“Back in the day, my dad and uncle were avid divers and spearfishers. However, in Cornwall in the late '70s and '80s, it was really hard to get gear. They often had to use homemade Hawaiian slings, pole spears, and occasionally a huge pneumatic gun brought back from dive trips in Europe. They even made their own wetsuits, which came in kit form. They had to measure, cut, and glue them themselves!

Growing up, we lived right above the local beach, so I spent 90% of my free time hassling small flatfish and gurnards in the shallows with my older brother and our friend (who would later go on to become the mayor). From a young age, my dad always fed us fresh fish or game that he had caught or shot, teaching us the importance of sustainable hunting and fishing, and respecting the countryside and ocean.

Years went by, and then finally my brother introduced me to freediving and practicing safer techniques. He also introduced me to band guns, which marked a significant improvement in our approach to the sport.

The rest is history!”

The Story Of Basszilla

“It all started on a beautiful summer day. I dove down and was hunting the ocean floor. Suddenly, the sun was blocked out like an eclipse. I thought it was a seal. But when I looked up, I saw the largest bass I’ve ever seen! It was leisurely cruising right over me.

Admittedly, I panicked. My shot hit high and unfortunately ripped out. I was heartbroken.

But I dove the same spot for the next year without ever trying anywhere else.

I spent nights planning how to find her.

I walked the spot at spring lows, checking for holes.

And then I finally got another shot… unfortunately, in bad visibility. I could see a flap of white skin and aimed for what I thought was the head! But I hit the tail, and it ripped off again.

Two weeks later my friend caught Basszilla in his kayak with a rod and reel. He knew it was Basszilla from the two holes in her so he rang me straight away. He released her.

I’ve still been regularly hunting the spot, hoping to meet her again.

One day I’ll get her.”

“I decided to start YouTube because I got hassled a lot. Quite a few people said I needed to start filming what I get up to since I tend to be on an adventure more than working.

The channel is going to be mostly me hunting bass in Cornwall, with the odd blue water trip thrown in. Plus, lots of cooking and eating, haha

But, starting a channel in 2024 was quite daunting. There are already some epic guys doing YouTube, and it would be easy to just follow someone else’s style rather than just being myself!

At the end of the day, my channel is just for fun and because I have time to do it. Being able to highlight how I feed my family and what we get up to is just a big bonus for me.

Also, YouTube channels that don’t use good mics drive me insane... but I just ordered a new speargun, so I started one with a rubbish mic haha.”

“Filter out the BS and just enjoy it. Find a mentor and learn from them.”

“Shallow water European Bass. They take time and effort to hunt and the bigger they are the more switched on they are to movement/noise in the water. You never know what you’ll come across and you cannot rush it, the hunt literally forces you to calm down and relax and focus.”

“Cornwall. Nothing beats it! People travel from all over the UK to dive here. Nothing beats diving on your doorstep after a long day at work!”

“Hugely. I’ve made some amazing friends that are more like family now. I’ve traveled to some really cool places and found a way to really relax and reset the mind.

I should say that most of my success is owed to spearfishing UK. They have supported me with kit since day one and always pushed me to do the missions and always kept the stoke going!”

“In the UK, I’d love to see the comps go in a more sustainable direction before we end up getting nailed by the media and it’s too late!”