The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

15.9 kg. , 35.0 lbs.

Lingcod Ophiodon elongatus

Record Category: Women Speargun

Diver:		Molly Jans
Date:		10/5/2013
Location:		UNITED STATES

We paddled out mid-morning to dive the high tide. The conditions were excellent. There was a light 5 mph wind from the east and it was a clear sunny day. We were diving an island probably ½ mile offshore. We were using chum bags with anchovies and squid. I shot a couple rockfish and a 30 inch lingcod, and had been in the water a few hours and was starting to get cold. I figured I’d grab a few urchins and call it a day. I swam back to the kayak and traded my Riffe for the ab iron. I dove the anchor line back to where I knew there were some urchins behind the boulder securing the anchor. As the boulder was coming into view I made out a large ling head when I was about 10’ away from the rock. Did my best to make a water brake, halt and swim back to the surface. I swam back to the boat to swap my iron for the speargun and made my way back to where I’d dive back down. I descended and made it a bout 10’ under water. I had too much adrenaline. I popped back to the surface and took some time to slow down and breath up. I made the second descent. As I was gliding into view of the boulder the fish was still there! I lined up and when was about 5’ aimed at the back of the head and pulled the trigger. The fish didn’t even flinch. I stoned it! I booked it back to the surface and started screaming my head off. I made it back to my boat got it on my stringer and was giddy. It was the biggest fish I’d ever taken. We cleaned up our gear to get out of there and I got the fish into the back of the boat before getting into the kayak myself. When I was finally in Jonathan asked how much the big one weighed. I said I thought definitely more than twenty pounds and we paddled to shore.
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