The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

374.8 kg. , 826.3 lbs.

Marlin, Black Makaira indica

Record Category: Men Speargun

Diver:		Albert Prinsloo
Date:		11/30/2018
Location:		S Africa

Black Marlin (IstiompaxIndica) 373.8kg On the 30th November 2018 myself, Albert Prinsloo, was taking customers out spearfishing at Leven Point,north of Cape Vidal, KZN South Africa. The conditions were very nice with warm clean water (+-27degrees Celsius) and about 15-20m visibility. We didn't have any fish around however, so we decided to go back to the launch site and try for Wahoo off the point drifting towards the lighthouse as there are 2 wrecks located south of the lighthouse which usually attracts gamefish. The drifts were long going onto the barges (wrecks) as the fish usually hang around well ahead of the wrecks. We ended up finding Wahoo there, but they were hard to target due to the clean water and I missed two completely being out of range. On the last drift I noticed alot of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinuslmbatus) and decided to swim towards one as it was swimming straight at me. As the shark changed direction, I started swimming up to the surface. Near the surface I noticed the marlin swimming straight towards me from belowand the fish broadsided me very close. I took a shot at his head (1.3m Rob Allen reel gun with drop-barb) as I knew I needed to really hurt this fish if I stood any chance in landing it. My shot placement was almost completely in the brain as the fish just started swimming in circles in a state of stupor downwards. The bottom was only about 24m deep. Some of the sharks then proceeded to dive down towards the marlin but soon changed their mind due to its size (I suppose) and so they aimed their excitement at me instead. I wasn't too fuzzed about the sharks and just started handling my line which was surprisingly easy to handle. Arne Troost owner of Adrenaline charters then swam up to me and dived down to give the fish a second shot (which was not really necessary to hurt it more but spearos are always concerned about the holding spear pulling out resulting in a lost fish) but realised the size of it and swam back up, telling me that I had to take the second shot in case it was a record. I then took my second gun(1.3m RA reel gun with drop-barb) and dived down about 10m to where the marlin was at this stage not even moving anymore, it was just hanging broadsided mid-waterish. I then took the second shotand this hit the fish mid-body just behind the gill plate. The marlin did not even respond after I hit it with the second shot. I thought the fish was dead at this stage due to no movement at all, and so I started pulling it towards the surface. This wasn't easy but also not as hard as what I would have imagined. I made slow progress but once the fish was at about 3m from the surface I dived down and grabbed the fish on the bill and swam it to the surface. This all from the time of the first shot to me holding the fish on the surface was about 5minutes. This sounds ridiculous, I know, but it’s one hundred percent true. After a minute or so on the surface with me being so stoked, the fish started moving again tr