Travel

Light-Tackle Black Marlin Record: Back in the Day

Peter Mahood's catch set the record for the 20-pound-test-line class

By By Jack Vitek, IGFA world records coordinator

Updated: September 30, 2016

Peter Manhood stands with his world record black marlin catch nearly 40 years ago. The light tackle record remains intact. Courtesy IGFA / igfa.org

It’s been nearly 40 years since Peter Mahood set the men’s 20-pound-test-line class world record for black marlin with this incredible 1,051-pound fish, caught on October 7, 1976, out of Cairns, Australia.

Mahood was fishing aboard Rosemary with Capt. Hugh C. Going when the marlin struck a scad trolled from the starboard rigger. Thanks to some skillful boatmanship and a bit of good luck, the team aboard Rosemary was eventually able to maneuver ahead of the fish, landing the giant just 40 minutes after hookup. Mahood’s incredible world record is also the heaviest billfish ever recorded on 20-pound-class tackle.

See more historic, long-standing IGFA records here.

More: Australia fishing, Australia/New Zealand, best billfish destinations, IGFA Records, IGFA world records

Free Email Newsletters

Sign up for free Marlin Group emails to receive expert big-game content along with key tournament updates and to get advanced notice of new expeditions as they’re introduced.