The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

7.0 kg. , 15.5 lbs.

Grouper, Leopard Mycteroperca rosacea

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Forrest Galante
Date:		5/29/2014
Location:		MEXICO

After a harrowing 16hr drive through the night, prepping the boat and tuning the gear we set off on the 40 mile journey to the tiny Cortez island of Isla San Pedro Martir. Leaving Bahia Kino at dawn the seas were calm and warm Mexican air was so incredibly inviting. The long ride out was electric! Manta rays jumped freely, fin whales breached by the boat and we even spotted a striped marlin tail skipping along the flat surface as we approached the island. It was obvious it was going to be an incredible day! My heart was racing with excitement as I slipped into the water. Met with hazy 35ft visibility, I peered down to the nothingness and before I had even loaded the 9ft Sturgill “Zombie” big game pole spear a school of small yellow tail buzzed by below me! The minutes turned into hours as I would constantly make deep drops to 65ft and lay in wait on the reef as the large leopard grouper would always stay well out of range of the pole spear. After warming up on a fewer smaller models I made a shallower drop to 45ft bouldery bottom. As I approached the sea floor a large shape shifted behind the boulder I was free falling towards. I instantly thought the grouper had vanished into the shadows, but as I leveled off in the murk behind the big round rock the grouper suddenly reappeared around the corner as he lazily decided to leave the area he had been lurking. Making the fatal error of presenting me with a broadside long shot I threw the loaded pole spear at the large grouper. As the polespear lunged forward towards the large fish I could see he was just about out of range. Before I knew it the spear was past the extent of my arm and all I had in my hand was the band as the spear shot towards the grouper. Hitting the fish low but hard I was at full extension. I realized he had taken the slip tip to the belly and I sprinted towards the surface as the band stretched under the weight of the fighting fish. Once reaching the surface and looking down it was obvious he was not hit well. With a tiny gasping breath I dove down on the fish while making my way up the pole spear. Within seconds I had my hand in the large groupers gills and realized this was a truly special fish to be taken with a polespear!
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