IGFA

It's Women's History Month. Today, we're celebrating Sara "Chisie" Farrington. Chisie Farrington made a name for herself in big game angling partly because she was a woman, but mostly because she could catch fish. Chisie racked up 11 IGFA World Records and appeared in 11 nationally released films about big game angling. She was the first woman to catch a tuna on rod and reel, the first woman to catch two marlin in one day, and, in an astounding display of skill and stamina, she became the first woman to land two broadbill swordfish in one day - a 396-pounder, and a 659-pounder. Along with her husband, noted outdoorsman and author Selwyn Kip Farrington Jr., Chisie traveled in a circle of big-game adventurers who included Ernest Hemingway and Alfred Glassell. In their company, Farrington was an angler among equals: the 674-pound tuna she caught off Watch Hill, R.I., in the mid-1950s was the first tuna that had ever been caught in those fishing grounds by anyone, regardless of gender. Chisie was an accomplished writer for top women’s publications of the 1930s and ‘40s, including Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, and Vogue, where her fishing articles helped to establish women as sporting participants in their own right. Her 1951 book, "Women Can Fish", offers a rare and extensive account of women's involvement in angling during that era. Even in light of all her other accomplishments, this book has become her most enduring legacy, standing as a testament to what determination and passion can achieve - regardless of the arena.

Permit on fly? Grander marlin? 10-pound bass? Everyone has a bucket list fish; let us know in the comments what yours is!

This 350-pound blue marlin tag is the IGFA Great Marlin Race’s first blue marlin result from the Gulf. This tag is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. It was deployed off Alabama aboard "Code Blue", captained by Alex Soto. The fish was caught by Shawn Park and tagged by Chris Park. The tagged blue remains in the eastern Gulf as it moves south, then enters the Straits of Florida, returns to the Gulf, and pops off between Mexico and Cuba, 427 nm from where it was deployed. The fish traveled an estimated total distance of 3,139 nm over 180 days.

#TBT to March 19, 1989, when Daniel Bergamo set the IGFA Men’s 2-kg (4 lb) Line Class World Record 🏆 with this 13.45-kilogram (29-pound, 10-ounce) talang queenfish. Daniel was fishing live sardines out of Port Douglas, Australia, and landed his record catch after an astounding 45-minute fight on 2-kg Platypus pre-test line. At the time, this catch was also the All-Tackle World Record, which has since been beaten, but 37 years later, the 4-lb record still stands.

The 2026 IGFA "World Record Game Fishes" book is here. "Magdalena Magic" by IGFA Trustee Emeritus, @DrGuyHarvey, graces the cover. Inside, you'll find the definitive record of what anglers worldwide accomplished under the standards that have defined ethical angling for nearly nine decades. First published as the IGFA Yearbook in 1943, this annual volume has evolved into a cornerstone publication, showcasing world-class record listings across freshwater and saltwater species including All-Tackle, Line Class, Tippet Class, All-Tackle Length, and Junior categories while also featuring updated listings for Slam & Trophy Clubs, captains and guides, weigh stations, representatives, and fishing clubs worldwide. IGFA members at the annual level or higher receive a printed copy every year. New Individual Members also get an exclusive benefits package, and new Lifetime Members are stocked with serious gear. Learn more: bit.ly/4bEwrhj

It's Women's History Month. Today, we're celebrating Helen Lerner. Long before it was common to see women in the fighting chair, Helen Lerner was making history on deck. An angler in the truest sense of the word, Helen didn’t just break records—she broke new ground. In the 1940s, when the idea of a woman chasing marlin or hauling in tuna was nearly unthinkable, Helen was out on the water doing exactly that. Even chronic seasickness couldn’t keep her from becoming the first woman to catch a bluefin tuna off the European continent, or the first to land nine tuna in a single year. She was also the first woman to catch a broadbill swordfish off Nova Scotia and the first to land four different marlin species. Her drive went far beyond personal milestones. Alongside her husband, Michael Lerner, Helen helped found the International Game Fish Association in 1939, shaping the future of a sport where women had long been underrepresented. Her legacy still casts a long shadow—not just in record books, but in every woman who steps confidently onto a boat, rod in hand, ready to make her mark. To discover more stories, science, and records behind the sport, follow the IGFA. #WomensHistoryMonth

