Looks like its going to be a good year

[azapa]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

I generally stick a hand into their gills or grab them by the collar

I find this almost impossible. I do the same "hold" with my knees under the fishes belly, pressing it into my chest but the fish are powerful and squirm to the point of escaping my grip most times. I have had to ask buddies for help before. The only ***VERY BAD*** solution that I can see taking (not done it yet) would be to string it and kill on the shore.

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

But if I have recently taken a big fish, it just lets me be more selective. I may pass on anything under 30 pounds and just enjoy watching them, or even pass on anything that doesn't look like it could be new personal best until my blood lust returns.

I was thinking of a digital camera, or to find a few decent freediving buddies (ie. someone capable of entering the water without a gun in their hands, not an easy task)

[Pastor]

We had a Costco in Liverpool when I lived there I wonder if it was the same outfit? Sounds like it.

We inherited a minor sausage factory when we bought the house an had been thinking of a vacuum packer for them as well as the fish. I think it has got to the stage when it's a must have piece of kit. Pav and foxfish have rekindled an interest in smoking food so I will probably churn out a load of smoked Mackerel this summer, it would be just the job for wrapping those

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by azapa

I find this almost impossible. I do the same "hold" with my knees under the fishes belly, pressing it into my chest but the fish are powerful and squirm to the point of escaping my grip most times. I have had to ask buddies for help before. The only ***VERY BAD*** solution that I can see taking (not done it yet) would be to string it and kill on the shore.

If you can't brain them, then cutting the gill rakers will get it done fairly quickly.

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

I like them and have had good luck so far. Some people who have purchased the lower end models say that the motors burn out fairly fast, so I think its worth your while to get the most expensive model, or the next most expensive.

With those big fish of yours, I was initially thinking you might be talking about those big shrink wrap bags for storing clothes, sometimes advertised on TV in the US -- the ones where you plug in the vaccuum cleaner to evacuate them.

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

There is a big warehouse type chain in the states called Costco that has excellent steaks at a very good price, but everything they sell is in large lots that are impractical if you don't have a big family. But I can buy a package of 8 or so steaks and then package them by twos for future use. When I used to do that using other wrapping methods, I would invariably end up finding a package that was freezer burned, but not any more.

Used to live near one in Seattle, where they started (do you have Trader Joes too?). You could certainly get some bargains sometimes. Seemed to be limited choice of mainly high spec. items usually at great prices. Occasionally designer clothes. 2 dozen croissants going for a song (too many even for me!). I got a very nice Shimano rod/reel kit there as an impulse purchase (unusual for me). As Pastor said they have them in the UK now too, there is one in Reading - haven't been there though. Unfortunately/oddly they don't seem to have a web-store here yet - I reckon they might do very well here if they had. http://www.costco.co.uk/

[Bill McIntyre]

Yes, we have Trader Joes, and there is a store about 3 miles from my house. I do most of my food shopping there.

And now that I am retired from trying to look like a proper college professor with nice wool trousers and sportcoast and nice dress shirts and ties, it seems like most of my wardrobe comes from Costco.

[oflow]

I certainly hope it's gonna be a good year... I'm just about to move to Two Harbors on Catalina. There, I hope to buy a skiff and perfect my freediving. All my buddies spearfish so I'm hoping to be the one that gets it all on film. it will be my third season so I went all out on the gear... Omer Med 5mm, Yazbeck Bull-kelp lycra 5mm, and my trusty Picasso ghost termic. I've been praying that i can get some white sea bass footage and also some tasty ling cods. Any suggestions as to other Channel Islands? ( I've heard the San Clemente is unreal...the best kelp forests anywhere!!!!) Any and everyone, please drop me a line. Stoked for the Lina,

-ofLow-

[Bill McIntyre]

Two Harbors will be a great place to live. I know a guy who spent a couple of summers there doing the research for his PhD in marine biology. He said that after all his buddies came over and dove all day and then left for the mainland, he would go out right before dark and slay the big white sea bass.

I've long been aware that late evening is the best time, but unless I'm spending the night on the boat, I'm just not man enough to stay till dark and then get home at midnight.

