International Game Fish Association Announces
Prestigious 2025 Annual Awards Recipients

Highlighting leaders in conservation, sportsmanship, and angling excellence

March 12, 2025

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA), a global nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices, today announced the 2025 recipients of its prestigious Annual Awards. Comprised of six categories, each award honors a unique component of sport fishing, including light tackle angling, heavy tackle angling, conservation, sportsmanship, freshwater angling, and fly fishing.

This year’s award winners include record-setting light tackle angler Vicki D. Martin (Bob Herder Light Tackle Award); Viking Yacht Company leader and accomplished angler Pat Healey (Gil Keech Heavy Tackle Award); marine conservation champion Rick Gaffney (Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award); esteemed big game fishing supporter John “JD” Doughty (Chester H. Wolfe Sportsmanship Award); black bass taxonomy pioneer Dr. Andrew Taylor (Johnny Morris Freshwater Angling Award); and legendary fly reel innovator Ted “Tibor” Juracsik (Joe Brooks Fly Fishing Award).

“The IGFA Annual Awards celebrate the individuals who push the boundaries of angling, conservation, and sportsmanship. This year’s honorees have not only demonstrated extraordinary skill and innovation but have also made lasting contributions to the sport we love. From pioneering advancements in tackle and vessel design to championing marine conservation and freshwater fisheries science, their dedication inspires anglers around the world,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “We are proud to recognize their achievements and the impact they continue to have on the future of sport fishing.”

The 2025 Annual Award recipients were selected by the IGFA’s Recognition Committee. Additional information on this year’s award winners and the awards themselves is provided below.

Bob Herder Light Tackle Award – Vicki D. Martin

The Bob Herder Award acknowledges anglers for outstanding achievements in the field of light-tackle angling.

Vicki D. Martin has been pursuing IGFA World Records for nearly a decade. She landed her first IGFA World Record in 2015 while fishing for salmon during a trip to Alaska, catching a pink salmon on 12-pound test. This sparked her interest in light tackle angling, a passion that led her and her husband, Stan Martin, to chase these records worldwide. Since then, Vicki has set 104 IGFA World Records, more than half of which were achieved using 12-pound test line or lighter. Notably, she has set eighteen IGFA World Records on 2-pound test, thirteen on 4-pound test, and holds three IGFA All-Tackle Length World Records. Vicki has traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, and Brazil, and although she is primarily a freshwater angler, she also holds several saltwater records for sheepshead.

Gil Keech Heavy Tackle Award – Pat Healey

The Gil Keech Award acknowledges anglers for outstanding achievements in the field of heavy-tackle angling.

Pat Healey is a distinguished angler and industry leader whose contributions to heavy-tackle sport fishing have shaped the modern offshore experience. As President and CEO of Viking Yacht Company, Healey has played a pivotal role in advancing the performance, innovation and success of sportfishing vessels worldwide. Under his leadership, Viking remains at the forefront of the industry, producing world-class sportfishing yachts designed for tournament competition. An accomplished angler, Healey has competed at the highest levels of offshore fishing.

He is a three-time winner of The International Masters Angling Tournament’s Master Angler John Rybovich Award, securing consecutive victories in 2011 and 2012, and again in 2023. Through Viking’s Demo Program, which he launched in 1984, Healey and his team have refined vessel design through firsthand tournament experience, earning victories at premier events such as the White Marlin Open, The MidAtlantic, Bermuda Triple Crown, Buccaneer Cup, and tournaments in the Bahamas. He is also a member of Team Galati, whose Vikings have won the Los Sueños Triple Crown three times. His expertise on the water and dedication to the sport continue to influence offshore angling and the vessels that define it.

Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award – Rick Gaffney

The Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award was established in 1993 and honors those who have made significant and outstanding contributions towards fisheries conservation.

For nearly 50 years, Rick Gaffney has been a driving force in marine conservation, advocating for the protection of some of the world’s most ecologically significant waters, both in Hawaii, where he was born and raised, and across the Pacific. As the federally appointed recreational fishing representative on the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, he played an important role in the development, management and expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the largest fully protected conservation area in the United States. Gaffney has worked tirelessly to ensure these waters remain safeguarded, including meeting regularly with U.S. government officials to advocate for the addition of National Marine Sanctuary status to assure lasting protections. Since 2014, he has also worked to designate the Pacific Heritage Islands Marine National Monument as a National Marine Sanctuary, aiming to assure long-term protection for little-known but ecologically important U.S. islands. Beyond policy, Gaffney has been involved in the creation of four Marine Life Conservation Districts in Hawaii and helped manage Midway Atoll’s sportfishing program, where his clients set several IGFA World Records, including the first successful live release of a giant trevally IGFA World Record. He has also assisted with the IGFA Great Marlin Race in his home waters in Kona, Hawaii, collaborating with Dr. Barbara Block’s lab at Stanford University. His steadfast commitment has helped secure the future of vital marine ecosystems and the sportfishing community that relies on them. As a lifelong angler, IGFA Representative, and the first to land an IGFA World Record giant trevally on fly, Gaffney has spent nearly seven decades fishing the Pacific from Alaska to Australia and remains committed to conserving oceans worldwide.