The second annual IGFA Open at Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, Costa Rica, picked up right where last year's event left off with more than 1,200 fish caught, including 1,206 billfish! After an intense competition, Team Pura Vida claimed the top spot with 7,600 points and an incredible 38 fish on Day 1 alone. Team Tarheel, captained by John Bayliss, finished in second place with 7,300 points. Anglers Paige Bayliss, John Bayliss Jr., Jorge Carrillo, Mike Criscola, Burro Gonzalez, and Mike Kelly released a total of 73 sailfish. Team Galati, captained by Tony Carrizosa, with anglers Sean Dooley, Thomas Garmany, Justin Healey, Pat Healey, Lance Hightower, and West Rivers, finished in third place with 67 sails and one blue marlin, including an amazing performance on day one of 4,600 points, eventually finishing the tournament with 7,100 total points. The IGFA extends its heartfelt congratulations to all participants for their grit and sportsmanship. A special thank you goes out to our sponsors, whose support was instrumental in making the tournament a reality. We’re also deeply grateful to Marina Pez Vela for providing a world-class venue and exceptional service.

On August 10, 2025, Jakob S. Mackey was fishing in Bacon Creek Park in Sioux City, Iowa, when he landed this massive, 32.43 kg (71 lb 8 oz) grass carp. With this fish, Jakob has set the record for the men's 15 kg line class record. Congrats Jakob!

In March of 1986, angler Del Brown set the IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8 lb) Tippet Class World Record for permit with this 18.82-kilogram (41-pound, 8-ounce) fish. Del was fly fishing in Key West, Florida, and was guided to this record catch by IGFA Hall of Famer Captain Steve Huff. They landed the permit after an outstanding 1-hour and 3-minute fight. This permit smashed Brown's previous record, which he had set two days prior by an astonishing 9.24 kilograms (20 pounds, 6 ounces)!

It's Women's History Month. Today, we're celebrating Joan Wulff. Before fly casting was studied, taught, and mastered like an art form, it was instinct. And no one honed that instinct into science quite like Joan Wulff. At ten years old, Joan borrowed her father’s fly rod and never gave it back. By 16, she was a national casting champion. By 25, she made history as the first woman to win the National Fisherman’s Distance Fly Championship...beating an all-male field with a 136-foot cast. (Her unofficial women’s world record of 161 feet still turns heads today.) But Joan Wulff’s legacy goes far beyond the podium. She was the first woman to sign a paid contract with a fishing company. She co-founded the Wulff School of Fly Fishing and spent decades teaching students from all over the world. She wrote the first technical breakdown of fly casting mechanics and made the sport more accessible—especially to women—for generations to come. In 2007, her extraordinary contributions were recognized with induction into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame. Today, at 99 years old, Joan is still known as the First Lady of Fly Fishing. Her influence is felt in every smooth loop, every thoughtful cast, and every angler who believes that skill matters more than strength. She didn’t just cast farther; she cast first. And she showed the world that fly fishing is for anyone with the passion and precision to pursue it. For more legendary anglers and fishing history, follow the global authority on sportfishing: @theigfa. #WomensHistoryMonth

On March 11, 2025, Jason Schall was fishing the Uruguay River, Uruguay, when he landed this beautiful 19.87-kilogram (43-pound, 13-ounce) dorado. With this fish, Jason has set the IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8 lb.) Line Class World Record for the species. Jason was fishing with guide Fernando Guerra when the fish struck his crankbait. He was able to boat the record dorado after a 20-minute fight. After recording the weight on his certified scale, he released the fish safely.

46 years ago this month, Raymond Easley landed this record-setting bass, setting the IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8 lb) Line Class World Record with this 9.61-kg (21-pound, 3-ounce) bass. He was fishing in Lake Casitas, Oak View, California and landed the record bass in 5-minutes after it ate a live crayfish he was using as bait.

