The legendary Arostegui family - father Marty, wife Roberta, and son Martini (14 years old), from Florida, USA on their quest for world records recently visited Thailand to try and target as many species as possible.

So who better to hook up with than Jean Francois Helias who with his Guide company Fishing Adventures Thailand has clocked up over 100 IGFA world records.

First A little background on Marty Arostegui: the retired physician is one of the very few worlwide sport anglers to have received a lifetime achievement award from the IGFA for over 100 world record catches. This past March 2006, he took home a grand slam of honors at the IGFA World Record Achievement Awards ceremony for the most world records in 2005 in saltwater, freshwater and on fly. He has set currently over 180 world records, the latest ones being in Thailand, the land of smiles.

Continuing with his extensive search for world records with great planning, preparation and review of the IGFA world records, Marty Arostegui decided to visit Thailand, for the very first time, to fish with fellow IGFA world record holder, Jean-Francois Helias (31 world records )and South East Asia's unequalled team of professional fishing guides, a guided fishing tours agency which up to today has been responsible for 104 IGFA world records (94 homologated + 10 pending homologation )

Jean-Francois Helias' plans for the Marty Arostegui and his family were of course to have them catch as many quality game fish as possible, and on top of it, to help each of them set new or break as many IGFA records as possible. His fishing strategy for that challenge proved later to be perfect as between them Marty Arostegui and son Martini Arostegui set not less than 9 new world records, as follows:

Pending Freshwater Fly Rod - Tippet 6 lb, Barramundi, 6.84 kg, Bang Pakong, Jul. 15. 2006, Martini Arostegui. USA.

Pending Freshwater Fly Rod - Tippet 6 lb, Barramundi, 7.85 kg, Bang Pakong, Jul. 15. 2006, Marty Arostegui. USA.

Pending Freshwater Fly Rod - Tippet 4 lb, Barramundi, 8.45 kg, Bang Pakong, Jul. 15. 2006, Marty Arostegui. USA.

Marty Arostegui & 5.60 kg Giant Snakehead - pending IGFA world record 20lb line class

Marty Arostegui & 7.85 kg Barramundi - Pending IGFA Freshwater Fly Rod world record - Tippet 6 lb

Marty Arostegui was very close to making a 10th IGFA World Record in Thailand, by catching a 24 kg Giant pangasius (Chao Phraya giant catfish) Allthough a great catch it was just short and only tied the 25.50 kg current IGFA All Tackle world record for that species.

Marty Arostegui & 24 kg Chao Phraya giant catfish

14 years old Martini Arostegui & Mekong giant catfish