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Worldwide Kayak Fishing Records

                                 Submit a World Record - mail to: CKF@kayakfishing.com                                       Guidelines:  Only legal catches will be considered.  Kayakfishing.com publishes all but a fraction of the record submissions we receive.  A world apart from the IGFA, Kayakfishing.com aspires to publish an honest, "all tackle" record of the heaviest fish landed by kayak.   For fast help with a record submission, contact the Malibu office anytime at 1-818-970-2392. Estimated weights do not qualify.   Fish with a ruler or tape in the photo will be considered in lieu of a weighed submission for the same species.  Weights from trade scales (supermarket, landfill station, sportfishing landing) qualify ahead of submissions from personal digital and spring scales.  Rod and reel and handline catches will be considered.  Fish handled by one angler qualify ahead of"assisted catches".   Note* If you have submitted a record that hasn't been published, please contact us via email or telephone, it probably fell through the cracks during a busy period.

 

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34# Uku (grey snapper).  Landed April 12, 2009 by Warren Reaves from Keauhou, Hawaii on a conventional reel w/ 50# Power Pro.  The fish hit at 33 fathoms.  Warren's snapper was 5# off the Hawaii State record and beat the last kayak record by 7#.

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                                              74 lb Wahoo (Ono)

                                                         Date - July 30, 2008

                                                          Angler - Andy Cho

                                                                           Big Island, Hawaii

"Our friend Andy Cho caught this 74 lb beauty along with a bunch of other very impressive fish on his way to becoming the 2008 Aquahunters Makahiki Tournament Champion."   submitted by the Uyeda Brothers. 

From Steve Cho, "My little Brother Andy hooked that Wahoo on July 30, 2008.  He was very fortunate to land this fish because he got it on a small mono leader while targeting tuna.  It sizzled 450yards of line on its initial run before succumbing to a well placed gaff.  The reel he hooked it on, never worked again."

 

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                                            42.6# Tombo-Hawaiian Albacore                                              Landed December 17, 2008 by Matt Reed

"Been living in Hawaii since 1996.  Fish was caught on rod and reel with 65# test line at ten in the morning off the Kona Coast of the Big Island. The fight lasted around 15 minutes."

 

 

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58.5 lb Wahoo (Ono)

Date - Saturday, May 17, 2008

Angler - Gareth Uyeda

Rod - Ugly Stik

Reel - Penn 9500ss

Main Line - 40# Power Pro Spectra

Leader - 90# American Fishing Wire Surflon

"My brother (Gareth) and I (Kevin) aka The Uyeda Brothers in Hawaii are tandem kayak fishermen. We call wahoo "ono" in Hawaii.


The day started with BEAUTIFUL conditions for paddling, but NO real strikes for about 4 hours. Then, when we least expected it...big strike! The battle was on. At first he swam straight down and held, then a blistering run! After a long battle, we saw it...it was a huge ono. Our personal best was 41.65 lbs caught only two months before this one. We took him to Haleiwa Fishing Supply to weigh him and he tipped the scales a 58.5 lbs."

 

The Uyeda Brothers

Kevin & Gareth

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42# Amberjack August 4, 2006 Landed by Hal Kirman of Seal Beach California. 

In Hal's words..."It was our second day of kayak fishing the East Cape of Cabo.  I was reflecting over our first day, catching dorado and the great yellowfin tuna my son (David) caught, when my rod bent in two and my kayak took off.   From there, it was a forty minute battle of give and take.  Mostly take which ultimately resulted in a 42# kayak record amberjack.  (Landed) on 30# test, this fish was the thrill of a lifetime."