23 years ago, Dave Huckle set the IGFA Men’s 10-kg (20 lb) Line Class World Record with this massive 67.92-kilogram (149-pound, 12-ounce) Nile perch. Dave was trolling a Mann’s 30+ Magnum off of Rubondo Island, Tanzania, when he felt a strong pull. After an epic 55-minute battle, Dave landed the record perch and brought it to Rubondo Island Camp for an official weight.

The IGFA is proud to announce our 2026 Annual Award recipients. Comprised of six categories, each award honors a unique component of sport fishing including light tackle angling, heavy tackle angling, conservation, sportsmanship, freshwater angling, and fly fishing. The 2026 IGFA Annual Award Recipients are: 🐟 Record-setting light tackle and fly angler 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗸𝗶 (Bob Herder Light Tackle Award); 🐟 Atlantic blue marlin legend 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 (Gil Keech Heavy Tackle Award); 🐟 Offshore fishing conservation leader 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿 (Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award); 🐟 The 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, pioneers of all-release light-tackle tournaments (Chester H. Wolfe Sportsmanship Award); 🐟 Legendary big-bass angler 𝗕𝗼𝗯 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗽𝗶 (Johnny Morris Freshwater Angling Award); 🐟 and innovative skiff builder and fly angler 𝗛𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘂𝗺 (Joe Brooks Fly Fishing Award). To read more about each of this year’s award winners and the awards themselves, visit: igfa.org/2026/03/05/igf…

Take your sportfishing knowledge from the classroom to the cockpit. Through the IGFA School of Sportfishing, anglers can learn the fundamentals of ethical angling and South Florida sportfishing directly from IGFA instructors before heading offshore to put those skills into practice with the experienced crew aboard the HammerCatch, a 35' HammerCat. Hosted at Pier Sixty-Six Marina, this two-part experience combines hands-on instruction with time on the water targeting some of South Florida’s most exciting game fish. Upcoming excursions: March 19 | April 16 | May 21 | June 18 | July 16 | August 20 | September 17 | October 15 | November 19 | December 17 To learn more about the program and how to reserve your spot, head to: igfa.org/school-of-spor…

This 30lb white marlin tag is the first IGFA Great Marlin Race result from the Gulf. The tag was sponsored through a grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. It was deployed aboard Never Settle with captain Stan Blackman and angler Jim Murdica. This small white covers a lot of water as it crossed the Gulf to the south, then eastward through the Straits of Florida, popping up east of Cay Sal Bank after 180 days, 593nm from where the tag was deployed after the fish traveled a total estimated distance of 2,872nm.

On February 28, 2023, Lea Anne Powell hooked into a bass of a lifetime. Fishing Lake O.H. Ivie in Texas, she landed a 5.53-kilogram (12-pound, 3-ounce) largemouth bass, setting the IGFA Women’s 6-kg (12 lb.) Line Class World Record. After a 15-minute fight, she was able to land the record bass and return to the ramp for a weight on a certified scale. The internet took notice, and three years later, her record still stands as a testament to her angling skills and the world-class fishery that produced this giant.

Sound off in the comments 🗣️. What's the one piece of gear you never hit the water without?

This 55lb white marlin tag was deployed off the Bahamas by one of our top white marlin tagging boats, Shark Byte, captained by Rich Barrett, on the fish caught by Brian Rice. This marlin undertook an incredible 180-day journey, reaching as far north as around 400nm from St. John’s, Newfoundland, before turning back toward the south and popping off near Barbuda, 1,229nm from where it was deployed after traveling a total estimated distance of 5,332nm. The IGFA Great Marlin Race, presented by Costa Sunglasses, is sponsored by AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, PENN, Yamaha Rightwaters, and the Big Rock Foundation. We would like to thank our sponsors as well as the billfish fishing community, who fund and deploy the satellite tags needed to better understand, manage, and conserve billfish species globally.

In two weeks, the IGFA Open returns to @MarinaPezVela_cr! The Open is a true test of angling skills for your team while also helping support the IGFA's conservation and education efforts. Learn more+ register here: igfa.org/igfa-open/