A 10-pound, 10-ounce spotted seatrout was recently certified as a new IGFA men’s 20-lb. tippet class world record for the species. The gator trout was caught on the fly by Dr. Jay Wright on March 23, 2023, in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
Wright was fishing with guide Matt Chipperfield of Chip’s Coastal Charters when his big girl struck a baitfish pattern. The fish was documented and weighed on IGFA certified scales to fill the world record category, which was previously vacant.
In an Instagram post, Chipperfield said he and Wright had been pursuing the record fish for five years and gave the measurements for the huge fly-caught trout. It measured 30 inches in length and 17 inches in girth. After taking measurements, the big breeder female was carefully released.
“Catching a speckled trout of this size is special on any tackle. But doing this on fly… it’s HARD,” wrote Chipperfield. “It requires discipline, patience and skill. Guiding “The Doc” to this fish is a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It’s a hell of a fish caught by one of the baddest anglers to walk this earth.”
Wright is no stranger to the record books. He holds several IGFA fly tackle world records for seatrout. Along with this most recent 20-pound tippet record, he also holds the 12- and 2-pound tippet class world records for seatrout. His 2-pound tippet record was a 9-pound trout caught from Mosquito Lagoon, Fla. in 2018. His 12-pound tippet record weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught off Fort Pierce, Fla. In 2007.
For more record fish, go to igfa.org.