New State Diving Record

July 21, 2015

A new ocean diving record was set on June 11, 2015 when Mark Mayeda speared and landed a 178 lb. 1 oz. bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) at the 277 Spot off Southern California, smashing the previous state diving record for this species by 80 lb. 1 oz. The previous official state record, a 98 lb. bluefin tuna speared by Terry Maas while freediving in 1982, stood unbroken for 33 years. Congratulations go out to Mr. Mayeda, our latest state record holder, for his spectacular catch!

With the current warm water regime off the West Coast, more large, warm water pelagic species such as bluefin tuna have been seen not only off the California coastline, but up into Oregon, Washington, and some reports even indicate into Alaskan waters, according to Environmental Scientist Elizabeth Hellmers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Highly Migratory Species Project at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/cpshms/tunas.asp.

Spear fishermen—be on the lookout for large starry flounder! The starry flounder state diving record is the last open species record awaiting its first qualifying fish (minimum weight 8 lb.). For more information about state recreational fishing and diving records, see the CDFW Fishing and Diving Record web page at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Records.

 

What a beast!!!!!!!!

Glad to see my MFPB and YFT records are still standing.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I think a 183lber was shot about a week ago

What a beast!!!!!!!!

Glad to see my MFPB and YFT records are still standing.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Go find an 8# Starry Flounder now!

I think a 183lber was shot about a week ago

2 over 180lbs were shot last week

That's insane 

Looks like Jim needs to step it up.  Haha. 

Looks like Jim needs to step it up.  Haha. 

He's gonna need a bigger gun

Spear fishermen—be on the lookout for large starry flounder! The starry flounder state diving record is the last open species record awaiting its first qualifying fish (minimum weight 8 lb.). For more information about state recreational fishing and diving records, see the CDFW Fishing and Diving Record web page at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Records.

A few weeks back I polespeared a big starry flounder and gutted it in the water like I do with all my fish. When I got home and weighed it, it came out to 7 and a half pounds. Had I not gutted it, I definitely could've submitted it for the record. D'oh.

Good eating fish, though.