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Record Redfish Catches

Ten redfish catches that sit atop the IGFA record books.

April 16, 2014
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Red Hot

Christine Helms tossed a glitterbug fly in the waters of Grand Isle, Louisiana, to land this 13-pound red drum. Her catch tops the IGFA records as the largest redfish landed on 2-pound tippet by a female angler. COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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A Classic Catch

Elvin Hooper, of Salvo, North Carolina, landed this 90-pound red drum near Rodanthe. His redfish catch is the second largest red drum in the IGFA record books. Hooper cast a mullet to the redfish using 30-pound tackle. COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Battle at the Bay

Kristen Dize holds IGFA’s female smallfry record after landing this 50-pound, 4-ounce redfish in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Dize was bait fishing with a croaker when the fish hit, taking her 20 minutes to land. Nice catch! COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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A Fair Fight

Smallfry angler Brandon Bartlett landed his record fish in 2001. Bartlett fought the 45-pound, 8-ounce red drum for 12 minutes after the fish ate a peeler crab in Chesapeake Bay. Who is bigger: the fish or Brandon? COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Record Breaker

This 70-pound, 4-ounce red drum is the largest redfish ever caught by a woman angler. Elizabeth Pomory was bottom fishing off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, when the fish hit a mullet. She landed the fish on 50-pound tackle in a half-hour. Her catch actually trumps the current 80-pound-class redfish record by 26 pounds! COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Redfish of a Lifetime

Pictured here is the biggest redfish catch of all time, well at least the largest recorded red drum. David Deuel was bottom fishing on Nov. 7, 1984 when he hooked this massive fish on mullet near Avon, North Carolina. Total weight of the fish was 94 pounds, 2 ounces. Yikes! COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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A Measured Catch

Dante A. Bustamante released his redfish and still landed his name in the the IGFA record book. His 117-centimeter (46-inch) drum is the all-tackle length record, a feat that doesn’t require a weight submission. He caught the fish on live mullet near Merritt Island, Florida. COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Flyin’ High

Greg Braunstein landed the biggest redfish on fly ever while fishing the Banana River Lagoon in May of 1995. Braunstein’s 43-pound fish took 1 hour and 20 minutes to land in the shallow waters of Central Florida, especially since he was using just 16-pound tippet. COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Carolina Queen

North Carolina is renowned for its monster red drum, especially in areas such as Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke. It’s no surprise then that Lyn Gottert’s record 20-pound-class redfish came from these exact waters. Gottert was surf fishing in November 1983 when the 65-pound fish hit a mullet. COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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Target Practice

Kimberly Williams-Kirkendoll used just 6-pound tippet to land this record-setting 34-pound red drum. She cast a haley’s comet fly in front of the drum while fishing in Hopedale, Louisiana. If you’re looking for a lively debate, grab fishing guides from North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana and try to figure out who has the best red drum fishing in the country! COURTESY IGFA / IGFA.ORG
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