YOUNGEST ANGLER EVER COMPLETES ROYAL BILLFISH SLAM… AND IT’S A GIRL

YOUNGEST ANGLER EVER COMPLETES ROYAL BILLFISH SLAM… AND IT’S A GIRL

Female Angler Jordan McCullough, 19, Conquers Historic Feat

Charleston, SC (May 20, 2008) - On May 13, 2008 19 year old Jordan McCullough reeled in her ninth and final billfish to solidify her place in the IGFA as the youngest angler to have ever completed the Royal Billfish Slam. This momentous catch took place about four miles off shore in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where McCullough fought a 180 lb. striped marlin for 3 ½ hours, aboard the Baha Anglers boat with Captain Grant Hartman.

A Royal Billfish Slam is defined by an angler catching all nine species of billfish in a lifetime.  This is an incredible feat at the ripe age of 19.  McCullough is the fourth female to ever reach this accomplishment.  Barely breaking 100 lbs, she has fought fish as much as seven times her weight. The biggest being a 750 lb Atlantic blue Marlin off the coast of Ghana, Africa.   

McCullough caught her first billfish when she was just eight years old in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.  She has been hooked ever since. Her list of billfish now includes them all; Atlantic blue marlin, Pacific blue marlin, Atlantic sailfish, Pacific sailfish, white marlin, black marlin, swordfish, spearfish, and a Striped marlin, the final piece to her Royal Billfish Slam.

When asked what her next goal would be McCullough replied, “I want to release a grander! Everybody wants to catch one, but I want to release one.” She is a die-hard conservationist, and only fishes in release tournaments.

McCullough is currently a member of the GillzNFinz pro staff, which is a reality based sport fishing show that will begin airing in various markets across the country June 1st.  The 3 ½ hour fight with the striped marlin was caught on video and will air in the first season of the GillzNFinz Show.

“The experience was perfect.  Well, almost... my father Robert who has gone above and beyond to help me in the sport of billfishing wasn't able to accompany me on this trip,” said Jordan McCullough. “My parents have finally finished rebuilding our house in Destin, FL from hurricane damage a few years ago so he had his hands full. I know he would have been there if he could have. And although he has been there with me for the other eight billfish species, it sure was hard to do this one without him.”