Chester H. Wolfe Outstanding Sportsmanship Award – John "JD" Doughty

The Chester H. Wolfe Outstanding Sportsmanship Award was established by Mrs. Barbara Wolfe in memory of her late husband to honor both his love of sport fishing and passion for ethical behavior on the water.

John “JD” Doughty has been a cornerstone of the Southern California sportfishing community for more than four decades. Growing up in Orange County, he developed a passion for fishing early, spending his childhood on piers, docks, and beaches before working in local tackle shops. In 1990, he opened JD’s Big Game Tackle on Balboa Island, which has since become a legendary hub for anglers in Newport Harbor. An expert in big game fishing, JD has traveled the world, following in the footsteps of Zane Grey to pursue sportfishing’s most iconic species while maintaining the historic beauty of the sport. With a distinguished resume that includes years of fishing in Southern California, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, New Zealand, Australia and Scotland, his daily fishing report is world renowned. A past president of the Balboa Angling Club and an Honorary Member of Avalon’s famed Tuna Club, JD was the first tournament director of the renowned Bisbee’s Black & Blue marlin tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He was also invited by the U.S. government to represent sportfishing at Midway Atoll and was part of the record-winning team in Mag Bay that caught 330 striped marlin in a single day. JD’s passions include building regulation bamboo rods and restoring old reels, preserving the craftsmanship of classic tackle. He remains a dedicated advocate for ethical angling and tag-and-release programs, a strong supporter of IGFA Angling Rules, and an active participant in the IGFA SoCal Swordfish Open, where he assists with tournament communications. His legacy continues through his daughters and grandchildren, who share his love of fishing and often join him in casting lines in Newport Harbor or setting out to break records of their own.

Johnny Morris Freshwater Angling Award – Dr. Andrew Taylor

The IGFA Johnny Morris Freshwater Angling Award was established in 2023 and acknowledges anglers who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the world of freshwater angling.

Dr. Andrew Taylor is a leading expert in freshwater fisheries conservation, particularly in the study of black bass (Micropterus species). As an assistant professor of fisheries biology at the University of North Georgia, Dr. Taylor’s research has played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding and classification of these iconic sportfish. His work has revised black bass taxonomy, including elevation of Neosho bass to species status and laying the groundwork for species descriptions of the Bartram's bass and Altamaha bass. He has contributed to key studies on hybridization among native and non-native black basses, which have helped inform fisheries management and conservation actions. Dr. Taylor collaborated extensively with the IGFA beginning in 2020 when he assisted with species identification for a hybrid gar record. Recognizing his expertise, the IGFA partnered with him in a multi-year effort to reclassify its Spotted bass records, leading to the official recognition of Alabama bass as an eligible species for Line and Tippet Class World Records in 2024. His contributions also include authoring an article in the journal, “Fisheries” that highlighted the role of record-keeping in sport fish conservation. Through his research, mentorship, and advocacy, Dr. Taylor continues to influence freshwater fisheries science while helping to ensure accurate species recognition and sustainable management practices for future generations of anglers.

Joe Brooks Fly Fishing Award – Ted "Tibor" Juracsik

The IGFA Joe Brooks Fly Fishing Award was established in 2023 and acknowledges anglers who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the world of fly fishing.

Few individuals have had as profound an impact on saltwater fly fishing as Ted “Tibor” Juracsik. Born in Hungary, Juracsik honed his skills as a tool-and-die maker before fleeing from the Hungarian Revolution to the United States in 1956. After establishing a successful machine shop, a chance meeting with legendary angler Billy Pate in the Florida Keys changed the trajectory of his life—and the future of fly fishing. Recognizing the shortcomings of contemporary fly reels, Juracsik applied his engineering expertise to design the Billy Pate Fly Reel, the first anti-reverse fly reel built to withstand the powerful runs of big game fish. Its success revolutionized saltwater fly fishing, leading Juracsik to launch Tibor Reels in 1995. With a reputation for durability and precision, Tibor Reels have been responsible for more than 1,000 IGFA World Records, more than any other fly reel brand in history. Juracsik’s contributions extend beyond reel design. A lifelong angler, he remains deeply connected to the sport, spending much of his time on the water refining his craft. His legacy is defined not only by innovation but by a steadfast commitment to craftsmanship, ensuring that every reel bearing the Tibor name is still proudly made in the USA.

International Game Fish Association Announces Prestigious 2025 Annual Awards Recipients