The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

6.0 kg. , 13.2 lbs.

Corvina, Yellowtail Cynoscion stolzmanni

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Mike Portuondo
Date:		2/25/2019
Location:		PANAMA

It was my first day in Panama and I arrived to the small fishing village around 2 pm. By the time we unloaded our gear and got out on the boat, it was already late afternoon. Some friends who were already on site had gone out earlier that day and seen schools of corvina around one particular spot nearby. We jumped in the panga and rode out to the spot. The visibility was not so great, but we landed a few smaller corvina relatively quickly for dinner. Around 5 pm, with the sun already getting low, I did my last drop on the spot. I had a feeling it would be a good drop as I saw some baitfish on the surface and could hear the corvina croaking below. As I dropped through the thermocline, the visibility improved a bit and I could see the bottom. I wasn't exactly on the rock I was aiming for, but as I leveled out I noticed the largest corvina I had seen that day swimming away from me. He was alone, and I was already running low on air as we had been fighting the current all afternoon. I chased after him, and as soon as I got within range with my Headhunter Guerilla sling, I let it fly. I had a slip tip shaft tied off to a reel attached to the sling, and as the fish tried to hole up, I applied enough tension on the line to keep him from rocking up as I kicked to the surface. A few moments later I pulled him up from the surface, knifed him in the head and threw him in the panga.
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