The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

18.5 kg. , 40.7 lbs.

Grouper, Black Mycteroperca bonaci

Record Category: Women Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Sarah Geiger
Date:		5/5/2016
Location:		UNITED STATES

On May 5th 2016, we were spearing one afternoon off the east side of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. We had just hopped in 50’-60’ of water with a low, rocky bottom, when I spotted a black grouper beneath me. I dove down to spook him and he took off for his hideout. I surfaced, following, and saw him tuck into a decent hole in about 55’ of water. After breathing up, I dove down, stuck my head in the hole and there he was. I took aim with my Headhunter Predator polespear and let fly, landing a solid hit to the head, but not a stone shot, he began fighting. I tried to pull the spear out, but he swam deeper into the reef and my spear snapped. I surfaced and got my backup spear, a 6’ SeaStinger. I dove down and took a second shot hitting the head – again – but the tip didn’t go through. As I began fighting him out of the hole, the second spear pulled out. I surfaced and took my time breathing up, then I went back down and shot him again, landing a solid through-and-through to the heart. I tried to pull him out again, but he was wedged sideways and still fighting, so I surfaced and then dove down again. The grouper was clearly weaker and I was finally able to wrestle him out of the hole, but the two cables and spears got tangled and I couldn’t get him free before I ran out of air. It took one more dive before I cleared both spears and wrangled him out and to the surface. In the end, it took three shots with two polespears over six dives with average time of 55 seconds each; almost an hour total time to bring him.