe†Anton: 3,
3t.
Carlos “Charly†Casal: 3,
3t.
Female Saltwater
1. Rebecca Wright: 17,
2. Theda Little: 6,
3. Dr. Julie Ball: 4,
Male Freshwater
1. Jean-Francois Helias: 17,
2. Bill Staveley: 8,
Gabarone, Boswana
3. Gilberto Fernandes: 7,
Mao, AM Brazil
Female Freshwater
1. Rebecca Wright: 2,
2t Deborah S. Krick: 1,
2t. Luiza
de Almeida: 1,
2t. Mimi
Shimzu: 1,
Male Fly Rod
1. Martin Arostegui: 18,
2t.. Bo Nelson: 5,
2t. Richard C.
Female Fly Rod
1. Jodie L. Johnson: 28,
2. Dotty Ballantyne: 8,
3t.
Theda C. Little: 4,
3t. Pamela W. Marmin: 4,
Juniors
Female
Small Fry:
Jennifer
Rose Wright: 4
Female
Junior:
Heather
Michelle Harkavy: 10
Male
Smallfry:
all
tied with 2
Guilherme
de Almeida,
Baily
McIntire,
Jonluc
Proud,
Norman
B. Wood III,
Michael
C. Wright:
Male
Junior:
Martini
Arostegui: 14
###
IGFA Partners with
Bonnier Marine Group to Produce Offshore World Championship
Long hailed as
the “Olympics†of offshore fishing, the International Game Fish Association’s
Offshore World Championship stands to grow even larger, thanks to a recently
announced partnership with the Bonnier Marine Group.
The championship,
which began in 2000, has grown into the sport’s premiere offshore fishing
series. To be invited to this prestigious event, teams must win one of the many
qualifying tournaments located around the world.
“The Offshore World
Championship has representatives from more countries than any other fishing
tournament in the world,†says IGFA President Rob Kramer. “We have 130
qualifying tournaments from 38 different countries this year.â€
Bonnier will take on the
management side of the championship starting with the 2009 event. The IGFA will
remain the championship’s sole nonprofit benefactor. A fundraiser and auction
for the IGFA will be held at the championship and Bonnier will make a
charitable donation to the IGFA following each year’s event. The championship
will continue to use the first-class amenities and boats of
Lucas
location.
Bonnier, publisher of
recreational boating and fishing’s most respected and well-known titles such as
Marlin, Sport Fishing and Salt Water Sportsman, currently produces
fishing tournaments in Bermuda, Mexico and the U.S. Bonnier will support the
championship by providing advertising space in its magazines, creating a
dedicated World Offshore Championship website and televising the championship
on its Sport Fishing Magazine TV show
aired on Versus.
For
the complete news release please go to the IGFA web site’s home page at http://igfa.org or to http://igfa.org/bonnier_igfa.asp .
###
Two IGFA
There are two more classes left in
the current session of the IGFA’s
at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and
The popular three-hour evening
sessions are offered from
p.m.
IGFA Adult Education Coordinator David Matagiese said the remainder of
classes in March includes:
·
“Bottom Fishing Wrecks and Reefs,†Capt. Bouncer Smith, on March 18
·
“Back Country Fishing: Mangroves and Flats,â€
with Capt. Mark Zasky, March 25
“We had
some popular classes this session that we hope to bring back in future sessions
such as ‘Four Fundamentals Every Sportfisherman Should Know.’†said Matagiese. “This class provided valuable hands-on
training which included a variety of knots and twists commonly used in fishing
applications; throwing cast nets, terminal tackle instruction, and bait rigging techniques that included
ballyhoo and strip bait. Many of the participants who were veteran fisherman
themselves yet new to the program walked away astonished at the amount of
information and material covered during their first class.
“We also introduced a completely new
course ‘Fishing Bridges and Beaches,’ with Capt. Mark Zasky, introducing his incredible
bridge fishing techniques that people who don’t own a boat can use. Bridges and beaches can offer incredible
fishing opportunities to anglers without having to get on a boat and pay a
hefty fuel bill. With the aid of a DVD video Zasky proved just how many trophy
fish are lurking around bridge structures and within casting distances of the
beaches.â€
Matagiese said additional classes for
the spring will soon be introduced in April.
For more on the IGFA School of Sportfishing
classes go online to www.igfa.org/schoolofsportfishing.aspor contact Matagiese at 954-924-4247 or dmatagiese@igfa.org,
or contact Veronica
Woods at 954-924-4334 or reservations@igfa.org.
###
–Coming
up at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame–
IGFA Junior Angler
Spring Break Camp
Once
again, the IGFA is offering up to 45 youngsters from ages eight to 13, an
exciting camp during spring break week at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame in
The day camps take place March 31 – April 4 from
a.m.
Before and after hours care is available from
– 6 p.m.
Several
of the days will include field trips along with many different and fun aquatic
activities such as daily fishing tournaments, fishing techniques, boat rides,
dissections, wetlands exploration, shark ecology and more. Daily and weekly rates are available.
Pre-registration
is required.
A
$25 discount will be given for full week registrations if registration and
payment is made by March 14th. For more info go to the IGFA web site
at www.igfa.org/springcamp.asp.
Online
registration is available at www.igfa.org/campform.asp, or by calling 954-924-4309 or email reservations@igfa.org.
###
New hours at IGFA Fishing Hall of
Fame
The IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame has
announced new Sunday hours. The hall will open at
p.m.
The hours for Monday – Saturday
remain the same from
The IGFA is located at
Admission is free to IGFA members. Guest
fees are $6 for adults and $5 for seniors and children ages 3 – 16. For more
information phone the IGFA at 954-927-2628.
###
Free Family Fishing Clinic
The Family Fishing Clinic
returns to the IGFA Fishing
Hall of Fame in
Beach
Saturday, April 19, from
provide instruction on casting, knot tying, regulations, angling techniques and
conservation practices.
As an added bonus admission to the
museum, which offers many family activities including the popular Sharkwater feature length movie, will be
also free for children and ½ off for adults.
Reservations are not required.
For more information please call the
IGFA at 954-927-2628.
###
March Hot Catches from the IGFA
World Records Department
The
International Game Fish Association’s provides monthly highlights of selected
documented fish catches made from across the globe and submitted for world
records. IGFA world records coordinator Rebecca
Wright provided the following information on these 11 recent submissions
now before the world records review committee.
Fishing
Virginia USA’s
(Ictalurus furcatus)
oz). He attracted the blue using cut
gizzard shad for bait and took 55 minutes to wrestle the big fish to the scale.
He hopes to break the six-year-old IGFA record of 47 lb 9 oz caught on the same
river. (Photo: blue catfish – 08010070)
The
blackstriped peacock, (Cichla intermedia)
on
USA, angler caught the fish which weighed 3.86 kg (8 lb 8 oz) on 10 kg (20 lb)
class line using a Smithwick lure. The current IGFA record is 4 lb 6 oz caught
10 years ago on the
