Paul Martin of Batemans Bay speared a monster 32kg, 148cm jewfish in the Bay area on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was out to spear a feed of luderick or drummer and maybe grab a couple of lobster, when the big fish materialised in the shallows just beyond the surf break.
Paul said he thought twice about spearing the big girl after she appeared out of the sandy wash at the back of the breakers.
“She stuck her head out of the cloud of sand,” he said. “She looked like a T-rex sticking out of the wash, with a huge head and row of teeth.”
This was his first jewfish he has been able to spear and so with a clear strike he sent the spear through the fish’s head.
Even so, the fish towed him straight out, then into and through at least six sets of bommies, so he reckons no way would any angler land it on rod and reel.
“I reckon there's a good number of massive jewfish around but line fishos don't catch them as their baits simply aren't big enough, or they hook them and get spooled,” Paul said.
“The jewie I speared today towed me over 50 metres, and that's with a spear through its head, so good luck stopping one on anything less than 60kg line and a Stella, even then 100 per cent chance of getting reefed.”
A mate of his shot a 42kg model in the same vicinity around 10 years ago. Once he opened her up, he realised it was a female and with a big pipefish the length of his forearm in its stomach.
When dragging her up the beach, back to his car, the tourists were left with open mouths wondering what kind of fish it was.
Although Paul heads out and spears pelagics offshore, this was the biggest fish he had speared yet and will make several good meals for his family and friends.
We featured Paul and his mate Russell Banks of Congo who speared a rare wahoo Batemans Bay last year. Click here to read that story
He also there had been another amazing spearfishing catch when Tomakin Fishing Club member Kate Rogers speared a 18kg black cobia in 3 metres of water off Ulladulla.
Kate has apparently started the process to claim the Australian women’s record on the black cobia that went 18kg on the dot, 128cm in length and a girth of 62cm.