Deborah and Jerry Dunaway (center) of Houston, Texas, U.S.A., received the IGFA’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. They are flanked by Skip Smith (l) and emcee and TV-fishing show host George Poveromo.

DANIA BEACH , Fla. --- Two outstanding anglers, Jerry and Deborah Dunaway, Houston, Texas, were honored with the International Game Fish Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the IGFA’s Third Annual World Record Achievement Awards celebration.

Tackle, lure and line manufacturers were also honored based on the number of computer printouts of anglers using their products in setting the new records in 2005. The event also recognizes the 2005 records by men, women, juniors, professional captains for the most world records recently published in the IGFA’s 2006 World Record Game Fishes annual. The ceremony was held March 18 at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida.

Highlighting this year’s ceremony for their astonishing billfish records Jerry Dunaway and Deborah Maddux Dunaway received the IGFA’s Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Jerry began offshore fishing in 1969 and has caught an unbelievable 203 Atlantic blue marlin, 36 Pacific blue marlin, 96 black marlin, 10 swordfish, as well as untold numbers of sailfish, white marlin and striped marlin. His 16 IGFA billfish records are more than any man in history, and he was also the first man to have IGFA records for Atlantic blue marlin on 4 and 8 lb lines.

Deborah Dunaway began fishing in 1985 and has fished in 18 countries, catching an unprecedented 23 IGFA billfish records—more than any angler in history. Deborah is the only angler to have held IGFA records for all nine species of billfish. In 1993 she also became the only person to hold current records in all nine species at the same time. She is also one of the top five female record holders of all time.

 Top Anglers

In 2005 a record total 1,234 applications were received and reviewed by the IGFA world records department. Of those 864 were approved for the year. The total number of fish record categories stands at 8,950 with nearly 100,000 files. More than 80 trophies and artwork were presented based on computer rankings from the applications of all approved records:

For the second year in a row, Dr. Martin Arostegui, Coral Gables, Fla., U.S.A., scored a grand slam as the top male angler for the most world records in saltwater (18), freshwater (24), and in fly (34) caught in 2005. During the awards ceremony last year Arostegui was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by the IGFA for over 100 world records.

Jodie L. Johnson , Peterborough, N.H., U.S.A. was the top female angler with 15 records in each saltwater and fly. Rebecca Reynolds-Wright, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., U.S.A., took the honors for female anglers in freshwater with five.

Martini Arostegui , 13, Coral Gables, captured the junior male angler’s top crown with 19 records and Ashley Eslick, Culver City , Calif., USA was the top junior woman with 12 world records.

The heaviest catches were also rewarded, as were the freshwater and saltwater captains who have led their anglers to other outstanding achievements throughout the year.

Top manufacturers

Tackle manufacturers whose products had captured the most world records were presented awards based on the 2005 computer records. For the third year in a row Shimano and Ande took top honors among tackle companies.

George Large of Rapala (l) accepts the award from IGFA President Rob Kramer for the lure most used in 2005 world records.		Shimano’s Steve Barnhill (l) holds one of two first place awards for his company’s reels. IGFA President Rob Kramer(r) makes the presentation.

Shimano, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., led among the manufacturers of rods and reels receiving firsts in four categories including saltwater reels used in world records (218) and reels used in freshwater records (71). They also took top honors for their rods with saltwater (38) and freshwater (16) world records.

Bill Munro (l) accepts one of the awards for Ande which took three firsts in fishing line and fly tippets. IGFA President Rob Kramer presents the honor.

Ande of West Palm Beach, Fla., won firsts in all three fishing line categories; 153 records for saltwater, 70 for freshwater and 85 in fly tippets.

Also for the third year in a row Sage and Tibor/BillyPate were the number one fly rod and reel in the top 10 listings.

Sage, Bainbridge Island, Wash., U.S.A. had 65 world records among anglers using their fly rods while. Tibor/Billy Pate, Delray Beach, Fla., U.S.A., was the top fly reel with 40 records.

Rapala of Minnetonka, Minn., U.S.A. was the top lure used in the 2005 IGFA world records.

The IGFA stated that the top lists of anglers, lines and tackle, etc. should not in any

Ted Juracsik (l) accepts the top award for Sage fly rods. Juracsik of Tibor/Billy Pate was also presented with the first place award for his company receiving the most records set using fly reels. IGFA President Rob Kramer(r) made the presentation as emcee George Poveromo looks on.

way be interpreted as a compilation of the most skilled anglers, or as an endorsement for any particular brand of equipment.

The proceeds from this prestigious event support the IGFA’s many conservation initiatives. Some of these programs include recreational fisheries representation on national and international fisheries management panels, game fish research and support of the IGFA Certified Observer Program.

Outdoor writer and lecturer, George Poveromo, host of ESPN2 “World of Saltwater Fishing,” was Master of Ceremonies for the evening dinner and awards which also included an auction.

