The International Underwater Spearfishing Association

International Underwater Spearfishing Association

World Record

44.2 kg. , 97.4 lbs.

Grouper, Black Mycteroperca bonaci

Record Category: Men Speargun

Diver:		Wesley James Skinner
Date:		2/18/2017
Location:		UNITED STATES

We found the spot the trip before but had never dove it. We headed out to the spot on friday night and fished with rod and reels that night and caught a lot of snapper so we knew it had to have good bottom. we pit a spot marker out and started up current and made a drift back toward the spot. I dive down and see a couple mutton snapper looking up at me maybe 30' off of the bottom and they were very curious. so i keep going deeper planning on shooting a mutton and then i see the massive black grouper come up off to the bottom and is actually swimming towards me. I get about 10' from the grouper and squeeze the trigger hitting him right behind the gill. i put the reel of the gun in free spool and make it to the surface and start putting a lot of pressure on him because i didn't want him to get into a hole. He came up very easily after his first hard run and i called for the boat to give me another gun as i pulled him closer. They handed me my little reef gun and i quickly loaded it and shot the grouper in the head when he was near the surface just to be safe. And it was all smiles after that. I handed him up to the caption and he pulled it in the boat.