The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

89.0 kg. , 196.2 lbs.

Tuna, Pacific Bluefin Thunnus orientalis

Record Category: Women Speargun

Diver:		Tracy Wittmeier
Date:		8/21/2022
Location:		UNITED STATES

On the way home from a long day out past San Clemente Island, we found an isolated bluefin breezer. My husband Mat drove the boat up next to it, and I slid off the boat and started swimming. About a minute later, I heard him yell "DIVE!" and I submerged into a dirty haze layer to find a few large tuna inspecting me. I was tracking one when out of the corner of my eye a stand-out fish was swimming a little slower than the rest. I aimed and fired, hitting it center mass with my 61" Captain Bly 5-band tuna gun. When I surfaced, I didn't think the tuna was very big because it didn't take the float down and was relatively easy to pull to about 30 feet. At that point, the fish lit up and started fighting like hell. The stale mate lasted for about 20 minutes, and I finally was able to pull up the bungee to the shooting line. I swam to the boat to get my 52" Captain Bly 3-band reef gun, loaded it, and dove down and shot the fish in the gills. When I went to pick up the fish, I only just began to realize how big and heavy it was compared to me. I brained the fish, took a few photos of me in the water, and pulled it to the boat. Mat gaffed the fish and I hurried to help him pull it in, hardly believing that I had finally stumbled upon such a pig of a fish. I got lucky - and as with any big fish - I was in the right place at the right time. Big bluefin luck extends far beyond the diver, though. The Captain and intel allowed me to have this incredible opportunity to take this fish, and I can't be more grateful.