Shanaka reels in his record-breaking catch

In 2016, Shanaka Abeywickrema gained international recognition when he broke the the record for reeling in the 50lb Big Eyed Trevally off the waters of Wellawatte. Shanaka speaks about his ‘catch’ and the future of angling in Sri Lanka.

Shanaka is a Marketer by profession, and heads the Marketing, Corporate Communication and Sustainability functions of a multinational organisation. He was recently named as one of the 50 Most Influential Digital Marketing Leaders by the World Marketing Congress. 

He is inexplicably drawn to the sea, where apart from angling, he also indulges in scuba diving.

Following are excerpts of an interview:

Q: How long have you been angling? 

A: I caught my first fish with my father when I was around 12. Then after a long break, I seriously got into it around seven to eight years ago.

Q: What inspired you to take up this sport? 

A: I still remember the feeling of catching that fish when I was 12. It never went away. I have always been longing for it since.

Q: What’s the rod and reel you use? 

A: When I started out, I had one rod and reel. Today I have something like 20 rods and reels, which I mix and match to optimally suit the type of angling on the day.

Q: Where do you fish? 

A: Anywhere they allow me to. I mainly head out to sea from Kinross. I do however also frequent the waters of Negombo, Trinco and Kirinda. Bolgoda has been a popular haunt for inland fishing, along with Hendala and various spots along the east coast.

Q: Tell us more about this record? 

A: The record is the 50lb line class IGFA (International Game Fishing Association – the world’s governing body on the sport of angling) World Record for the Big Eyed Trevally species. This means that this is the heaviest fish of its specie caught on 50lb line anywhere in the world.  It is currently the only standing IGFA world record for Sri Lanka. This is also a Sri Lankan record for this species.

Q: How heavy was the fish? 

A: The fish weighed in at 10.09Kg. The previous world record for this category was 6.9kg set in Japan in 1998 (18 years ago!).

Q: Describe the ordeal in catching this fish? Where did you catch it?

A: I caught this fish a few kilometres off the coast of Wellawatte. I was trolling over one of the near-shore reefs when the fish struck. It was just my boatman (Ramesh Baabu), and myself fishing that day, and we were just about to call it a day. The fish fought slightly differently and felt unfamiliar, so I had a feeling that this was a species I had not fought before. After a battle of around 20 minutes, we managed to boat the fish.

Q: Explain what makes this fish so special?

A: Well, for one, it is fairly large for its species. Although I would not call the species ‘uncommon’ in our waters, it is comparatively less encountered than other species of Trevally. 

Q: What do you do with all these fish you catch? 

A: A majority of the fish caught are donated to needy institutions such as orphanages or elders’ homes. Some are shared amongst family and friends. I don’t eat fish myself!

Q: What are some of your other significant ‘catches’?

A: One of my most memorable catches was a 43.2lb (19.6kg) Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel, or Seer, off the coast of Kirinda. Apart from that, I was fortunate to land a 65lb (29.5kg) Giant Trevally (Paraw) as well recently. I do believe my best catches are yet to come, though!

Q: How do you want this sport to be seen in the next five years? 

A: . There has been renewed interest in this sport in recent times. I believe as an island nation, many have an interest in angling. I would really like to see more anglers, especially the younger generation get actively involved in this sport and help put Sri Lanka on the global angling map. There are also many practices such as catch-and-release, ethical angling and conservational measures that I see playing a key role in the future of this sport. I believe the next five years will see a rapid growth of the sport in Sri Lanka, and I am excited.