San Clemente Island is indeed very good, but the action is usually better at Catalina until mid summer, and then it shifts down to Clemente.

[coadavid]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

Yes.

Actually, there are differences of opinion, and more than one way that works.

In my case, I try to move very slowly through the kelp bed on the surface, trying not to splash with my fins. Many time you can get a shot from the surface, although some purists feel that it isn't sporting. I'm not a purist.
Anyway, I try to make most of my forward progress on the surface rather than during dives, but that isn't always possible. The kelp can be too thick on the surface, and there is no way to make forward progress without raising a ruckus and scaring all the fish away. I've attached a photo to show how it can look. When its that way, its also hard to even dive without raising a ruckus, so I just stay along the outside edge of the kelp bed.

When I dive, I choose between two approaches. I might dive to just above my neutral depth (currently around 21 feet) and grab a kelp stalk and remain motionless (aspetto style?). The grip on the kelp keeps me from drifting up, and I don't have to wave my fins. It took me a long time to get myself to believe that I could wait for the fish to come to me this way, and if it doesn't work for a while I tend to loose faith, but it really has worked often.

The other approach is to dive to my neutral depth and then fin very slowly. When the water is very clear, I might tend to use this method because I'm afraid that staying motionless won't last long enough for a fish to come from over the visible horizon during my breath hold. However, even in very clear water, its surprising how many can come from behind me, from behind some kelp, etc. during my limited breath hold.

Everyone spits out his snorkle as he dives so as to not emit a stream of bubbles. Most people make an effort to get all the bubbles out of their wets suits during a warmup dive. Sometimes they can be stupid as rocks, but many times white sea bass will spook at bubbles. And for sure I'm seen many of them spook when they hear my ears squeak when I equalize pressure.

Another thing that works for me is holding my mid-handle gun "soldier at arms" style, on its back with the handle back near my thigh, and then extending it in the direction of the fish rather than carrying it out in front of me and then swinging at the fish. I've had bad luck swinging at them. The photo stolen from Terry Maas's Blue Water Hunting and Freediving, but keep in mind that is a giant tuna gun, and my smaller gun's muzzle is right beside my head when I carry that way.

Of course I have friends who do very well who never grab a piece of kelp to remain motionless, and who carry the gun out in front of them. I'm just telling what seems to work for me, but its a work in progress. At age 69, I just hope I have time to finally figure it out.

Hey there, great description. Just wondering, how do you deal with swimming through massive kelp beds while trailing a line from your speargun? I've thought about going with no line so that I can easily pass through tangle-free. But then again, if I hit anything over 5 pounds in the wrong spot I'll lose the gun when it darts to the bottom.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by coadavid

Hey there, great description. Just wondering, how do you deal with swimming through massive kelp beds while trailing a line from your speargun? I've thought about going with no line so that I can easily pass through tangle-free. But then again, if I hit anything over 5 pounds in the wrong spot I'll lose the gun when it darts to the bottom.

I have tried both methods, but now I'm partial to reels. Nothing trails behind me.

However, a float line definitely has its advantages- its just that you can't use a float on it, or at least a float with enough buoyancy to fight a fish. Some people use float lines naked, but I think most use some sort of small float that just serves as something to grab when all the line has been pulled through your hand. The photos show some examples.

You can usually make a white sea bass turn and wrap up in the kelp by putting on a lot of pressure, but I think float lines for use in the kelp should be at least 100 feet long just to make sure. As an example, a friend shot a 60 pound fish in just 25 feet of water with a 100 foot line, but it went to the bottom, under some kelp, and took off across the bottom. He was being pulled straight down and barely getting to the surface for a breath before being pulled down again, and was on the verge of turning loose when the boat arrived and he was able to grab the swim step.

It may seem incongruous, but under kelp paddies in 2000 feet of water, I think a 50 foot line is plenty, because you can use a breakaway rig and let the float fight the fish.

[settingsteel]

Great fish Bill, nothing like a few pix to get them juices flowing WTG!

[BatRay]

Yeah, they sure make you want to go diving. How are the conditions in the ocean again? 15-foot swells or so?