HUGE BONEFISH CAUGHT IN FLORIDA KEYS WEIGHS IN AT 16 POUNDS, 3 OUNCES; WORLD RECORD PENDING

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys - A Connecticut school administrator caught and released a monster bonefish in the Florida Keys last week. It may be the largest certified bonefish ever caught on rod and reel in the Western Hemisphere.

Bob Schroeder's 16-pound, 3-ounce bonefish was brought in alive and weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at The Worldwide Sportsman dock in Islamorada March 19 and then released.

Samples of the mono leader and 10-pound Power Pro braided line were sent to the IGFA along with required documentation to determine if the catch qualifies for a world record in 12- or 16-pound-test line categories. Approval or denial of the record is expected by mid-May or earlier, according to Rebecca Reynolds, the IGFA's world record administrator.

The existing IGFA record for 12-pound-test line is a 16-pound bonefish caught in Bimini in 1971 by Jerry Lavenstein. Islamorada guide Tim Borski holds the current 16-pound-test line class record with a 14.25-pound bonefish he caught off Islamorada in 2002.

If certified, Schroeder's bonefish will be the third largest on record at the IGFA. The two larger bonefish - a 19-pound fish caught in 1962 and a 17-pound fish caught in 1976 - were caught in South Africa.

Schroeder and Captain Paul DiMaura of Islamorada and Martha's Vineyard, Mass., had planned on fishing for redfish, but the wind was so brisk they decided to try bonefishing on Islamorada's flats. The pair fishes together often, almost always casting flies.

"It was blowing so hard we put the (fly]) rods down," said Schroeder. "Paul saw the fish about 100 yards away and stopped the boat. The wind was at our backs and probably if the adrenalin hadn't kicked in we might have picked up the fly rods."

Still, Schroeder had to make an accurate long-distance cast with a live shrimp in a gusty wind.

"It turned out to be one of those classic perfect shots," he said. "The shrimp landed far enough in front of the fish not to spook it. It came by and ate the shrimp."

"The fish pulled most of the line - more than 200 yards - off Schroeder's spinning reel while DiMaura "poled like crazy," said Schroeder.

"When it got to the boat and we could see the shoulders on this thing, I got more instructions than the space shuttle," laughed Schroeder.

DiMaura was humbled by the catch. He has fished the Islamorada flats since the 1960s and was a professional guide during the 1980s. He still maintains his captain's license in the Keys.

"It could have happened to anybody and it happened to us, and I appreciate that," said DiMaura. "It was being in the right time and the right place."

DiMaura was also proud of the series of photos he took while Schroeder released the bonefish. After very careful handling, the fish swam away.

"Happily, the fish is still out there," said DiMaura.