 

                                                                                                                                            

52 lbs. 8 oz. Landed by Arne Rovell of Escondido, California

I launched at around 4:45 am so I could make bait at Scripps Pier and then head back across the canyon.   I picked up a handful of greenbacks at the pier and paddled back towards the point.  Just before sun up I dropped a greenie down on a 3-way swivel with an 8 oz. torpedo and a 2/0 ringed gorilla hook on 40# mono.  I didn't have to wait long before my bait got hit hard.  I let it run for a few seconds, set the hook, and I was on for a ride.  The SE wind was up and the wind chop was already pretty hectic, so the sideways ride in the choppy slop made it even more fun.  The fish made a couple sideways runs and then it was all up and down.  I finally got the fish up about 25 minutes later and had a big and chunky YT on deck.  I was thinking 30#-35# and was pretty ecstatic at this point.  I distributed some bait to a couple other yakkers out there and sent one of my last two greenies out.  I started paddling back to "the spot" when my bait took a massive hit.  This fish hammered my bait and spun me around taking line at an amazing pace.  I finally started getting some line back when the fish decided to head for one of the many lobster buoys out there.  Luckily, it didn't want to sit and circle around the buoy rope, so I was able to clear the rope and continue the sleigh ride.  At this point I thought something was wrong with the drag setting on my Shimano TLD 15.  Even with the drag buttoned down I couldn't horse her in.  My arms and back were tired from the first fish so I had to break a few times from the tug-of-war.  About 20 minutes later I got her to color and was amazed at the size of the fish circling underneath me.  With the one fish on my lap it made the gaff a little difficult, but both the fish and I were tired by this point so there wasn’t much of a fuss.  I finally got her to gaff and threw her on top of the other fish that lay bleeding on deck.  After securing her with my other fish I bled her as well and thought this one could be pushing forty+.  With its head hanging over to my left, its tail was hanging in the water much like the 43#er I caught in January - so I was stoked and ready to paddle in.

I was all alone on the beach upon landing - no one to share my prize with and no one to take pictures.   When I stuck the tape on the "smaller" one it measured 44 inches from nose to fork.  I got pretty excited about then since the other was a tad bigger.  I stuck the tape on her and I was shocked to see it top out at just over 52 inches - and fat, too, with a 27 inch girth.

I didn't bother weighing them on my handheld - I went straight to the bait/tackle shop by my office for an official, certified weight. When I asked if their scale was up and running he said yes, and could I bring the fish into the shop in a bucket - a bucket I said?

The first one hit the scale at a whopping 39 lbs. 14 oz.

The second one floored me ....

arne@hedgeassist.com

 

White Sea Bass Record

Dennis Spike with a kayak fishing record 75# white sea bass in May 2000. The big croaker was 2" shy of 5 feet with a 32" girth.  "Falcon and I were following the squid looking for white sea bass.  I threw a small Krocodile and was busted off on 12 pound test.   Flylining a sardine I caught earlier on a 20 pound leader and 25 pound line, I got picked up and pulled about 1000 yards in 3 magnificent runs.  The fish was exhausted and easily landed.  Falcon hooked up following me on the initial run and eventually boated a 59 pounder."

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Spike & Falcon near the end of an epic day on the water.  Brian "Falcon" Cambell of Newbury Park, California landed a 59 pounder.

 

White Sea Bass Line Class Record

Derwin Chang of San Diego landed this 65.5# WSB w/ 15# P-Line on May 16. 2009.  Thanks to Sonny Carig for the submission.

"I was fishing the Barber Poles about a mile and a half outside of the Dana Point harbor with my fishing buddy Mike Graham  Wwe were in 90'-100' of water catching our share of nice size calico and sand bass.  I was using my bass rod with 15# test P-Line, fishing the bottom, with a 6" gulp grub on a 3/4oz. head, when all of a sudden the rod went big time bendo.  The battle lasted for 45 min. and only after it took me for the ride of me life. When I was done landing the fish I managed to tow it back into the harbor were we weighed it at the fuel dock.  It tipped the scale at 65.5 lbs., was 57" in length and had a 32" girth.  I consider myself very fortunate to have caught such a fish and it just goes to show that you never know when you're going to be in that right place at that right time." Derwin Chang

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               29# Baqueta- Also called "gulf coney" and "red grouper".  October 2004 launching off the beach, guided by Spike   on the Sea of Cortez.

Fishing deep for tuna, "Anacapa Bob" Kirk from Newbury Park, California landed this rare catch he hooked at about 200' on a Megabait iron.  As big as they get at 29#, these fish don't come shallow and are not targeted by sport anglers.   It didn't take long for commercial and recreational take to effect the viability of all the world's groupers.  We strongly recommend anglers adopt a no-take policy on severly impacted species and release all you can.  Follow this link for an easy release tool (bottom of page) to increase the mortality rate of fish with bladders.                                                                                                         

 

Dave Robinson-Sarasotta Florida, Estimated 130#Tarpon

"The fish in the above picture was caught with my "back up" rig and took quite a bit longer. This rig was really just one I use on the flats here and consisted of a St. Croix med action 10-20 lb rod with a Shimano Calcutta 250 reel spooled with 30 lb. Power Pro with an 80lb leader and baitbuster. This fish took 1 hour and forty minutes to bring yakside. Our best guess is that it weighed somewhere around 130lbs. We take great pains in resusitating the fish we catch and she swam off just fine after a bit of work. That is the last time I brought the light outfit out for Tarpon as it's no good for fish or fisherman. Tarpon are a gift from above and should be treated with the utmost care and consideration. My thanks to Jeff Gaston for taking the picture."

 

"TANDEM RECORD CALIFORNIA HALIBUT-MONTY MOCK, KEITH JOHNSON" 53.8 LBS

JULY 5TH 2002 - "CAMPING AT SAN ELIJO STATE BEACH  CALIFORNIA, NEAR CARDIFF REEF, MY FRIEND KEITH JOHNSON AND I (MONTY MOCK-CYPRUS,CALIFORNIA) WENT FISHING  JUST BEYOND THE KELP AT HIGH TIDE.  I DROPPED A 12" LIVE MACKEREL TO THE BOTTOM WITH MY 700XL CALSTAR GRAPHITER ROD WITH 25LB ANDE LINE ON A PENN JIGMASTER. IN A COUPLE MINUTES MY LINE GOT VERY HEAVY. AFTER A COUPLE SHORT RUNS I GOT THE FISH UP AND IT QUICKLY RETURNED TO THE BOTTOM. AFTER A FEW MORE MINUTES I GOT IT BACK UP. I OPENED THE HATCH AND HANDED KEITH A LITTLE HOME MADE GAFF. I GUIDED THE FISH TO KEITH IN FRONT OF THE KAYAK. HE HOOKED THE FISH IN THE MOUTH WITH ONE SHOT AND LIFTED IT UP WRAPPING HIS OTHER ARM AROUND THE HUGE FISH. EVEN AFTER THAT THE HALIBUT WAS STILL HALFWAY IN THE WATER GOING NUTS. THEN KEITH STUCK HIS HAND UNDER THE FISH'S GILL PLATE AND OUT ITS MOUTH. KEITH TOOK MY KNIFE AND BLED IT, THAT SLOWED HIM DOWN. IT TOOK ALOT OF STUFFING TO FIT THAT BEAST THROUGH THE HATCH. ONCE WE GOT IN WE TOOK IT TO BLUE WATER TACKLE IN SOLANO BEACH AND IT WEIGHED IN AT 53.8 LBS AND MEASURED 50"."

Spotfin Croaker 7 Pounds, 26 Inches-12# test Shimano Corsair Reel, Abu Garcia Rod

Jerry Giberti- Alhambra, California- July 4th, 2004

 

"....a full blown Dana Point (California) Fourth of July was underway.  The bite (in the harbor) was unrelenting! A combination of small barracuda and herring.....On the next drop,  the pole suddenly turned into a ninety degree bendo,  and I put my feet back in the yak.  this fish began to haul my yak around the harbor, with spectators looking on as the battle continued.....After about fifteen minutes I finally got the fish high enough to see..... then down he went again.  About ten minutes later,I finally netted my fish. It barely fit in the net.  I found out it was a spotfin (croaker)."

