IGFA honours for John Going

A longstanding member of the New Zealand sport fishing community, John Going is one of several recipients of the IGFA’s Tommy Gifford Award, which recognizes significant contributions to recreational angling as captains, guides or crew. This year’s recipients, alongside John Going, are Florida Keys stalwart Captain Alex Adler; famed Baja skipper Captain Jesus Ariza; Caribbean offshore pioneer Captain Atlee Evans; and Australian big-game legend Billy Fairbairn.

John first became associated with sport fishing when his family bought the Tutukaka Guest House in Tutukaka, Northland, New Zealand in 1953.

Not long after, he caught his first marlin aboard his family’s boat the Stephanie, which was the catalyst that led John to relentlessly pursue marlin in the waters off New Zealand and help bring the marlin fishery to life through his innovative techniques and the incredible results they produced. In 1997 John was recognized for his services to sportfishing, rescues at sea and for service on the Poor Knights Reserve Committee and was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s honours list.

He is also credited with helping to explore and develop the Tongan blue marlin fishery, after making several exploratory trips during the off-season in New Zealand. Forty-six years after entering the industry, John is still chartering and is also running a 48’ Riviera for his brother Wynne. Over the years John has trained many deckhands who have gone on to become top sportfishing skippers and super yacht skippers. This training continues with his willingness to share his extensive knowledge and experience of game fishing and anything and everything to do with the sea.

The namesake of the award, Tommy Gifford (1896-1970) is considered one of the most innovative blue water anglers who ever lived, and one of the greatest charter skippers to guide anglers to the major game fishes of the sea. Over the course of his 50-year career, he developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of game fish and techniques to catch them, and he served as guide and consultant to some of the most famous names in saltwater angling, including Ernest Hemingway, Michael Lerner, Charlie Lehman and Van Campen Heilner. He never lost his zest for the sea, or his awe at the creatures beneath the waves.

- IGFA