NEWS RELEASE
INTERNATIONAL GAME FISH ASSOCIATION
300 GULF STREAM WAY DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA 33004 USA PHONE: (954) 927-2628 - FAX: (954) 924-4299 E-MAIL: hq@igfa.org or http://www.igfa.org
DATE: July 1, 2010
NEW FLORIDA STATE RECORDS APPROVED!
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces the approval of two new state saltwater records caught on conventional tackle!
Captain Bucky Dennis of Port Charlotte, FL was fishing the Boca Grande Pass on May 5, 2009, when he hooked and landed an enormous hammerhead shark weighing in at 1060 lbs, earning him the state saltwater record for this species. This new state record fish was caught on fresh stringray and took a grueling two and a half hours to land. Captain Bucky’s monster shark replaced Allen Ogle’s 991 lb hammer caught out of Sarasota in 1982.
Larry Maier of Sumterville, FL captured the state’s Atlantic sailfish record while trolling ballyhoo off Big Pine Key on June 13, 2009. Maier’s record sail required a fifty minute fight and weighed in at a whopping 126 lbs, replacing previous record holder John Hessler’s 116 lb 10 oz fish caught out of Boca Raton in 1996.
SLAMS
Additionally, there were 30 West Florida slams processed this year. The Florida West Coast Slam, consisting of catching a snook, red drum and tarpon in one day, was achieved by Zachary Ploch, Hamburg, NJ; Douglas M. Childs, Apopka, FL; Matthew D. Umphrey, Winston, GA; David E. Kubert, Winnetka, IL; Wayne A. Meland, Naples, FL; Skip Nielsen, Islamorada, FL; Ted D’Esposito, Islamorada, FL; Ulysses Rodriguez, Miami, FL; Frank Diaz, Ft. Myers, FL; Mark D. Wysocki, Port Charlotte, FL; William D. Miller, Tampa, FL; Clifford Fox, Essex, UK; Richard Silver, Long Island City, NY; Scott K. Gamster, Marion, IL.
The Florida East Coast Grand Slam, consisting of catching a red drum, spotted seatrout and tarpon in one day, has six new entries: Ron Oleksiak, Ingleside, TX; Madeline Weber, Olmsted, OH; Zachary Ploch, Hamburg, NJ; Clifford Fox, Essex, UK; Richard Silver, Long Island City, NY; Michelle L. Cha-Kim, Ocoee, FL.
The Florida South Coast Grand Slam, consisting of catching a tarpon, permit and bonefish in one day has seven new entries: Nick Battaglia, Tampa, FL; Douglas M. Childs, Apopka, FL; Wayne A. Meland, Naples, FL; Clifford Fox, Essex, UK; Edward Wettach, Ridgeland, MS; F. Mitchell Howell, Plantation, FL; Larry Vaught, Plantation, FL.
The Florida North Coast Grand Slam, consisting of catching a red drum, spotted seatrout and cobia in one day has three new entries: Chuck Collins, Tallahassee, FL; Capt. F.F. Scruggs, Jr., Valdosta, GA; Jeff Trent, Quincy, FL.
Florida maintains all tackle records for 75 saltwater species in both conventional and fly tackle categories. There are three vacancies in the conventional tackle category and 25 vacancies in the fly category. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) verifies state records in Dania Beach, Florida. For more information on the Florida State records and grand slam programs, contact:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Mailbox MF-0AE
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Telephone: 850-488-6058
Fax: 850-488-7152
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