The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

7.2 kg. , 15.8 lbs.

Cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Josh Humbert
Date:		9/15/2017
Location:		UNITED STATES

I had just backed out of a trip to go down to CA for the annual Triton X spear comp. My wife needed me at home so the night before leaving and with my all my gear packed, I texted my friends that they would be diving without me. The next day ODFW announced that the season would close for all bottom fish today, September 18th, 2017. A closure of this kind had never happened in the 7 years I have lived in Oregon. Suddenly fishing in our own waters became top priority since we'd have to wait until 2018 to get back in the water on our coast. I had plans to go on Saturday with my usual crew but then got a call from another friend, wanting to get out on Friday. We left late in the morning, aiming to get the mid afternoon high slack. Arriving at the beach, we were greeted by glassy seas, sunny skies and two to three feet of swell lapping at the shore. We get about two days a year like this so we were smiling as we put the zodiak in the water. We got out to the offshore reef and dropped anchor in 30ft of water. On my second drop I saw this cabezon, laying amongst young kelp that kept washing back and forth over her, giving her the illusion of being covered. She didn't move at all as I descended and let my cheap, yellow fiberglass polespear fly. I dispatched her quickly and she suffered minimally.