The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

12.8 kg. , 28.2 lbs.

Parrotfish, Bumphead Scarus perrico

Record Category: Men Speargun

Diver:		Paul Villa
Date:		8/10/2017
Location:		MEXICO

So there I was, August 10, 2017, spearfishing with my bestest of best friends, Jimmy Jordan of Cabo Extreme located in Pescadero, Mexico. The conditions were fenomenal, light chop, not much current, with visibility at about twenty feet. Pretty optimum for my Omer Cayman 110 speargun that I have armed with custom bands made by none other than Luis Adrian from La Paz, Mexico. With those custom bands, that gun doesn’t shoot spears, it shoots lightning bolts! I was manning the vessel, “Ike’s dream” while jimmy was in the water right off San Pedrito Point. Jimmy came out of the water with the biggest bumphead parrotfish I have ever seen in my life…ever!!! So it was my turn to go into the water and catch my fish of the day, not knowing that it would be a fish of a lifetime. I was still-hunting on the bottom at about thirty feet when this mammoth bumphead parrotfish swam right up to me and broadsided, allowing me to maneuver slightly and slowly (so as not to alarm the fish to my presence, a technique I have practiced throughout my decades of spearfishing since I was four) pull the trigger, taking the shot that put me on the books! I plugged him right behind the gill plate as intentioned… the spear plowed through the fish entirely, leaving it on the monofilament line… a testament to the fantastic construction of the Omer Cayman as well as Luis Adrian’s custom slings. Parrotfish have some of the largest and toughest scales in the fish kingdom! I had the fish in my hands within a minute and swam it back to the boat with ease. I got the shot, capture, and swim back to the boat with my gopro camera that was mounted on my head (as well as the official weigh-in with the IGFA scale and measuring of the fish) . Weighing them with our electronic scale at home, jimmy’s weighed in at a fantastic 22.5 pounds, and mine at a majestically triumphant 28.5 pounds (28.25 pounds when weighed with the official IGFA scale in cabo san lucas a few hours later). We had some fried, some smoked with mango wood, and some in ceviche, there was plenty to go around, quite a bounty that we loved sharing with those around us in our community as well. I want to personally and emphatically thank God, Jimmy, Jimmy’s girl Allanah, the Pacific Ocean (and all the seven seas), Luis Adrian, Omer, my parents (ma and pop), my kid sis Irene, her boyfriend Trayvon, Babs, Ike, Mike T and Michelle, Janel, Ginger, Sonya, Dutch, GraceAnne, Dustin and Crazy Eric for their bold and daring at sea rescue, Laura, Cynthia and Brad, all the Pescadero and Todo Santos community for their support, all the girls I’ve loved before, and especially the IUSA for providing the medium for us to have these world records and enjoy the ocean in all of her wondrous splendor, Thanks!!!!!