Making the world team to spearfish against the worlds best. Also to do it with your son, who has been spearfishing since the age of 7 was amazing and I’m very proud of him. It was an exciting 8 months before leaving.We both made the team last year and planned for the event early. Booked tickets and boat and cabins, rental car and more. To make a long story short, my son just got a new job and in the last 5 days before I left the unthinkable or I guess u can say the bomb got dropped on me and he could not go. The panic of finding a dive partner last minute and just being able to drop everything and go was very slim. I called all my friends who dive with me in kona and no one could go, It was not gonna happen. Two days before I left I got a call from Mike M. And he said I got someone who could make it and he also was starting a new job as well. I gave Mike Livingston a call, I knew who he was and he was a good diver. He has done well in many of the past competitions. I called Mike and he said he can make it but might not be able to do any scouting. I said no problem I’ll do the scouting the best I can.
I was ready to leave and my dad decided to come in on the 18th. I left on the 15th. I decided to rest the day I got in. Scouting started alone just me and my boat guy Ed and one day with Jeff. All scouting days were rough, not many fish on this upper side of the dam. Here and there game fish and so the rough fish, game plan was not made till the night before. I had a strategy but wasn’t sure yet.
7 am in the water game fish day, striper spot not holding, Mike saw and shot and lost one, anything left was gone. We moved to a drum spot picked up some big guys I got 3 fat boys and Mike got 1 drum and cat and a striper. I saw no stripers. We ended the first day of game fish and Mike was 6th individual and I was a far behind 14th place. Into the next day rough fish spot was not holding also I jumped in with a smaller gun cause the water was dirty, saw one rough fish in 45 min shot and lost the fish on the run, I couldn’t believe how I started the day, I knew every fish counted on the end of the day and could cost u a place or two. First 4 hrs 6 fish for me 4 for Mike, this wasn’t looking to good. Also going into my last 3 hrs I had gun trouble. Jumped on boat grabbed a new gun with better and new gun line on it. I shot 15 fish in the last 3 hrs and Mike took 11 pieces total and I ended up wit 21 total. I knew the 3 fish lost was 6 points and when the totals came out for both days together it cost me, but that’s how the ball rolls. Mike did great he ended up 7th individual and I climbed that ladder from 14th to 6th individual to take home a trophy, team standings we also came from behind to take the 4th place team trophy and sealed the deal. We both learned a lot from this and as a team we never gave up, I felt like…. at some point and I could hear my grandpa telling me to just have fun and get back in the water. Rule to remember hunt hard to the end, many divers won’t or cant and this is where you take their lead.
I had a great team my dad on the boat, Ed as a boat captain and Mike as a dive partner. Thanx to all the people who put this together it’s not easy. Thanx to all my sponsors, Hawaii fishing news, Yamaha motors USA, Meister diving, rob allen spearfishing, Sportube. Pops spearfishing, until next time dive safe. See you at Freshwater Nationals
