The IGFA or International Gamefish Association has long been the record keeper for world record fish. They have also set the standards considered to be the “rules” for the fair and sporting methods used to catch a fish. These standards have become the rules of most tournaments around the world and are widely accepted. They have general rules such as: only the angler can touch the rod and reel and no devices can be used to hinder the fish’s ability to fight. They also set technical standards to be followed, such as how long a double line and leader can be, or the length of a legal gaff.
World Records now have various categories that anglers strive to excel by catching the largest fish in a category. For example, an angler may travel the world to incredible fishing destinations to try and catch a certain species on a certain strength of line. These line class records and most others are broken into men’s and women’s categories. Another popular class of records is the IGFA Junior world records. Kids of the age 11 to 16 may try to set the same records as adults and by most of the same rules, but in their own categories.There is also a small fry division for kids under 10.
I happen to know one such young man who is anxiously waiting for news about the qualification of his world record submission to the IGFA.
Carson Kramer is the junior angler and his pending world record is a 13.45-pound gray snapper. Commonly called the mangrove snapper, this tasty, but tricky snapper is a challenge to catch once they have reached a wiser size. Small juveniles are always more willing, but big offshore specimens are one of the most wary fish alive in my book.
Now of course there are always times when they eat the bottom of the boat out, but these snapper can drive even the most experienced anglers crazy with their uncanny ability to see a leader and detect the hook. So it was with great joy when Carson, who is 13 years old, looked over the gunnel of his family’s boat to see this very large mangrove breaking the surface.
Corey Kramer, Carson’s father, is a very experienced fishermen and diver. He lives in Merritt Island, Florida and takes the family out on their 28-foot Shamrock. They fish out of Port Canaveral, which is known for its great bottom fishing as well as a wide variety of other fisheries. Stephanie Kramer, Carson’s mom, is an integral part of the family fishing team. She has really played a huge role in Carson’s love of fishing. She has spent many early mornings with Carson fishing the nearby inshore waters in addition to the family offshore trips.
Carson and a few of his buddies had talked Mom and Dad into taking them bottom fishing, a real hard sell I’m sure. They had castnetted a well full of menhaden that are locally called “pogies” in the shallow water near the beaches. Pogies are a staple bait for bottom fishing as well as slow trolling for many other pelagic species. They work equally well as live bait or as cut chunks for bottom fishing.
This was the case for Carson as he fired down a lively pogie on his hook that day.
Carson said: “We were fishing on the ridge that day and catching a bunch of red snapper. I was using 60-pound leader to a swivel and then a sinker.
When it bit, it jittered for about 15 seconds and then it all came tight!
It was a harder fish to fight than the red snapper we were catching. It was fun, and my first mangrove over two pounds. I did catch a twelve pounder the next weekend.
When asked about inshore fishing, Carson replied, “I like it, but I love every chance I get to go offshore. I got to go amberjack fishing last weekend aboard the Ambush and caught a 25-pounder.
Carson’s Dad Corey, said, ” I was so busy unhooking fish and tying new rigs that I could hardly keep up with the boys. They were in a fishing frenzy and loving life. Caron’s young friend had just caught an 18-pound gag grouper on 30-pound test. I was unhooking it and shaking my head as I thought of the many I’ve broken off on 100-pound line. While working with this grouper, I looked over to see Carson bowed up on a good fish. We had been catching lots of big red snapper that we are forced to release so I figured it was another one. So it made sense when Carson yelled “Dad big snapper”. But then he said “mango”, our common nickname for the mangrove variety. I looked over the side and smiled, as I knew it was a good one. I had just been talking to a fellow captain about the Junior IGFA records and maybe trying to set one this summer. I hope this is it.”
If all goes well, and the submission is accepted by the IGFA, Carson’s snapper will smash the previous record by ten pounds. This is quite and achievement for an angler of any age, and will be a huge thrill for this budding fishermen. There is a required amount of due process to submit an application and you can learn the details on the IGFA website.
Port Canaveral is no stranger to big mangrove snapper. A 17-pound mangrove snapper, caught by Steve Maddox out of the Port Canaveral still holds the all-tackle world record slot since 1992. An average East Coast offshore grey snapper is probably about four pounds, but there are lots of big ones around.
The hard part about catching one is two fold. First you have to trick one into biting, and then if you do, you have to stop the fish before he can cut you off in the bottom structures they live around. One method is to get the mangroves chummed up into the water column, as this gains precious distance from the structure. But this also brings the fish into cleaner water that is more brightly lit, therefore making them even more able to distinguish the leader. You can watch the snapper eat every chunk of chum you throw and then pull up short on the piece with a hook. There are many tricks to finagle a bite, but often they only work once or twice because the entire school seems to learn somehow. It has always baffled me how the rest of them know.
The fact remains that a young fishermen did get the bite, did turn the fish and hopefully will get the personal satisfaction of joining that distinguished list of world record holders.
BD congratulates Carson Kramer on a job well done, no matter what goes down in the books.
Editor’s Note: Congrats to Carson because his record was approved and he is now the man to beat. Great Job.
