The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

19.0 kg. , 41.8 lbs.

Snapper, Atlantic Cubera Lutjanus cyanopterus

Record Category: Women Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Chelsea Lauer
Date:		11/9/2025
Location:		BAHAMAS

James, Clay, and I were taking turns checking out this long ledge area when I made a drop and saw a big cubera hanging out under an overhang section. James also checked out the fish and thought it was close to 50 lbs. I knew that the current WR was somewhere in the mid 30's so we all decided that I should try to get this fish. I attached a floatline to the back of the Crist polespear and made my drop. The cubera was at the front of a narrow cave in the back of the overhang and sat still, facing directly at me as I'm now 3 feet from it, cocked and loaded, waiting for him to turn. After 20 seconds or so of our stare-off, he turned to his right and gave me a shot! I hit him at the top of his gills, about 2 inches behind the eye and for a split second he acted like I stoned him. After he quickly recovered from the stun, he went berserk, bent the injector rod at a 90, and ripped the slip tip out. Once I was back on the surface I could see a huge cloud of blood under the ledge. After a bunch of additional dives in the blook murk to find the fish, we were able to locate him in the back of the narrow cave section. I switched to the Headhunter Nomad Roller polespear, crawled to the back of the cave, and stuck him through the meat just above the tail. The final extraction dive was pretty easy since he had been bleeding out. What a freaking fish of a lifetime for me!
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