The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

4.8 kg. , 10.5 lbs.

Carp, Common Cyprinus carpio

Record Category: Men Sling / Polespear

Diver:		Paul Brown
Date:		8/17/2013
Location:		UNITED STATES

I was hunting with my friend. We were both using pole spears. I was using a JBL 6 foot fixed pole spear, with a single tip with double barb. Tim and I entered the water about 11:30am est. Visibility was about 8 feet, marginal for the summer. We fished side by side, taking alternating dives for about 40 minutes with no luck. We fished varied depths. The air temp was about 78 degrees, with clear skies, no wind or waves and water temp was probably about 75 degrees, but we had to get out of the water to warm up after the first 40 minutes. Tim was not wearing a wet suit and I just had a 1mm reef shirt on. Neither of us were wearing weight. We got in the water again at about 12:30pm. I was in a deeper section of the lake, but could not determine the bottom depth, and ran into a large carp at about ten feet. He spooked and I took a quick shot and missed behind it. I stayed down, quickly repositioned my spear, moved forward and saw another carp, which was hanging about six feet behind the fish I missed. The fish was facing me and I was trying to wait for a broadside shot. The fished moved slightly sideways and I took the shot. The shot hit the fish but I could feel that the impact did not penetrate like usual. I swam up my spear and got on the fish quickly. I could see that I hit the fish just above and behind the eye and that my spear had not penetrated even past the barb (less than two inches). Luckily fish was stoned.