Billfish Royal Slam. And what's that?

[PanamaJack]

I guess it was Indian Angler's observations about the 100lb plus Giant Trevally Club in Hawaii that made me think about this.

One of our Club – Sportfishing Club of the British Isles – members, Denis Froud from Kent, has just returned from Cabo san Lucas in Mexico where he caught a middling-sized Striped Marlin. Nothing spectacular in itself you might think. But for Denis it completes what’s described as a Billfish Royal Slam – an angler having caught all nine species of billfish in their angling career – Atlantic & Pacific Blue Marlin and Sailfish, Spearfish (just the one species given their relative rarity), Black Marlin, Swordfish, White Marlin and Striped Marlin. And, to put it into perspective, all I can find is 43 anglers, in the last edition of the IGFA’s Year Book, who have previously achieved this feat. One was also from our Club - Terry Smith of Bedfordshire.

I guess though where Denis’ achievement is possibly unique is that it comes on top of his ‘Grander Grand Slam’ in July 2004, when he caught, in one day, a White Marlin, Long-billed Spearfish and a ‘grander’ (1043lb) Blue Marlin from Ascension Island. (And he just missed out on a Sailfish that came ‘un-latched’. That would have made it a ‘Super Grand Slam’!) This, of course, from an angler who took a tortuous 21 years of gamefishing before he caught his first Marlin in June 1995!

So hope for us all?
Dave

[Indian Angler]

This, of course, from an angler who took a tortuous 21 years of gamefishing before he caught his first Marlin in June 1995!


Hi Dave,

21 one years did you say
I hope I last that long!!! Now there's another Club I have to become a member of!!
There's no end to this madness. Can't wait to get back to the water, looks like it will only be in november.

Regards,
Indian Angler.