The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

25.7 kg. , 56.6 lbs.

Mackerel, King Scomberomorus cavalla

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Christopher Andrew Tavera
Date:		5/25/2014
Location:		BAHAMAS

We anchored up for the night on a ledge about 3 miles south of ocean cay to yellow tail fish for the night between 65 to 85 feet of water. The next morning we woke up around 7 am and decided to dive that area because the bottom rigs kept getting hit and cut off by big animals all night. I was the first one suited up and ready to go around 8am I slid into the water and turned my watch to free dive mode. Then proceeded to started my drift i got about 50 to 100feet south of the boat before I saw this monster king fish cruising the bottom headed right towards me through the coral heads. I was only in the water for two minutes and twenty seven seconds and didn't have time to breath up if I wanted to close the gap on the fish i had to go right then and there. I decided it was go time he was headed straight for me on the bottom I got a good breath and committed to a 70 foot dive which I timed perfectly he was directly under me when I got into range. I let the stick fly on a top down shot splitting his spine behind the dorsal fin I couldn't believe it! I went to pull the pole spear and the slip tip didn't disengage since it hit spine! The fish came off and did a twirl I loaded back up on the pole spear gave chase and hit him on the bottom behind the pectoral fin a clean through holding shot. I made sure this time the slip tip came off I pulled the fish off the bottom about twenty feet before I let the polespear go which was attached my belt reel. I surfaced let out some screams of excitement then go to work pulling the fish up, screaming in excitement the whole time I couldn't believe the sequence of events and the fish of a life time I had just shot on a polespear. Once I got the fish to the surface I was gassed I took my time swimming back to the boat screaming in excitement the whole way once I got close enough to the boat Michel Dumas was ready with the camera. They knew I shot a really nice fish by the way I was screaming he told me to hold it up, he got a lot shots of me with the fish in the water still all lit up. Once I was satisfied with the amount of photos taken I needed to get out of the water and rest. I swam to the back of the boat and slid the fish up on the dive platform/transom unassisted I pulled my self up on the gunnel because that fish took up all the room on the transom I turned back to admire a fish of a life time and couldn't believe it! We took some more photos then I had a bottle of water sat in amassment for 5 to 10 minutes then it was time to get back in the water.