BONEFISH

July 1998 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

WORLD RECORD SIZE BONEFISH CAUGHT IN ABACO WATERS

A 17 lb 2 oz bonefish was caught in Abaco on 17th May by visiting fisherman Lazaros Vostitsanos of Tarpon Springs, Florida, using 8 lb line and light spinning tackle. It is believed that this bonefish beats the previous record for that tackle by almost one and a half pounds.

Mr Vostitsanos had the fish taken to Colyn Rees of Marsh Harbour who is both a Justice of the Peace and a pioneer in establishing bonefishing on Abaco. Mr Rees measured and weighed the bonefish and issued a certificate of verification. It was thirty-two inches long and had a girth of seventeen and a quarter inches.

Asked about the giant bonefish and his own personal bonefishing excperiences, Mr Rees said, "I caught my first bonefish when I was ten years old and I can remember that it was caught on white fishing line from the shores of Spanish Point, Bermuda. It weighed 9 lb.

"I have been a keen fisherman all my life and have caught hundreds of bonefish over the years throughout The Bahamas. I was in the partnership that built the New Plymouth Inn in the early 1950's, which was then the only small hotel catering primarily to bonefishermen and had many large bonefish up to 14 lb 1 oz brought in.

"I also built a five cottage bonefish colony in the Cherokee Sound area which was a very beautiful location on the peninsula over-looking the ocean on one side and the sound on the other. There we had many large bonefish brought in up to 13 and a half pounds.

"After almost 66 years from the day I caught my first nine pounder, it was ironic that a complete stranger should come to me, a Justice of the Peace, to weigh, measure and verify a 17 lb 2 oz whopper of a bonefish. I was thrilled just to hold the fish up and have a photograph taken - me and the fish I always dreamed of catching.

"After a lifetime of photographing Abaco and its people and promoting its fine deep sea fishing and bonefishing, I finally held The Big One in my hands. Whoopee!"

At last report, Mr Vostitsanos was wavering about registering the bonefish as a World Record. According to Colyn Rees, Mr Vostitsanos only wanted the catch advertised so that bonefishermen the world over would realise that Abaco is not only the most beautiful of islands, it is the bonefish capital of the world. He gave the Abaco Journal of Marsh Harbour the rights to publicise the catch and The Tribune of Nassau was the first publication to carry the information. Later Mr Vostitsanos decided to apply to the IGFA for recognition after all. The Abaco Journal will, of course, keep you in touch with whatever transpires.

And just where was Mr Vostitsanos fishing on Abaco? Like all fishermen, he played coy on the issue. "It was Abaco," was the most he would say. No doubt he will soon be returning to Abaco to fish the same waters.

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