Big African Pompano! Spearfishing Charleston, SC

This was my first African Pompano, so as you will hear in the video, I am jacked up! I wish I would have weighed him, but I would guess somewhere between 30-35 pounds. The Cowboy and I dove a sunken shrimp boat at 100ft for our first dive of the day. It was a little slow, with only one grouper on the boat, and a few nice vermillion. This African Pompano saved a slow dive, and a slow day! I happened to spot a juvenile African Pompano at mid water column (~60ft), so I decided to load my gun in case there were some big ones around. Sure enough, three big APs showed up, and I was able to swim down one and get the shot off before they made an escape. The spear didn't go all the way through so I was very nervous he was going to pull off. Our Ocean Rhino guns aren't really meant for shooting in open blue water with a relatively short line to the shaft. I got lucky though, and one of the barbs opened up inside the fish's skin. It hung on for the ride, and when I got close to the fish I was able to shove it the whole way through an ensure I didn't lose him. He beat meat up a bit until I finally got my fingers in his eyes to calm him down, and the knife out to dispatch by cutting the gills. Apparently there was a large bull shark hanging behind me the whole time, so my partner was a bit nervous....I woulda been too! Probably best I didn't know.

Thanks for watching, let me know if you have any questions by commenting below!