Jon Stenstrom | Founder and Chief Fisherman of Cast and Spear

Jon Stenstrom fishing — **Title:** Chief Fisherman and Certified Freediver
**Education:** BS/MEng in Mechanical Engineering from UC San Diego and San Diego State University

Fishing Experience

Hi there – I’m Jon. I started fishing with my dad in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. I wasn’t great at fly fishing, so my dad retrofitted a spinning reel with a clear water bobber with a fly at the end of my leader. It caught a lot of fish!

My Uncle Mike taught me to catch sand crabs and surf fish in middle school. We used to fish Torrey Pines in San Diego and caught perch, shovelnose guitarfish, and corbina. Those are some of my favorite childhood memories.

When I was 28, I took a PADI course and learned about spearfishing. I’ve always been an adventure junkie, so I had to learn how to do it. I bought overpriced gear from a local dive shop and had to beg for someone to teach me. Once I shot my first fish, I knew it was the sport for me. I now spend most of my time spearfishing around Southern California and Baja California.

I started this site to share the knowledge and expertise I have gained over the years to make it easier for others to get into the sport safely. Through over 300 podcast episodes, I have learned from the best fishermen and spearfishermen around the globe and am always seeking new opportunities for growth and learning.

Notable Catches

Mekong Giant Catfish: 120 pounds (rod and reel)
White Seabass: 65 pounds (spearfishing)
Soupfin Shark: 65 pounds (surf fishing)
Redtail Catfish (rod and reel)
Leopard Grouper: 18 pounds (spearfishing)
Yellowtail: 35 pounds (spearfishing)
Gulf Grouper: 17 pounds (spearfishing)

What’s your favorite fish?

My favorite fish is the white sea bass. It took me way too long to get one, but the journey was worth it.

What is your “spirit fish”?

I’d have to go with a blowfish. I just like how big and spikey they can get. Or maybe a shark…

What’s the most unusual fish you’ve caught?

I’d have to say a Mekong Giant Catfish. I caught one when I visited Bangkok and loved every second of it.

Brands I’ve Worked With

Education

Jon went to school for engineering at UC San Diego (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) and received his Master’s (MEng) from San Diego State. He worked in product development for medical devices and consumer goods. After a few years, he ventured up to Silicon Valley, where he worked on a machine learning start-up that began early work in computational drug designing.

After years of hard work, he decided to rekindle his love of fishing and devoured everything he could on the topic. He read old fishing magazines, books, and forums and found mentors to help him improve his craft. He’s done over 250 podcast episodes and has learned from the best fishermen and spearfishermen around the globe.

Through my education and experience in the fishing and diving industries, I can provide advice and insights to my readers and listeners. My passion for fishing and commitment to sharing my knowledge make me a trusted source of information in the industry.