The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

35.3 kg. , 77.8 lbs.

Mackerel, King Scomberomorus cavalla

Record Category: Men Speargun

Diver:		Cary \"Stoker\" Larsen
Date:		4/29/2018
Location:		UNITED STATES

On the day of April 29th 2018 My friend Sean and I decided to dive locally after trying to dive to the north a few days earlier. I encountered south current and bad visibility and did not expect the south current to reach 50 miles to the south. When we got offshore to my amazement the south current had reached us but surprising the vis was 50 to 60 feet and the current was 1 knot. Both Sean and I were able to get some nice Mangrove and Mutton Snappers and our day was going great. We took turns driving when there is two of us and it was my turn to get in the water. I chose a dive spot that I don't frequent very often and not many divers don't know about. The bottom is flat with undercuts that generally hold Snapper. After numerous dives catching Snapper and one small King Mackerel I was going to take one last dive and go. After descending down to the bottom a small snapper approached me from my left and out of the corner of my eye saw a large King Mackerel swimming from the mid water down to check me out. I slowly looked into it's direction and realized that this King Mackerel was one of the biggest I have ever seen. It came within 15 feet of me and then started to swim away. I knew if It sensed my excitement I would lose the opportunity to spear this fish. I stayed calm and as soon as it turned away I left the bottom and got within 10 feet of it and let the shaft go! The shaft went right behind the gills and the fight began. The fish took off for the surface and nearly spooled the 200 feet I had on my 130cm Rob Allen rail gun. When i reached the surfaced I yelled to Sean to throw me a buoy. As he approach he almost ran over the reel line which was on the surface. I directed him away and he was able to throw me a buoy. With moments to spare I attached the buoy and the remaining line was dumped off the reel and the gun was torn out of my hand. Next, I knew I needed to secure this massive fish with another shot. I asked Sean again for a gun he handed me one and I loaded it and swam after the float. After 20 minutes and several attempts to get the fish close i was finally able to put a second spear through it's gill plates . Which to a land animal is the evaluate to shooting a animal through its lungs. I thought with a shot like this that the fish wasn't going to last much longer. I was wrong! The fish took off again and dumped the 200 feet of line within 20 seconds and ended breaking the second reel and tearing the second gun out of my hand. After ten minutes or more of a fight the fish securing the second gun to the buoy and retrieving all the line I finally had the amazing fish in my hands and was able to dispatch it. I have spent decades trying to land a fish over 50 plus pounds and have not been able to keep one on my spear until now and the the fact that I landed a Pelagic fish with a reel was a real accomplishment. After putting the fish on a official scale I was stoked to see the fish was well over 50 pounds and was now a new WR.
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