Thirteen-year-old Angler Completes Billfish Grand Slam
OutdoorHub Reporters 07.10.13
Will Kilpatrick, 13, became the third North Carolina angler to complete a billfish grand slam on June 22 when he caught a blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish in the same fishing trip. Coincidentally, it was also his first deep sea fishing trip.
“I was a little worried about being seasick until I got on the boat,” Kilpatrick told the News & Observer. “But once we got out on the water I decided it was like a roller coaster, only slower. I like roller coasters. I was fine.”
The fishing trip was a reward from family friend George Powell for the eight grader’s good grades. Powell took Kilpatrick out on his ship Friendship with his own six-year-old son and nephew. Seeing how it was Kilpatrick’s first time, Powell gave the teen angler the best chances at the rod. He was however, surprised when the young angler managed to reel in an estimated 250-pound blue marlin, 80-pound white marlin, and 60-pound sailfish all in one day.
“I am not really sure he knew what he had accomplished,” Powell said. “To get a personal grand slam is a fantastic lifetime achievement and to do it your first time offshore is unheard of.”
The fish were released but the exhilaration of the accomplishment remained. The anglers returned to shore and quickly got a hold of paperwork that would make the grand slam official with the International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
“Catching those three specific species of fish, whether you are a novice or an experienced fisherman, is extremely rare,” said Jack Vitek, head of record keeping at IGFA. “To do that on your first day of deep sea fishing is incredible.”
Unfortunately, a rule violation would cost Kilpatrick his place in IGFA’s record books. When the blue marlin hit, one of the other anglers handed Kilpatrick the rod. According to IGFA rules, no one else could touch rod once the fish is hooked, not even for a second. Undaunted, Kilpatrick says that the important thing is the experience of the catch.
“It doesn’t matter to me if it is a record or not,” he said afterwards.
Whether official or not, the anglers say that the 13-year-old has enough to be proud of. Adhering to tradition, Powell and his nephew threw Kilpatrick into the water to conclude the grand slam.
A video of the fishing trip is available below:
