The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

12.8 kg. , 28.1 lbs.

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Brandon O`Neal
Date:		7/7/2026
Location:		UNITED STATES

My friend and I were diving for walleye and bass in a local reservoir. We free-dive, never go over 20ft deep. I hunt with a polespear that I built in my garage. Visibility was shockingly good for a lake in Nebraska! We had done well that day and were about ready to quit. We found a nice rocky point we wanted to try. I dropped into about 12 feet of water for my first dive at this spot. I caught movement in my peripheral vision as I neared the bottom. I bellied out on a piece of rip-rap and looked up into the top right corner of my goggles. To my surprise I saw this huge fish slowly descending toward me! You know the scene in Jurassic park where the t-rex steams up the car window? That's how I felt! I could tell the fish was legal, it was as long as my leg! So, as the fish started to level out, I opened my hand. The slip-tip entered just above his pectoral fin. Good shot! He took off like a rocket! I tried to hold the butt end of the spear and swim up, but he was too strong. In the struggle, the injector rod for the slip-tip got bent like a crescent! I let go of the shaft and fought him to the surface with the float line from my dive buoy. I don't always have it attached to my spear, not used to seeing fish that size. I'm glad I did that day!
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