Can a fish change an anglers life?
In December 2012, in a Louisiana swamp, a Redfish changed Meredith McCord’s.
That day, Meredith broke an IGFA World Record for 16 pound tippet, with landing a 32.6 pound Redfish (Red Drum). What Meredith didn’t fully comprehend at the time was that this fish would be the start of her being thrown into the fly fishing world as an television celebrity, iconic angler, adventurer and world record pursuer.
That fish was the first of what has now become over 160 world records and counting. Meredith’s world record pursuits have taken her around the world and established her as an ambassador of fly fishing.
Her contribution to fly fishing has not stopped at world records. She has hosted television shows with Lefty Kreh and Tom Brokaw. She has brought guests to international destinations around the globe and has become an ambassador to some of the largest manufactures in fly fishing today. And through all of this she hasn’t lost a bit of her enthusiasm and appreciation of fly fishing.
During this episode you can hear her excitement and pure joy to what she gets to do. Her pursuit of world records has not been an isolated selfish pursuit for self promotion but an opportunity to grow within the sport and within herself to become a better angler and better person.
During this recording Meredith shares how she physically, mentally and technically prepares to catch a world record and how best to document the catch to submit to IGFA for consideration as a new world record. She discusses “soft records” and how she thinks some of the records at Pyramid Lake are ripe for picking off and she is looking forward to giving it a go herself at Pyramid Lake.
I hope you enjoy this wide ranging discussion with Meredith McCord.
Show Notes:
International Game Fish Association
IGFA Fly Fishing specific information rules
A list of IGFA World Records for Cutthroat trout
Here is an instructional video on how to tie up your own IGFA leader
Contact info for Meredith McCord