The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

7.0 kg. , 15.5 lbs.

Lingcod Ophiodon elongatus

Record Category: Women Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Kelsey Albert
Date:		10/29/2016
Location:		UNITED STATES

Went camping in Big Sur for a few days and was solo diving from my Kayak. I launched in the early morning from a spot several miles from where the fish was speared. I was exploring new reefs to dive and using my polespear made my Crist Spears. Freediving only. Sea was calm and conditions very foggy in the morning, swell was long period at 16 -18 seconds, 5-8 foot surf where I launched my kayak. Swell was due to build substantially by the end of the day, with increasing winds up to 30 mph. I dove for most of the day, with the fog finally lifting around noon. Winds were already building quickly and swell energy was too. I found an area with very good visibility and made drops onto some reefs around 40 feet. I found a reef very abundant in various rockfishes and began looking into caves. I spotted the ling cod very far back in a cave, with a second entrance. I could barely make out the fish in the dark when I let my eye adjust for a second. I wedged my body into the cave up to my waist and drove my polespear through the side of the ling cods face. I wiggled my way out of the caved, holding the flopper of the spear as I pulled the fish out so that the thrashing fish would not shake off of my polespear. I brought that beautiful fish to the surface, very happy to have a new personal best on a polespear. I have shot bigger ling cods with spearguns, but I was so stoked to do this on a polespear on a very long distance paddle solo dive. The sun was out and the day just felt radiant. With increasing winds, I paddled back almost 5 miles to where I launched. I was paddling against winds and the surf was building. I took a moment to arranged my gear inside of my kayak, as this spot can be tricky in surf to launch or land kayaks safely. I made it safely back onshore, to find my friend Marco watching me from the cliffline above. He was so happy to see all the fish I brought back to the campsite and graciously helped me get good photos of my fish. I did not have a scale on me during this trip, and I did not want the quality of the fish meat to suffer by waiting any longer to gut the fish. So I removed the guts and saved them in a bag. Several pounds of guts were removed, but to me, I am okay with a fish that weighs less for a record, as I feel that wasting meat or letting it go bad from leaving guts inside, just for a record is a sad thing to do. I see too many divers do this, just for a record, and I hope to set a more positive example for other divers. Marco Farrell recommend I stop by Oxnard on my way back to my home to get an official weight. The people at Channel Islands Sportfishing Center were extremely helpful and happy I came to them to weigh my fish. They took many photos and are happy to answer any questions if IUSA has them. Please ask for Vaughn Dotsy. Thank you for letting me submit a new personal best. :) Equipment Used: 6 Foot Crist Spear "Phoenix", Flopper shaft adapter, no terminal gear, no float lines. Dive Gear: 5m
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