Back in June, we brought you the story of Jeff Mariani, 48, who caught an astonishing 108.6-pound broomtail grouper – on his heavy bass rod! – while fishing from a Mirage Pro Angler. If you haven’t already, read about this incredible catch HERE.
Hobie’s own Kevin Nakada and Morgan Promnitz were fishing off Isla Cedros, Baja with Jeff at the time. They sprung into action, instantly recognizing that Jeff had a potential all-tackle world record. They documented Jeff’s incredible fish for the International Game Fish Association, going so far as to buy the scale it was weighed on so it could be checked by an IGFA representative.
RELATED: Potential World Record Broomtail Caught on a Mirage Pro Angler
These things take some time, but all the work and attention to detail paid off. On October 10, 2016, an IGFA rep emailed Jeff to confirm his all-tackle record had been certified. We checked the IGFA database and sure enough, there it is.
Jeff, who owns the Cedros Kayak Fishing outfitting service (an all-Hobie business by the way) is understandably ecstatic. In an email, he wrote:
I must say that I am honored to be recognized by the IGFA for a truly unreal catch. This is the icing on the cake. The catch overall was amazing. Hooking up on my Phenix M-1 Inshore series rod matched with my Okuma Komodo reel spooled with 65-pound Power Pro and a 35-pound Seaguar leader and throwing a Kicker Fishing surface iron all while sitting on my Hobie Pro Angler 14. I still can’t believe it’s real.
I owe a huge thank you to the Hobie pro staff who were all there enjoying Cedros Island with me. Kevin Nakada went above and beyond to make sure the catch was documented correctly and also made sure we did not waste a bit of that beautiful fish as he made great use of it all. We shared most of the bounty with the local townspeople, and enjoyed some fabulous dinners with Kevin’s great recipes.
We have a very special spot on this incredible island. I hope this catch allows me the opportunity to show more people what a magical place Cedros Island is. Not only for fishing but to experience the people of the island and the lifestyle and enjoy the vistas and the tranquility.
We are aware of a couple other IGFA all-tackle records caught from a kayak, but nothing of the magnitude of Jeff’s broomtail grouper. If you know of anything that beats it, let us know by posting on the Hobie Fishing Facebook page.
