A couple of the IGFA’s “Hot Catches” caught my eye this month as both were fly-caught species put forward for tippet class World Record status.
The first is American angler Laken Lee Fleming (above), who caught and released this beautiful brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) on April 17th that could become the new women’s 1 kg (2 lb) tippet class world record. Fleming was fly fishing Glade Creek, West Virginia, USA when the fish hit her custom fly, putting up a nearly 10 minute fight on her light tackle outfit. Weighing in at 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz), Fleming’s catch will more than double the existing record of .45 kg (1 lb – the minimum weight requirement) if approved.
The second is Costa Rican angler Christopher Hampl, who caught this beautiful 7.26 kg (16 lb) mullet snapper on May 2 while fly fishing off Isla Montuosa, Panama. This could earn him the new men’s 6 kg (12 lb) tippet class category. Hampl played the hard-fighting snapper for 35 minutes after the fish took his streamer fly. If approved, the catch will replace the existing world record of 3.15 kg (6 lb 15 oz).
Congratulations to both anglers on their catches.
