Local fisherman get bent all out of shape when they see you hit the water with a speargun- they think you have an unfair advantage. There are plenty of days we go out and I nver even take a shot- usuually because of crappy vis mid summer and you don't see anything. There are so few spearos around here, and so many sportfisherman, that trying to talkk them into changing the laws is like pissing into the wind. I have a hrd enough time dealing with them when just teaching scuba classes, no spearguns around, let alone try to tlak to them when i have a stringer full of fish.
Ted can be more specific on the genus but crappie and blue gill all seem to be realted to me. I know that it is leagal to spear perch, but not walleye- even though they are cousins in a taxanomic sense. I am not sure how they came up with whats a game fish or not, but that's how the laws read. There are some nice lakes in some of our norhtern most counties that would be awesome to spear in, but no spearfishing of any kind is allowed there. In the surrounding states its a rough fish only, not even pan fish, as far as whats considered leagal so i feel fortunate to live here in that regard.
Here's some shots I took of crappie and bluegill so you can see the difference.
Jon
