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Post by Fogg on Oct 14, 2021 6:22:46 GMT 12
Does anyone here spearfish around the Gulf / Northland area?
I used to do lots of free-diving mainly for scallops and occasionally crayfish but given the recent depletion of stocks and suspension of taking from many areas my wetsuit only gets used for scrubbing the hill these days.
So I was contemplating getting a spear and giving it a try. Where would I start? And how easy difficult is it? And would I still be eating chicken for dinner most days?
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Post by GO30 on Oct 17, 2021 13:11:31 GMT 12
Don't much around with spears, go straight to dynamite  Na, there is a mob in Albany who knows far too much stuff about free diving/fishing, have a chat with them about maybe joining them on a trip out to have a crack. It's bound to be handy (and safer) to have lots of experience on hand. Years back we were diving at the Knights, pre the expanded sanctuary, and the dude I was with shot a huge Kingi. Took seconds before he got dragged out of my site by a big fish heading for Chile. I surfaced to the boat, we recovered the other pair of divers who who had just surfaced to see why I went up at speed, then we all went after the shooter as he wasn't letting go nor the fish stopping. He got dragged close to a km out to sea before we caught up to them. He had no idea he'd gone that far that fast and had not considered just letting go so who knows haw far they could have gone before one of them gave up or just let go. 1000m is a huge swim back to boat/land considering some of the currents out there. So a newbie can get into the pooh quick if they aren't careful. |
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Post by Fogg on Oct 18, 2021 9:05:47 GMT 12
You’re talking about the Oceanhunter guys who used to be in Westhaven but relocated to Albany. Yup they know they’re stuff and I did a 3-day freediving course with them a couple of years ago which was great to learn the technicalities of working safely underwater using just your own lungs.
But I was more focussed on gathering scallops & crays (you could still get the odd couple in those days) so I haven’t even got a speargun.
I might give them another visit…
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Post by Fogg on Jan 10, 2022 21:01:19 GMT 12
Team effort beginners luck methinks…   |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2022 7:33:37 GMT 12
Fogg,fogg ,Fogg. ... How could you?
.spear fishing..really .. that is the ultimate in "shooting fish in a bucket" activities.
I am really against a sport that gives a friendly fish a piece cold steel thru the brain at point blank range .
At least, with sinker and hook the fish has a choice to die.
And it not as tho you are murdering a pest!... Unless of course you are going down to shoot blind eel, snot fish, and those pesky Scarpies... Then carry on soldier!
To me there is no skill to putting ya gun to the body of a freindly fish and blowing it away mercilessly.
Sorry but that's how I feel about spear murdering.
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Post by Fogg on Jan 11, 2022 9:09:51 GMT 12
Have you ever tried it?
I would argue that it requires at least as much skill - if not more - than simply standing on the back of a boat dangling a line in the water and hoping for the best.
The dual appeal for me was the ability to target something other than snapper plus get & stay more healthy due to the big cardio workout this gives you. I was exhausted after an hour in the water and I’m no couch potato.
It actually took 3 people to achieve this - 2 of us in the water taking turns with one gun to give the other a chance to recover in between dives - plus a third in a dinghy keeping watch and to help us land the thing.
It was actually a whole morning’s work to prepare, go swimming and find a fish, land it, get it back to the boat, fillet it and then clean up everything. And it was the one and only fish we caught that day and is still feeding several of us. So no more fishing.
In comparisons that could have been 3 people with lines in the water for several hours catching god knows how many other fish.
I’ve got no idea what the relative impact on fish stocks is but I wouldn’t be surprised that if you banned all line & net fishing and said everyone had to use a speargun and their lungs to catch a fish, then the catch rates across most breeds would reduce a lot - that’s just my unproven guess!
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Post by fish on Jan 11, 2022 22:01:37 GMT 12
I'm interested in trying spear fishing. Had a couple of good snorkels over the break. It is great seeing what is actually in the water.
In terms of Schooners whining, I think stalking a fish in the water is hunting it on the fish's terms - you are in its environment. I don't think people understand the damage they do to fish when fishing. Even the fish returned get knocked about. Slime taken off so they get infections. Swallowed hooks. Not to mention the ones that bust off and tow a softbait and leader around until they die.
Had a little snorkel at Stanmore Bay today, far more fish down there than I thought there would be. Was chasing snapper about for some fun. Plenty of kina, so I smashed some up to try and even up the score between over-fishing, kina barrens and the need for seaweed for nursery fish.
Fogg, where did you go to get that kingie, doesn't look like it was far out by the photos. And did you use the paddle board? Far easier to get back onto than the dinghy, and would go in stealth mode well. I got a little dive ladder for our inflatable, so I can anchor it near rocks and reefs to snorkel with the kids.
I guess you could use a small paddle board as a float to try things out? Then you just need a gun and some line.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2022 3:51:14 GMT 12
The MAD nephew brought a fancy gun n spear. Thought he would be smart by enticing a few kings around,tied spear to cleat ,took aim,bang got it.n turn king takes off at 100mph string breaks ,gone is the spear and king,no doubt to die, the string was 100kg braid but picking the initial jerk was enough of a shock to break it,
Be more challenging shooting as a free diver
I personally dont target kings when fishing,graceful fish ,extreme power.
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Post by Fogg on Jan 12, 2022 7:02:06 GMT 12
We were in 8-10m water off Rakino.
We had a paddle board and a dinghy (more for security). And remember I now run an eOutboard so that too operates in stealth mode now! In fact my 7yr old drove the dinghy and towed the paddle board + tired freedivers out of the tide.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2022 11:12:08 GMT 12
Have you ever tried it? I would argue that it requires at least as much skill - if not more - than simply standing on the back of a boat dangling a line in the water and hoping for the best. The dual appeal for me was the ability to target something other than snapper plus get & stay more healthy due to the big cardio workout this gives you. I was exhausted after an hour in the water and I’m no couch potato. It actually took 3 people to achieve this - 2 of us in the water taking turns with one gun to give the other a chance to recover in between dives - plus a third in a dinghy keeping watch and to help us land the thing. It was actually a whole morning’s work to prepare, go swimming and find a fish, land it, get it back to the boat, fillet it and then clean up everything. And it was the one and only fish we caught that day and is still feeding several of us. So no more fishing. In comparisons that could have been 3 people with lines in the water for several hours catching god knows how many other fish. I’ve got no idea what the relative impact on fish stocks is but I wouldn’t be surprised that if you banned all line & net fishing and said everyone had to use a speargun and their lungs to catch a fish, then the catch rates across most breeds would reduce a lot - that’s just my unproven guess! yip tried it once, saw no sport in it, thought it was a good way to drown, removed the mystery of fishing, and felt bad like when you shoot someone in the back ( apparently)💥.... Feeling guilty now😱😳🙈...😜 |
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Post by Fogg on Jan 12, 2022 11:36:36 GMT 12
Spearfishing vs line-fishing is obviously as divisive and emotive as politics!
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