Michael Matos

Last Thursday, six industry legends received the prestigious IGFA Tommy Gifford Award in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the advancement of sport fishing through innovation, outstanding catches, and noteworthy examples of leadership in their trade. Please help us once again congratulate our 2026 honorees: Captains Frank Ardine, Tim Carlile, Eddie Herbert, James Roberts, Paul Whelan, and Rom Whitaker. Photo credit: Debra Todd

Meet the IGFA Team 🙌! Over the next few months, we would like to shine a spotlight on the great people who make up the IGFA. Today, we are excited to introduce Barbara Cini, the IGFA’s first Chief Development Officer and a self-proclaimed billfish fanatic! Barbara discovered the IGFA when she took her son, Parker, to an IGFA Youth Fishing Camp during the Kids’ Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. She was thrilled to find a place where she could pair her passion for angling with her professional background in support of the IGFA’s mission of conservation, education, and angler recognition. Ask Barbara what matters most about angling, and she won’t start with the fish. She’ll tell you about the people: the friends she’s made on boats and docks all over the world, friendships that last long after the lines come in. It turns out that’s her day job, too. Since joining the IGFA in January 2024, Barbara has been building relationships with the anglers, donors, and partners who keep our mission going strong. 1.📁 Title: Chief Development Officer 2.⏱️ Time with IGFA: Nearly 3 years 3.🐟 Favorite Fish: Billfish, especially the sailfish that started it all. But really, her favorite fish is the next one she’ll catch with her friends. 4.🏆 Most memorable catch: Her first sailfish, caught during the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament. That fish hooked her on billfishing for good! 5.✅ Hobbies: Fishing with friends old and new; spending time on Harkers Island with her family and her dog, Banks; digging into the incredible role North Carolina has played in sportfishing history; and crafting costumes for her ladies’ team. If you’ve ever spotted a crew of women in elaborate costumes during a ladies’ tournament, especially pink or sparkly ones, you may have already met Barbara!

Leading up to the 2026 Tommy Gifford Award Ceremony this Thursday, October 29th, we're highlighting the incredible accomplishments of this year's inductees. Today, we're proud to feature Captain Paul Whelan. Captain Paul Whelan, widely known as “Wheels,” has been a foundational figure in the Cairns, Australia, game-fishing community since 1972. His career has played a major role in shaping both the growth and sustainability of Australia’s sportfishing industry. Whelan’s passion for the ocean developed during his service with the Australian Army while stationed in Papua New Guinea. In Port Moresby, he became secretary of the Port Moresby Game Fishing Club, where he met John Costello, then head of Ports and Harbors of Papua New Guinea. In 1970, Paul joined Costello aboard the Olwen G to fish Cairns’ legendary waters, where he also met Captain George Bransford, a pioneer of the region’s big-game scene. Whelan quickly built a reputation as one of Cairns’ premier captains, attracting anglers worldwide through skill, innovation and consistency. Among them was IGFA Fishing Hall of Famer and former IGFA Chairman Michael J. Levitt, who began fishing with Whelan in 1977. Over four decades, the pair set 10 IGFA world records, two of which still stand, pioneering ultra-light-tackle black marlin fishing. Beyond competition, Whelan was instrumental in conservation advocacy, helping secure passage of the Fisheries Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) in 1997, which restricted commercial marlin harvest in the Coral Sea. He mobilized international support through fishing clubs and the IGFA. Throughout his career, Whelan emphasized teamwork and mentorship, assembling elite crews whose members later became respected captains themselves. He retired from professional sportfishing in 2008 following the final Australian season of longtime client, Michael Levitt. Learn more: event.gives/26igfatga/

Happy birthday to IGFA founder, Michael Lerner! Michael Lerner's towering contributions to sportfishing rank among the greatest of the early pioneers of big-game angling. In the 1930's and early '40s, Lerner and his wife, IGFA co-founder Helen, fished for blue marlin at Bimini, striped marlin and swordfish off Chile, black marlin in Australia and New Zealand, swordfish off Peru, and tuna off Nova Scotia. Lerner's distinction among all other greats of angling can be summed up in one word: science. Lerner developed a relationship with the scientists of the American Museum of Natural History, and over the next six years, the Lerners organized, financed, and led expeditions to Cape Breton, Bimini, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile and Ecuador. The expedition parties included museum scientists and provided unprecedented opportunities to study fresh, whole specimens of large game fish. The knowledge gained through these pioneering trips broke new ground in the scientific understanding of saltwater game fish and became an invaluable resource to scholars, anglers, and conservationists around the world. He was decorated with the highest honors by the governments of Nova Scotia, France, Chile, and the United States. He received an honor, the first Gold Medal Angler's Award, from the International Oceanographic Foundation for being the "sport fisherman who has accomplished the most for marine science.” From the IGFA’s founding in 1939 to his death in 1978, Michael Lerner was the heart and soul of the IGFA. Without Michael Lerner’s energy, vision, financial capacity, and angling reputation, the IGFA would never have been formed. Hundreds of photos, videos, and written accounts of Lerner's travels and the early days of the IGFA are now being digitally preserved for the first time as part of the E.K. Harry Digital Archive, a multi-year effort to safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of sportfishing history. His letters and millions of assets like them will soon be searchable for the first time. Click the link to learn more or support the project: bit.ly/3URjz2A

As we close our countdown to the 27th Annual IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame Induction taking place tonight, August 29th, we're proud to feature Captain Jose Wejebe (1958-2012), one of the most influential ambassadors sportfishing has known. As host and producer of Spanish Fly for 17 seasons, Jose introduced millions of viewers to fishing through storytelling that emphasized conservation, adventure and respect for nature, teaching through experience rather than spectacle. Early in his career he was a successful tournament angler, winning multiple tarpon and bonefish events before expanding his reach through television, including ESPN's Outdoor Saltwater Series. As a guide, he was responsible for several IGFA World Records, including the Men's 2-kg (4-lb) Line Class World Record for a 44-pound, 12-ounce permit. Beyond media, Jose was deeply committed to charitable causes including Make-A-Wish, RedBone Catch a Cure and youth mentorship. Though his life was cut short in 2012, his influence continues through ongoing broadcasts of Spanish Fly and the Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation. Join us live at 7:00 pm CT tonight as we honor Jose and this year's full Hall of Fame class: event.gives/2026igfahof