Australian Record Sailfish Tagged and Released
March 29, 2009
Kylie Piddick's Australian record sailfish
While fishing the 2009 Airnorth Ladies Fishing Tournament aboard Serenity, Team “Serenity’s Sirens of the Sea” – Kylee Piddick, Trish Van Bergen and Tracy Groom, sponsored by Gove Tidy Bags, were disheartened after the first day with not being able to find a billfish let alone tag one for points in the tightly contest tournament. However, the second day proved to be a completely different affair.
The day’s fishing began at 7.00am with a screaming fan belt rather than a screaming fishing reel, and with Serenity only being able to travel at 4 knots, the crew decided to throw a couple of mackerel lures out while the skipper searched for calmer waters behind Little Bromby Islet and carry out motor repairs.
After only a few minutes trawling and in the middle of eating breakfast with no serious preparation as of yet for the days fishing, music blaring loudly and equipment and tools all over the back deck ready for motor repairs, the 15kg line suddenly started to peel off the outside rig at an incredible speed. Kylee, tried to reel in some line (but not getting anywhere), thought she had the biggest mackerel hooked. After 5mins of fighting, the fish leapt out of the water and the girls screamed …. Billfish.
With Trish throwing all equipment out of the way, and Tracy setting up the tag pole and finding the camera, the fight was on and skipper Dale turned the boat to chase the fish and gain some line. The total fight lasted just over half an hour with the fish successfully tagged. Pulling the sailfish in for a much sought after happy snap, the final measurement was a little over 2.6 metres (measured). The fish was quickly returned to the water, revived and released to fight another day. On checking game fishing records, it was later discovered that they had released what would have easily been a new Australian record sailfish for ladies on 15kg line.
“At no time did I ever think of weighing in this magnificent and beautiful creature just for the sake of points let alone a record claim”, later commented Kylee.” I have the photograph and sore arms to remember it by, and that’s not such a bad thing ….. especially as it was my first sailfish !!!!! “
President of the Nhulunbuy Regional Sports Fishing Club Peter Cox was able to confirm the tag and release. ” The current record stands at 58kg claimed in August 1985, off the Whitsundays. By using Game Fishing Association of Australia charts, a sailfish measured at this length would have weighed in excess of 70kgs. Kylee should be proud of her efforts and the NRSFC congratulates her on the fish and her decision to return it to the water”, he stated. Four ladies tagged and released 5 sailfish in the recent 2009 Airnorth Ladies Fishing Classic.
