IGFA

The IGFA is a nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices.

05/30/2026

In May of 2021, Thomas Farchione landed this enormous 2.83-kilogram (6-pound, 4-ounce) redear sunfish out of Lake Havasu, Arizona, to set the IGFA All-Tackle World Record for the species - the same lake where the previous redear sunfish All-Tackle World Record was also caught.

05/29/2026

Meet the IGFA Team 🙌🏼! Over the next few months, we would like to shine a spotlight on the great people who make up the IGFA. Today, we are excited to introduce Zachary Bellapigna. Zack has managed the IGFA records department for the past five years and serves as IGFA's Tournament Director.

1.📁 Title: Angler Recognition Manager

2.⏱ Time with IGFA: 5 years

3.🐟 Favorite Fish: Dolphinfish for saltwater and brown trout for freshwater

4.🏆 Most memorable catch: Landing a 47-inch cobia on a 3000-size reel in 1000 feet of water off of a piece of debris

5.✅ Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, guitar, cooking, and football.

05/28/2026

The School of Sportfishing at Pier Sixty-Six is an immersive, sportfishing educational program for anglers of all skill levels hosted by the IGFA and Pier Sixty-Six. After learning the fundamentals in a classroom setting, participants test their skills on the water aboard the HammerCatch, a 35-foot catamaran by Hammer Yachts. This week, Captain Peter Weirmesa had the students fishing goggle eyes and pilchards deployed under kites for dolphin and sailfish action - check it out!

05/27/2026

Thank you, Big Rock Foundation!

Since 2021, the IGFA Great Marlin Race has partnered with The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament to deploy satellite tags on blue marlin, generating critical data on one of the ocean's most iconic species. For the past two years, The Big Rock Foundation has generously sponsored tags for deployment during the Tournament, and we are deeply grateful that The Big Rock Foundation is doing so again in 2026. Their commitment doesn't stop there: the Foundation previously made a gift to the IGFA Billfish Research and Conservation Endowment, further supporting the long-term future of billfish science in perpetuity. Through their support of the IGFA Great Marlin Race and the Billfish Research and Conservation Endowment, The Big Rock Foundation lives out its commitment to conservation, innovation, and charitable giving, and IGFA is honored to be part of that vision.

Why this work matters:

Every tag deployed is a window into a world we are only beginning to understand. In five years of deploying tags during the tournament, a total of 15 tags have reported data back, generating 2,308 days’ worth of tracking information, 17,961 nautical miles of deployment to pop-off distance, and an incredible 40,064 nautical miles of total estimated distance. The map shows all of the tag results collected by tags sponsored during The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, including some that have been brought to other locations such as the Bahamas and the Eastern Atlantic. Every mile and every data point sharpens our understanding of blue marlin movement, habitat use, and the threats they face — knowledge that drives smarter conservation decisions for the species we all love to pursue.

Join us in 2026:

This year, three tags are sponsored through the Big Rock Foundation, and two additional tags are available through the IGFA for sponsorship at $4,500 each. Sponsoring a tag puts your name on the next chapter of blue marlin science and directly funds research that protects the future of the sport.

To claim a tag or learn more, contact Dr. Bruce Pohlot at [email protected]

05/26/2026

Seventy-three years ago this month, IGFA Fishing Hall of Famer Lou Marron set the All-Tackle world record swordfish – the heaviest swordfish ever recorded in the history of the IGFA. Marron landed the historic 1,182-pound broadbill on May 7, 1953, while trolling a bonito off Iquique, Chile.

05/22/2026

With more than 100 different species of snappers around the world, identifying your catch can be tricky. Here's a guide to help you differentiate between some commonly confused species.

05/21/2026

The IGFA is proud to announce Dr. Martin "Marty" Arostegui and Roberta G. Arostegui as the first recipients of the IGFA Master Angler Award. Each earned this recognition independently, on the strength of a lifetime of individual achievement across the full breadth of IGFA angler recognition programs.

Marty achieved Gold Tier status across five categories: All-Tackle World Records, All-Tackle Length World Records, Line Class World Records, Tippet Class World Records, and Trophy Fish Clubs. Over his career, he has set 438 IGFA World Records and completed nine IGFA Trophy Fish Clubs.

Roberta achieved Gold Tier status across five categories: All-Tackle Length World Records, Line Class World Records, Tippet Class World Records, Trophy Fish Clubs, and Royal Slams. Over her career, she has set 297 IGFA World Records, completed nine IGFA Trophy Fish Clubs, and nine IGFA Royal Slams.

The IGFA Master Angler Award is the highest distinction within the IGFA Master Angler Program, reserved for anglers who reach Gold Tier status in five or more of the program's seven categories. Congratulations to the Arosteguis on this remarkable accomplishment!

Read the full announcement: https://igfa.org/2026/05/21/igfa-names-first-recipients-of-the-master-angler-award/

05/19/2026

On May 19, 1998, angler Ken Paulie set the IGFA All-Tackle world record for flathead catfish with this 55.79 kg (123 lb, 0 oz) behemoth from the Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. Paulie was fishing a live minnow on a jig head while using a Zebco 33 reel and 12-pound Berkley Fishing Trilene line when he caught the fish.

05/17/2026

On May 17th, 1985, Les Anderson was drift fishing the Kenai River when something took his spin glow lure. After an amazing 40-minute battle, Les hauled in the massive 44.11-kilogram (97-pound, 4-ounce) chinook salmon. Forty-one years later, the catch still stands as both the IGFA All-Tackle and the IGFA Men’s 15-kg (30 lb) Line Class World Records.

There’s always more where that came from — follow the IGFA for the stories behind the stats.

05/16/2026

Back in May of 2018, angler Lionel Ferguson was fishing Richeison Pond, Tennessee, when he landed this 2.47 kg (5 lb, 7 oz) black crappie to set the IGFA All-Tackle World Record for the species. Following genetic testing to confirm the species, this monster crappie officially replaced the previous record of 5 pounds, which was set back in 2006.

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