by Marius de Wet
Superb feats receive IGFA’s plaudits
R
ECEIVING an IGFA Grand Slam certificate is like being awarded the Holy Grail of offshore angling. To receive one of these awards, an angler/boat not only needs to catch three different species of billfish in one day, but these catches must also be made in accordance with IGFA’s strict rules and regulations. Such a feat is largely unheard of off the South African coast, especially off Durban, but one skipper is now the proud owner of two such awards. Leroy White, skipper of the sportfisher Charlie Brown did it on 13th January 2011 — and again less than three weeks later, on 2nd February 2011. The first achievement was even more special because of the five marlin caught, four of them (one blue-, one black- and two striped marlin), were caught by Josias “Vasie” de Wet. This made it a double-header of an IGFA Boat Grand Slam for Charlie Brown as well as a personal grand slam for Vasie. In the 2013 IGFA World Record Game Fishes Book, in which all the registered grand slams are recorded, it is exciting to see Charlie Brown, owned and skippered by Leroy White, with anglers Marius and Vasie de Wet, officially awarded with the first IGFA Boat Grand Slam in South African waters. Vasie’s personal grand slam is of course the cherry on top. The unbelievable follow-on feat early in February, where Leroy, along with anglers Steve Elmes and Grant Wessels, recorded the second IGFA Boat Grand Slam is even more reason to crack open the champagne. The story of the first grand slam needs to be told, because hooking five marlin in one day and bringing them all to the boat for release is an amazing accomplishment. Doing it twice is extraordinary. Marius de Wet, Vasie’s father, told us the story of their amazing day’s billfishing off Durban ... It all started when my friend, Leroy White, who owns Charlie Brown, a beautiful 42 foot Luhrs Open, invited my eldest son, Vasie, and I to come along to test his boat one
The flags say it all: Charlie Brown’s Durban double in January 2011, an IGFA Boat Grand Slam and a personal grand slam. morning after the motors had been serviced. We hadn’t planned to go fishing, but after half-an-hour of riding straight out at sea we were approaching good water, so we put out four 80 lb rods and trolled for a while to see if we could catch some dorado for a fish braai that afternoon. Once the rods were set, Leroy, Vasie and I were about to get something to drink when the first rod started screaming. There was to be no rest that day.
Vasie and Marius de Wet with their IGFA certificates, acknowledging their magnificent achievements off Durban. SKI-BOAT September/October 2013 • 33