How a Tampa Bay spearfisherman avoided an aggressive shark for a 41-inch gag grouper

When Blake Leigan and Matt Craft started checking out spots in 50 to 60 feet of water north of the Egmont Channel by Tampa Bay’s Egmont Key last weekend, they couldn’t believe the amount of fish they saw.

“We got a late start because of the low tide. Normally we start shallow and work our way out deeper, but we couldn’t leave until 9 a.m.,” Leigan explained.

“Because we were already running an hour and half late, we went deeper. On the first dive down, we saw a lot of bait and a lot of fish. But there were also a lot of sharks, and there was one 6 to 7 foot bull shark that kept hounding us.”

Leigan and Matt dawned their spearguns, free diving down to the bottom. Leigan is able to hold his breath for about 3 minutes at a time, giving him more than a minute on the bottom each dive down to look for fish.

Craft took the first shot, bringing a 27 inch gag grouper to the surface.

“He warned me about the shark being aggressive. We got a 26 inch gag as well. After, we started diving closer to each other for safety.

“On a follow-up dive, I shot a 28 or 29 inch gag right through the temple, stoning it. I started to surface with it, and as I was pulling it up the shark was 2 or 3 feet below my fins!” recalled Leigan.

“It came out of nowhere and grabbed the fish. It ripped the body but didn’t have the line or shaft, so I got the head back. I put the head between my legs because I didn’t want to give up the whole fish.

“The shark came back and grabbed it right between my legs and took off. I was screaming at Matt, and he was assessing the situation. I got up to the boat, swimming against the current, and somehow I got the shaft and everything back after he spooled it, I had to hold on for dear life.”

While on the boat, the pair debated what to do next. They pulled in their chum bag, grabbed some water and waited, hoping the shark would leave. After a bit, they headed back in knowing many other big hogfish, gag grouper and mangrove snapper were down on the rocky bottom below. But so was the shark.

“After heading back down, Matt came up and said he saw the biggest gag he’s ever seen. I dropped back down and see a 30 to 32 inch gag, and that was one of the biggest I had ever seen. I then look to my left and there’s a bigger one, it almost looked like a small black grouper or goliath,” Leigan said as his adrenaline started pumping.

“He was sitting under a small ledge, and started to swim back up underneath it. I took a shot aiming at the gill plate. I hit and got through as it headed into the ledge peeling drag. I gave it some line and headed to the surface and boated my gun, tying the line around the cleat.”

Leigan and Craft worked together, heading back down a dozen times working the fish out. Eventually it made itself out in another hole and Leigan was able to hit it again with a backup gun.

“I grabbed him and the lines were tangled so I started cutting, eventually getting it free. When we got to the surface, I told Matt it had to be over 40 inches, but the biggest tape on the boat was only 34 and he was way past that.

“I thank God it wasn’t taken by the shark, it had every opportunity. It was a blessing and all glory to God.”

The duo added a few other fish to the overflowing box before heading home. It was there they measured and weighed the big gag grouper.

At 41 inches and 27 pounds, it may be one of the largest gag grouper ever taken by free diving along the Gulf.