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Approximately two miles off the Hawaiian coast, specifically in Kona, Wendell Ko, 53 years old, captured what can only be described as a “monster” blue marlin! So massive that it has just set a world record for the largest catch ever made, all accomplished with nothing but a speargun!

Capturing a fish armed with its own “spear” would panic many: blue marlins are notorious for spearing boats with their long bills, and a marlin over 3.6 meters weighs more than three times Ko, a fisherman with 40 years of experience.

However, he stated he never had time to panic, as his adrenaline literally exploded during this successful spearfishing outing. Previously, the largest catch ever made in spearfishing was 126 kg, which was a tuna. This time, his catch weighed 229 kg! Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen something so large in the water, especially a blue marlin. It was hard to miss!” he remarked.

Since this catch on November 20, the giant has been certified as a new world record by the International Bluewater Spearfishing Records Committee.

Although the IBSRC has listed two other larger blue marlin catches (292 kg and 266 kg!), Ko is proud to have experienced such an event.

Some might criticize Ko for not letting such a creature pass by in the ocean; however, he is a hunter conscious of species conservation. Evidence of this is his decision to leave reef fish for others, having noticed a decline in their populations. His true passion lies in ocean fishing.

A fish that will be enjoyed by the residents of Kona: “You feed an entire community with this!” he concludes with a smile.