 
 

                         

                                                               "SOLO RECORD CALIFORNIA HALIBUT"

Jeff "Rhino" Krieger,  inventor of the Rhynobar, landed a 50 pound California halibut at the Los Angeles/ Ventura County line in 60 feet of water.  Rhino used a bucktail jig on 15# test line.        "I have always had good luck fishing on family birthdays and this fish was no exception. I had to get permission from the birthday boy, my eldest son Ryan was enjoying his 6th birthday, October 2nd 1999. The party was later in the day so he wished me luck and said "catch me a big one dad".  I launched at the LA/Ventura county line and headed out to 80' where a squid boat was on anchor after fishing squid in that location the previous night. Sand bass were a fish a cast when the big halibut took my offering, a stripper jig 1-1/2 oz tipped with a squid strip, on 15lb Sufix clear mono line,Shimano Calcutta 400s on a Graphtech 7' medium action rod. The battle lasted 20 minutes and the fish came in without much commotion for a big fish. The hen (female halibut), weighed an even 50 lbs. on the State Certified Grocers meat scale at my local market Green Acres in Simi Valley. Measured at 54", it is still my biggest ever and probably will be for a long time."                                                           
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Vivian Oliva, Miami Florida.  41" snook. June 30th, 2001

Fishing the outgoing tide at one of the exits from shallow Chokoloskee Bay, there was a lot of baitfish action.   I started trolling with a 1/4 oz cottee red head jig with a 4" rootbeer Gotcha swirl tail grub. After about 100 yards, my kayak came to a halt and started going backwards.  A flash of silver and it looked like a tarpon so I grabbed the rod and got a good hook set, at which point the fish started taking me around faster into open water.  Then it decided to do what all snook do to get free... head into the mangroves.   As the fish was 5 feet from the mangroves I opened the bail and took the pressure off the fish.  It stopped and started swimming out into the open again.

Great!  I let it go and started picking up line slowly until it was clear of the shoreline and I resumed the fight.   I finally tired it out. Paddling  around for what seemed like hours to find CBK, Tom and TJ, I finally spotted CBK and he had a camera to record the fish.  It measured 41" but the girth was not taken so we will never know how much it weighed.  I was fortunate to have been able to get the fish back in the water and it swam away.

Tackle used:  Shimano 4000 spinning reel with a Falcon med/heavy action rod
FS-5-16.  Line: Ande 10lb test with a 30lb mono leader tied to line with a
surgeons knot.  The lure is tied to leader with a loop knot (very important).

Vic Van Wie, Studio City, California
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Vic Van Wie, Studio City, California.  256 pound common thresher shark.
Gear:  Daiwa 6'6" Sealine-X rod and Daiwa Sealine-X SL-X30HV reel with 30lb. Izorline and Power Pro backing. I used a 5/0 mustad circle hook with a 300 lb. mono leader.
The fish weighed in at 256 lbs. on a physicians scale and measured 10ft.10in.

Justin Rascoe from Texas-Speckled Trout
"Caught this one in my 10' Coleman Ranger. Lit a smoke while she was tearing out drag and by the time I was done, she was just breaking the surface. I spent another 10 minutes unweaving this monster from the anchor line, then my little net would only get the head. Three tries later, I landed it and when she hit the deck the lure popped out of her mouth. LUCK!!!

Allstar rod, Curado w/6 lb test, no leader-using a
4" white baby flappin' shad-caught in Trinity
bay. wt. 9.42lbs after she puked up a 12" mullet."

 

 

Julia Benak-California Halibut - 46.1 lbs Feb 26th, 2006 Doheny Beach Official Women's 16lb line class record.

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