Joining the IGFA and receiving the World Record Game Fishes annual

To order the latest copy of the 384 page IGFA World Record Game Fishes annual go to the web site at www.igfa.org and click on the insignia. IGFA members receive the book as part of their annual membership.

Founded in 1939, the IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.

IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its 60,000-sq.ft. interactive Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum at its headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla. The IGFA phone number is 954-927-2628 and web site is www.igfa.org.

2005 IGFA World Record Achievement Awards

 Manufacturers:

Saltwater Rods

First Place– Shimano

Second Place (tie) – G. Loomis and Penn

Phil Lillo (r) accepts one of the two awards Shimano received for firsts in freshwater and saltwater reels used in the world record counts. IGFA President Rob Kramer presents the honor.

G.Loomis pro staffer Todd Kersey (l) accepts one of the three honors in the rod divisions. They took seconds in fly and saltwater rods and third in freshwater rods for the number of records caught with their equipment. IGFA President Rob Kramer presents the award.

Freshwater Rods

First Place– Shimano

Second Place -- Shakespeare

Third Place -- G. Loomis

Fly Rods

First Place – Sage

Second Place – G. Loomis

Third Place – Thomas & Thomas

Saltwater Reels

First Place– Shimano

Second Place – Penn

Third Place – Daiwa

Freshwater Reels

First Place– Shimano

Second Place – Penn

Third Place – Daiwa

Fly Reels

First Place– Tibor

Second Place – Abel

Third Place – Redington

Saltwater Line

First Place– Ande

Second Place – Hi-Liner/Momoi

Third Place – Stren

Freshwater Line

First Place– Ande

Second Place – Berkley/Trilene

Third Place – Stren

Fly Tippet

First Place – Ande

Second Place – Rio Products

Third Place – Hi-Liner/Momoi

Lures

First Place – Rapala

Second Place – Storm

Third Place – Yo-Zuri

Anglers:

Heaviest Catch

Male – Alton E. Sullivan, Lebanon, Oregon, USA

Female – Eryn Jacobsen, St. Hellers, Auckland, NZ

Heaviest Catch - Fly

Male – Thomas M. Evans Jr., Grafton, Vt., USA

Female – Diana Rudolph, Islamorada, Fla. USA

Heaviest Catch - Junior

Male – James Angus, Kerikeri, Northland, NZ USA

Female – Ashley Eslick, Culver City, Calif., USA

Heaviest Catch - Smallfry

Male – Robbie Angus, Kerikeri, Northland, NZ, USA

Female – Nicole Loffredo, Anchorage, Alaska, USA

 Saltwater – Male

First Place – Martin Arostegui, Coral Gables, Fla. USA

Second Place (tie) – William B. DuVal, Richmond, Va., USA and Paul Leader, Miami, Fla. USA

 Saltwater – Female

First Place – Jodie L. Johnson, Peterborough, NH. USA

Second Place (tie) – Roberta Arostegui, Coral Gables, Fla. USA and Mrs. William B. DuVal, Richmond, Va. USA

 Freshwater - Male

First Place– Martin Arostegui

Second Place – Herbert G. Ratner Jr. Greensburg, Pa., USA

Third Place – Masahiro Oomori, Kobe-Shi, Hyogo, Japan

Freshwater - Female

First Place – Rebecca Reynolds-Wright, Hollywood, Fla.

Second Place (tie) – Carol A. Augustine, Surfside, Fla., and Kirsten Kidd, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Fly - Male

First Place – Martin Arostegui

Second Place (tie) – William B. DuVal, Masahiro Oomori and Herbert G. Ratner Jr.

Fly – Female

First Place – Jodie L. Johnson

Second Place – Mrs. William B. DuVal

Third Place Female Fly (tie) – Roberta Arostegui and Dotty Ballantyne, Bozeman., Mont.

Fly -- Male Junior

First Place– Martini Arostegui, Coral Springs, Fla., USA  

Fly -- Female Junior

First Place – Ashley Eslick

Second Place – Jordan McCullough, Destin, Fla., USA

Third Place – Courtney Gerken, Daytona Beach, Fla., USA  

Fly - Male Smallfry

First Place– Sam Schechter, N. Miami Beach, Fla. USA

Fly - Female Smallfry

First Place (tie) – Heather Michelle Harkavy, Coral Springs, Fla., USA and Nicole Loffedo, Anchorage, Ala.

Second Place – Nicole Scotti, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., USA

Captains:

Saltwater

First Place – Capt. Ralph Delph, Key West, USA

Second Place – Capt. Bouncer Smith, Miami, Fla., USA  

Multiple to One:

First Place – Guy Jacobsen, Auckland, NZ

Second Place – Rolf Masfen, Parnell Auckland, NZ

Third Place – Candace Meyer, Longboat Key, Fla. USA

Lifetime Achievement

Deborah Maddux Dunaway, Houston, Texas, USA

Jerry Dunaway, Houston, Texas, USA