A World First

On 7th August 2015, Matt Price became the first person in the world to capture all six Royal Slams, set by the International Game Fish Association. This involved catching every species of marlin, shark, tuna, bass, salmon and trout – 47 fish in all, from many different countries around the world.

What enabled Matt to attain such an achievement? Matt was bullied at school, looked down on by many of his mates, because he was small for his age. He was told by some of his teachers that he would never amount to much. He was looking for approval and had a strong desire to succeed at whatever he did.

He caught his first fish at 8 years old, and in his teenage years Matt would fish from the local jetties, chasing bream, whiting and flathead.

Matt says:

When I got married, I watched a lot of fishing shows on TV. Watching these guys go out chasing big fish, started to build the flame to go chase something bigger than bait fish. My ex father-in-law bought an old 18ft half cabin boat. I got a second hand rod and reel from a second hand shop and away we went. I think it was the first trip out, not knowing anything about what we were doing or where to go, but I caught a Spanish mackerel about 1.2m and was nearly sick from the adrenaline rush.

Little did I know, this was the start of an obsession that would take me around the world.

The reason I wanted to do this is not only for myself, but as an inspiration to everyone else out there, that just because you’re a nobody, it doesn’t mean you have to stay that way. I’m only an average bloke with an average education, but the dogged determination of a pitbull that just never gives up.

You are only one moment away from the break you need to change your whole life. It just needs a bit of dogged determination and a willingness to change your destiny.

– Chasing Royal Slams, by Matt Price