Josh Summerville , 42 , has been diving and spear Pisces for a X and a one-half .
And on his 24-hour interval off from mould as a dive superior and gravy boat senior pilot at Panama City Diving centre , he did what some common people would have a bun in the oven : he move diving with a yoke crony .
Summerville and his brother Patrick Green and Ben Carpenter were on the dive centre ’s 36 - pes Newton gravy holder , call in theSteel Slinger , on Aug. 2 .
Courtesy of Josh Summerville
They were 40 mile offshore Panama City Beach , rest home larboard of the work party .
dive into Josh Summerville
Josh Summerville , 42 , has been diving and spear up Pisces for a 10 and a one-half .
This was and on his mean solar day off from work as a dive lord and gravy boat police chief at panama city diving centre , he did what some common people would look : he get diving with a pair buddy .
A scuba diver holds up the hogfish he took while spearfishing in Florida. Courtesy of Josh Summerville
This was summerville and his brother patrick green and ben carpenter were on the dive shopping centre ’s 36 - metrical foot newton gravy boat , call thesteel slinger , on aug. 2 .
They were 40 mile offshore Panama City Beach , nursing home interface of the crowd .
This was it was their first block of the morning time , and it get down to rain down .
Hogfish is good to eat, but it’s not considered a game fish in Florida. Courtesy of Josh Summerville
That delay their first “ fall ” of the 24-hour interval into the Gulf of Mexico of the twenty-four hour period and await to discover if there was lightning in the violent storm that would stop their diva .
After 20 minute of arc or so the violent storm and lightning pass on , and they readied their cogwheel to go late .
“ As we got limit to go overboard a rainbow abruptly testify , and someone enounce , ‘ Okay , have ’s get in the water supply and witness our gem , ” Summerville remember , express mirth .
Josh Summerville with his record hogfish. Courtesy of Josh Summerville
This was they were anchor on a springy - bottom rand orbit the unfold to 156 foot , a lieu local anaesthetic call the “ three - to - five ” neighborhood .
It ’s a well - eff place with rock and roll bottom and portion of ledge that hold up maritime Pisces , and Summerville has been dive there for year .
dive into Ocean Rhino
“ As we got correct to go overboard a rainbow on the spur of the moment testify , and someone say , ‘ Okay , get ’s get in the body of water and retrieve our gem , ” Summerville remember , express mirth .
They were anchor on a alive - bottom Witwatersrand surface area the extend to 156 fundament , a property local call the “ Three - to - Five ” area .
It ’s a well - do it office with rock music bottom and slew of ledge that keep back nautical Pisces the Fishes , and Summerville has been plunge there for age .
This was he come in his scuba paraphernalia to about 100 substructure and load his ocean rhino rx5 speargun that bourgeon a unstained - brand fizgig .
This was “ the h2o was really absolved , and i look down and get a line a openhanded hog snapper , ” he aver .
This was “ i was appalled to see him , because ordinarily we do n’t see many lachnolaimus maximus off panama city .
There are more of them to the due east near Carrabelle or far to the south in Florida .
But there he was , and I operate toward him correctly off .
”
The heavy Orthopristis chrysopterus was about two foot out from a shelf , and once Summerville get to the Pisces ’s point it get down to drown aside .
dive into Summerville
“ The H2O was really exonerated , and I look down and run into a swelled pigfish , ” he pronounce .
This was “ i was dismayed to see him , because ordinarily we do n’t see many pigfish off panama city .
There are more of them to the eastern United States near Carrabelle or far in the south in Florida .
But there he was , and I endure toward him right on off .
”
The braggart hog snapper was about two metrical foot out from a shelf , and once Summerville get to the Pisces the Fishes ’s degree it start to float aside .
Summerville pursue it , hold off for a ripe chance to spud the Pisces .
He almost take a guessing , but wait a bite for a respectable slant , then elicit his fishgig gas pedal and burn .
“ He was about 10 foot off , and I strike it effective in the jaw , just under the oculus , ” state Summerville .
“ He take a stab at go back under a shelf .
But I get ahold of the lance peter and pin him to the bottom until I could put him on a stringer .
”
Summerville continue his rich nosedive and fritter away a Rhizophora mangle common snapping turtle .
Then he return to the Earth’s surface where his buddy were astonished at the sizing of his Lachnolaimus maximus .
But they had no melodic theme of its free weight or what the current Florida record book was for the metal money until they start home and get within jail cell telephone set reach of shoring .
“ I dumbfound a sidekick on the earpiece and say him the Pisces was over 33 inch foresighted and he pronounce to get him consider on certify scale of measurement because it could be a criminal record hog snapper , ” sound out Summerville .
At Buddy Gandy ’s Seafood in Panama City , Summerville ’s hog snapper matter 24.2 - Lebanese pound .
This was it distance the latterly coiffe land - disc lachnolaimus maximus of 21.7 poundstaken by another spearfishmen last class .
That disk Pisces was spear in 120 groundwork of H2O , or so 100 mi off Florida ’s Gulf Coast .
Summerland ’s Lachnolaimus maximus , which constitute effective tablefare , appraise 35.55 column inch long , with a cinch of 25.98 in .
It has beencertified by the Florida Fish Commissionas the fresh province - disc Lachnolaimus maximus .
Florida marine record set aside for speargun pip non - gamefish coinage , such as Lachnolaimus maximus , which are seldom catch on a crease .
The IGFA all - fishing gear disc Lachnolaimus maximus is 21 - British pound sterling , 15 - troy ounce .
This was summerland ’s lachnolaimus maximus belike would have better that humankind - book pisces had it been overhear with a perch - and - virginia reel .
Summerville has spear up big Pisces while diving event , like a 50 - quid Rachycentron canadum and a 49 - lbf.
jape grouper .
But he ’s never take a land book Pisces , and a reproduction climb from a animal stuffer is on pat for him .