Hi Kory tell us something about yourself?

Hello! it’s Kory I’m 32, currently living/Spearfishing in Dubai working as a boxing coach and PT.
I grew up in a small fishing town called brixham in South Devon.
I started out rod fishing from the rocks and was obsessed with being out exploring & targeting different species, catching prawns, crabs, digging worms for bait and learning about the system and how the fish were reacting.

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Why did you start spearfishing?

Strange one… I was actually scared of deep water, as kids we would jump off the rocks in the sea and I’d scramble out quick as I could, it wasn’t until years later I had to raise money for the boxing club, I swam 5miles from Brixham to Torquay and the whole time I was panicking! I completed it after 3 hours but the next day I knew I had to conquer my fear so I walked into the spearfishing shop and bought all the equipment and a big gun to get amongst it, that was about 9years ago

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Which are your favourite places to spearfish?

I have some really amazing memories of getting lost in the beautiful kelp forests and gullies in the south hams, bass sit in the kelp so you have to be stealthy, looking in the sand gullies you can find scallops and in the rocks seeing 2 big blue claws hanging out.

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What species do you prefer to target?

Surprisingly… pollock, those fish can be the easiest and hardest things to target, but deep pinnacles and wrecks in fast tides is where I love to target them.

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What fish or dive stands out as most memorable?

After a long morning searching my favourite wreck and after many dives at 15/22m I land on top of the wreck and below me in the wreck a big blue head from a double figure bass lights my eyes up, I take the shot with my 80cm with twin 14mm bands and a French trident, this day was epic.

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Gear, what equipment do you like to use and recommend?

I have tried every gun/setup under the sun. My favourite setup for the UK is an 82cm Sigalsub Nemesis with twin 14mm bands, 6.5mm shaft with a double flopper, you won’t loose fish with a double flopper!
In Dubai I love my 110cm Sigalsub carbon roller.
Sigalsub Sauron mask will fit almost anybody and is low volume and great for depths I have let many people try it on and fits everyone.
My fins from TTN sub are really nice I didn’t want to review them until I smashed them about a bit, but now I have I can honestly say they are very tough carbon and have a lovely finish they have been work horses.
I’m also trying out a new Belt system from P.S. dive that is really nice

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What are your ethics and thought on sustainability as a spearo?

We all started somewhere and struggled to find fish or to be relaxed around them, my advice is to slow yourself down, get to the seabed, tuck down, enjoy the moment and don’t be too trigger happy, try to understand what is going on and be selective… only shoot what you are going to eat and when you put on that suit try and educate people that we are not trigger happy trophy hunters, we are a small community of legends so lead a good example to the old Doris walking her Jack russel by collecting a bit of sea rubbish and saying hello.

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What advice would you give on safety to people new to the sport?

Honestly guys do a course either freediving or Spearfishing, in 1 day you can learn generation’s of techniques and tricks I can’t stress this enough, if you can’t afford courses get hold of some experienced people and invest your time and commit to progressing! You’ll have the best time the better you get and the more you can learn.
Have your buddy watching you resurface and watch him. Remember no fish is worth your life there will always be another.

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What advice can you give to Spearo’s wanting to progress and what made a difference in your progression?

I will revert to the previous question about training, who you surround yourself with and add, do your own research on every question you have, you have Google/youtube and get out exploring your coastline.
Invest in the equipment 100% like I did and have the best introduction to the sport, if you can afford a Ferrari you’ll have a much better drive then a shitty old polo with change in your pocket.

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You are the owner of Sigalsub UK and have been promoting this brand for a number of years now. Can you tell us why you favour this brand and a little bit about their equipment?

Back when I really started progressing and taking this serious I tried so many different brands of equipment and was a “tackle tart” I reviewed a lot of stuff. So I emailed Sigalsub asking if I can review their new Nemesis gun and they sent me one out, I fell in love with it after taking some of my best fish so I tried more equipment and liked how well thought out and that it was made by good spearo’s.
They like feedback and keep bringing out good stuff so I’ve stuck with them for years.

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Do you spearfish alone or with groups?

I always recommend having a dive buddy for safely but it is not always possible. Some of my best friends are because of spearfishing because you sometimes put your life in their hands as a buddy if you want to go deeper or going boat diving making sure you get picked up, you really have to know the people around you and trust them. I have met a few monkeys in the past and its scary when they have no awareness so you can’t trust them, not to mention having a loaded gun.
Moving to Dubai I have met some of the best characters from all over the world some high end well paid jobs or basic people like me, we are all passionate about the sport and share some great moments and so are on the same level.

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Funniest moments spearfishing?

Ok… I have so many but ill give you a few or we will be here all day.

Boat diving Portland on a very cold morning and Dave is leaning over the front of the boat pretending to look out to sea max looked concerned trying to look out to sea before noticing Daves pale white ass-cheek hanging out of his torn wetsuit, When the Frenchman Max made eye contact the disapproved look on his face was priceless me and Dave were in stitches laughing.

Joe and I went faced a storm in the boat mid winter and got so delayed getting back because of conditions it got dark, we were cold but we still needed a lobster, Joe finds a lobster in a hole not budging after a few attempts and it was so cold, Joe then lets it grab his finger so he can pull it out, we then went for a shot of brandy for pain relief and a meal sat in the rain outside a restaurant by the harbour.

Max, Joel and me swam over a mile on our bodyboards to an offshore island fighting tide and waves, when we got out there a massive bull seal would not leave Joel alone, maybe it was mating season but it was so funny as he really hates seals.

Last one or we will never finish this, a group of us went to spearfish a wreck and the conditions were crystal clear, the lads all jumped in the water going off in different directions to explore… my stomach starts cramping so I decided to hang off the back of the boat, all I remember is the biggest burley trail drifting down tide through the water column making its way towards the others 😬
I went on to take one of my best bass in the wreck with a French trident, great day must have been the burley trail.

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