It’s an impressive achievement: one angler has 178 IGFA world records. Even more remarkable is that he doesn’t have unlimited resources. (There’s another angler, Steve Wozniak, who holds 239 IGFA world records, but we’ve covered him previously.) Dennis Triana represents the everyman—a firefighter based in Miami, Florida, whose fishing expeditions typically include an affordable flight and the encouragement of his wife and two daughters. Here’s a global overview of some of Triana’s remarkable record-setting experiences.
World Record Pacific Bonefish from Honolulu, Hawaii
Dennis Triana has set several world records for Pacific bonefish in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He holds seven records for Pacific bonefish across all tackle and line classes, including one that weighs 10 pounds.
“Catching Pacific bonefish on ultra-light tackle in Hawaii has proved to be the toughest record to break,” Triana explains. “Finding a Pacific bonefish large enough to surpass an existing record is challenging, as those bigger fish are rare and easily spooked.”
World Record Yelloweye Rockfish from Seward, Alaska
Dennis Triana has achieved two all-tackle length world records for yelloweye rockfish, both captured in Alaska.
He has established 19 IGFA records in this small town located two and a half hours south of Anchorage, with species like yelloweye rockfish and Pacific cod among the records.
“These are among the oldest fish globally, living up to 80 to 100 years,” says Triana. “Being able to fish for large specimens increases your chances of finding that perfect catch.”
World Record Grass Carp in Miami, Florida
Triana’s home area has been a treasure trove of unique species, such as hornet tilapia, Orinoco sailfin catfish, Oscar, and an impressive 48-pound, 12-ounce grass carp caught in Palmetto Bay.
“Grass carp were introduced into the South Florida canal systems years ago to manage the explosive growth of hydrilla weed that was clogging waterways,” Triana states. “They are the largest members of the minnow family, capable of growing to enormous sizes.”
World Record Andalusian Barbel from Portugal
Dennis Triana holds an all-tackle record for Andalusian barbel, which weighed in at 3 pounds, 4 ounces, caught in Portugal’s Algarve region.
As he does for all his trips, including family vacations, Triana researches local species that are special to the area. He set the Andalusian barbel record in the summer of 2022 while on vacation in Portugal, spending considerable time in the Algarve.
“The barbel is a widely recognized and favored freshwater game fish in both the UK and Europe,” Triana remarks. “They belong to the carp family and can be found in river systems and reservoirs.”
World Record Talang Queenfish from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dennis Triana with his all-tackle length fly record talang queenfish he caught in Dubai in March 2022.
Once a mere fishing village, Dubai has transformed into the bustling city it is today. Triana’s research indicated that Talang queenfish are popular among anglers in the Persian Gulf. He traveled there with his family in March 2022.
“I set up a Clouser fly on a 6-pound tippet and awaited the opportunity to cast,” he recounts. “Suddenly, schools of talang queenfish surrounded the boat pursuing small minnows. One queenfish took the fly. It fought hard, like a jack crevalle, but also jumped like a tarpon. After several laps around the boat, I successfully landed it.”
World Record Black Durgon from Varadero, Cuba
Dennis Triana’s all-tackle black durgon, weighing 2 pounds, was caught in Varadero, Cuba, back in 2017.
Triana was keen to investigate the largely unexplored reef fishing but found that Cuba only permitted government-operated vessels to troll outside the reef.
“We settled in the clearest water I’ve ever experienced, and I took out my light spinning rods paired with 6-pound test line and lobster pieces for bait,” Triana remembers. “I could see a school of black durgon below.” He caught a 2-pound black durgon, breaking the previous record of 1 pound, 14 ounces.
World Record Tiger Trout in Salt River, Wyoming
This record could be considered an incidental catch. While fly fishing along the banks of Salt River for brown trout, Triana reeled in a young tiger trout. He hurried to his car to consult the IGFA yearbook, which he always carries, to verify the tiger trout records.
“I discovered that the existing record on 6-pound test line was only 2 pounds. I quickly assembled my 6-pound spinning rig and started casting with a fly. It wasn’t long before I hooked another tiger trout in the exact same spot,” he shares. “This one, however, was a much larger catch.”
World Record Collared Large-Eye Bream from the Great Barrier Reef
In 2001, Triana journeyed to Australia, eager to catch a black marlin. One evening, after the liveaboard anchored, “I set up one of my lighter tackle rods and began bottom fishing, landing a variety of species,” Triana recalls. “One of these turned out to be a large collared large-eye bream. I kept it iced until I could do some research the following day.” To his surprise, he had set an IGFA world record.