DB spearo 'world series'

[bluecape]

Hi All

Here's an idea which is either destined for the trash can...or a bunch of fun. How about we run, next year starting January, the DEEPER BLUE WORLD SERIES OF SPEARFISHING. Introducing the worlds first truly international, on-line judging, spearo comp.

Rules can be based on the following:-

The comp is based on Honesty.

The comp is run one weekend a month, say on the last weekend of each month. You have those 2 days to shoot a 'judged' fish in your local waters, and until wednesday the following week to submit the pic to DB, with weight. We will all get to hunt in summer and winter, good viz and Bad.

The fish must be legal, ethical etc, ie, Cape Town divers cannot jump in at false bay with powerheads and blow away a great white !!!!

The 12 individual weights submitted by each spearo get totalled up at year end, and we have a 'DEEPER BLUE WORLD SERIES SPEARFISHING CHAMPION', some great pics, entertaining posts, and a year of good fun !
I am prepared to find a sponsor for the thing, get T-Shirts made, and sent to each entrant who commits to the 'world series'.

Any comments, even if it's 'Trash this idea'!!

Regards

Jeff

[shaneshac]

Count me in blucape. They should judge the fish on a percentage of their max size ie a Med spearo caching an 8 kilo sea bass will get a better score than a hawaiian spearo catching a 50 kilo Doggy. Does this make sense to you?

[bluecape]

Great Idea Shaca. I think once, if, the DB guys are keen on going ahead with something like this, we can thrash out a few ideas like yours and establish a base, then go from there.

I think the main thing is that one weekend each month, we all get to learn about each others local hunting areas, fish, spear fishing experiences, as well as start putting faces to the names. And who knows, if a sponsor comes on-board, and feels they have got milage, they may even be prepared to throw in worthwhile incentives ?

[fuzz]

We don't have doggies in Hawaii

But that's a good criteria, otherwise Murat would never have a chance

Sounds like something Iya would come up with

[shaneshac]

If Murat catches a 2 kilo spinefoot he wins hands down HAHAHAHA

Thought Doggies were caught in Hawaii. Where are doggies caught then?

[got lungs?]

great idea! definitely count me in on this one. a problem i see is considering a prize of some sort for the champion. as i really believe that most people on this forum are good people, when you involve a prize it sometimes can bring out the bad ones. if someone wants to sponsor the world series than make it a broad sponsorship. sorry to be negative, but i would like to see this great idea succeed and maintain a positive vibe.

forrest

[w3ac]

Props to Bluecape, this is a great idea. We may have to hash out the scoring system a little more. What I mean is maybe one point per fish plus one point per pound with a maximum of 20 points per fish. This may even out the playing field even more as some areas have larger fish than others. There may even be separate categories for blue water hunter, reef spearo gun division, reef spearo pole spear division, largest fish, most unusual fish. Like I said before, it may level out the field a little more as competition does bring out the beast. I can see someone, especially us hawaiians, going out and banging a whole bunch of Ulua (GT's) just to win a "friendly" competition.

As far as doggies, no doggies here. I don't know why. That would definitely be a welcome addition to the hit list.

Brad

[Shadowkiller]

Might I suggest that each entry is submitted with a weblink to resource like Fishbase showing the fishs max weight or national record? that way we can get the percentages right.

Nice idea.

[icarus pacific]

Beauty idea, Jeff.!! Absolute beauty!

I suppose the whole percentage thing could be based on that diver's submitted weight versus the current record for that specie. While I was stoked with the idea at first glance, the whole needing to do the percentage thing has arsehole written allll over it. I think also that identifying that month's largest or most notable catch is tres smooth as well. You need help, lemme know.

[Iyadiver]

Very interesting idea blue cape.

I think in the Pacific islands area I read Fiji, Tonga, PNG have Doggies but it seems Hawaii is not the case.

Indian Ocean sure has plenty, even the Philiphine has lots of Doggies. I saw a photo of a 70kg from New Caledonia ( in South Pacific Ocean south of Vanuatu ).

I agree with Shane, w3ac & Fuzz that some area just have more fish than some and some area have certain bigger size of specific species, not to mention different species from different area. The difficult part will be to determine how the scoring will be done. A spearo with "desert quality" water will have hard time against a spearo coming from a "fish market quality" water.....

Maybe one possible way, just maybe ......for the scoring, is to based on current world record from respectable organization. Hopefull these orgs have enough eligible species which are available in the participant's water. Bear with me for a while.

Say the current world record for Red Snapper is 10kg/22 lbs. I shoot a 7kg Red Snapper, hence I am 70% of the current world record, perhaps we calculate that I got 7 points. Suppose Shane gets a Bluefin at 100kg and current world record is at say at 150kg, thus Shane gets 66% or 6.6 points. Fuzz in Hawaii have lots of Giant Trevally. If he lands a 40kg and the world record now say at 45kg, so Fuzz has 88% or 8.8 points. The category of species eligible is up to you guys, we have different waters so the local should know best. Just a thought...

[Iyadiver]

Gee ........Shadow & Uncle Sven, we sure thinks alike...

[Murat]

Great idea bluecape.... I am in...

Hey Shane,

I don't think spinefoot can grow up to 2 kilos But i already get biggest size of the specie according to the fish base (30cm) Now i am headed to one step up and will start to sorgos hunting.

BTW its better if we don't limit the number of fish per specie, coz in here most of the hunts is getting numbers of fishes with small size, like sargo (bream) hunting. I mean if you wait to shoot 8kg sea bass or something else to submit you can wait few years The judging should be consider for each spearing day just like world championship.

[Murat]

Its better to use different pointing system for each species. Lets say for grouper 1 point for each 100 gr and 5 point for fish, for dentex 2 points for each 100gr and 10 points for fish. How is that?

[Pekka]

Starting next year..?
Just in time for my new speargun... I might have problems with the photos though... I'll have to look into that..
So count me in!

Pekka

[fuzz]

My 2 cents - stick to most notable or best catch of the month. Maybe split into bluewater(or simply open-water swimming fish) & reef fish. The last thing we really need is a contest that encourages mass killing. Sven & I could easily whack 100 pounds of fish in a day (when DFG actually leaves things open), but there's now way in hell I would go out and do that just because of ethics(and severe lack of freezer space). Likewise, in Hawaii I'll go out with friends catching fish for a big luau or party & can string up a good 100-200 pounds of reef fish(since often I'm the only one diving as everyone else is too hung over to get in the water ) I know some people on the board are commercial spearfishermen... you see my point.

I think the criteria for judging should be two things: a nice simple story about your catch and it's uniqueness. By uniqueness, I mean something that makes it notable whether it's size, rarity, etc. For example, Shane's big ugly fish would have got my vote because of it's size & uniqueness. If Murat got a nice grouper, I'd be proud of his growth in the sport & give him my vote. If Sven brought in something as silly as a 6-pound perch or as smooth like a limit of 10-inch abs, that would get my vote.

As we focus on the beauty of underwater hunting & the freedom it gives us, this contest should focus on quality instead of quantity.