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LAST CHANCE! 📢 ![]()
Registration for the 2023 IGFA Light Tackle Open closes Friday, March 24. ![]()
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Skilled light tackle anglers from around the world will gather March 29 - 31 at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores, FL, USA. With a maximum line class of 12-pound and strict adherence to IGFA Angling Rules, this exclusive two-day tournament takes place during peak sailfish season in sunny South Florida. ![]()
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All proceeds will benefit the IGFA Great Marlin Race, the world’s most extensive billfish satellite tagging program, securing the future of billfish stocks across the globe through citizen science. Learn more: bit.ly/3FbocKn
Throwback to December 12, 2018 when Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, landed this impressive 6.35-kilogram (14-pound) mutton snapper while fishing Walker's Cay, Bahamas. With this fish, Chouinard set the IGFA Men’s 10-kg (20 lb) Tippet Class World Record for the species. The record mutton struck his fly, and after a 5-minute fight he was able to land the snapper and record the weight on a certified scale before safely releasing the fish to fight another day.
“Michael may have opened the door, but Helen kicked it in.” ![]()
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Meet Helen Lerner, the fearless angler who made history by breaking barriers in the world of recreational angling. As a young woman in the 1940s, Helen defied societal norms by pursuing her passion for angling and quickly became a skilled and respected angler. Despite a penchant for seasickness, her talent and determination led to an impressive lineup of firsts for women, including:![]()
- The first to catch a bluefin tuna off the European continent![]()
- The first to catch nine tuna in one year![]()
- The first to catch a broadbill swordfish off Nova Scotia![]()
- The first to catch four different species of marlin ![]()
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Beyond her phenomenal angling career, she leaves an impermeable legacy along with her husband Michael Lerner in founding the IGFA and advancing marine science. ![]()
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We’re celebrating Helen's legacy this Women's History Month and continue to support women in pursuing their angling dreams, no matter what obstacles they may face. ![]()
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Learn more about the path Helen paved for future generations of female anglers in this short film produced by our friends at Rapala: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW4L9pNk_g4 ![]()
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#WomensHistoryMonth