The Sea Provided

[settingsteel]

Had a great day yesterday on the ocean... (http://forums.deeperblue.net/florida-east-coast/77524-late-rpt-monday.html#post707729)...but this is not what the title is referring to.

I was blessed with a new experience that surfaced and got me thinking. I was hunting a ledge yesterday in about 30' of water as I submerged I saw what seemed like a reddish, huge seafan that was moving, upon closer inspection I saw it was perhaps the biggest hogfish I have ever seen in the water, I think it could have gone 30+" easily he was all lit up, and fearless (or stupid)...I got a rush of kill-blood, instantly followed by a moment of hesitation...a hair splitting nanosecond hesitation on the trigger...this has never happened before....in that split second I saw from the corner of my eye a small female pop into view and the Alpha started to bump her, it became quite obvious they was "gettin puddin"

So....so.....so I did what I never imagined I would do I passed the kill, and headed up...I don't know why I did it, in fact I've been pondering the question all day today with "visions" of that huge hog lingering in my mind...What caused me to hesitate that split second (thats the most intriguing question I keep asking myself). Is it that I'm getting soft? Is it that at one point in a "predators" life compassion seeps in and survival of the fittest takes second? What would you have done?

[MahiMan]

Thats why you passed on the shot!... I was wondering what happened. In all honesty I think that was a very admirable decision and I for one think that karma will repay the favor. If it were me being a more novice spearo..... I would of probably taken the shot probably, due to a heavy trigger finger. For that hog to have made it this far and not ended up on a dinner plate is a feat on its own, especially down here

[settingsteel]

Yeah right, same thing I thought, and in 30 ft of water...that boy was a horny Mofo...ain't that what usually does nature in though?

[MahiMan]

Well hopefully they breed a new faster growing race of hoggies

...... But yea nature gets shafted by horny men in wetsuits even after they've been satisfied

[octpora]

Let em have a last conjugal and then ......pow.

Yes , to have reached such a size, I bet this hogfish has a bit of the jedi force in him. "Shoot me you do not wish to.". And now you let it breed.

[settingsteel]

Hmmm interesting poll...I'd sure like to hear some opinions on this. I did follow them for awhile and he kept bumping her, truth is =I let it go, since I started to get second thoughts. I really don't have much regrets, even though I doubt I'll ever see that fish around there again (usually if you see them there once they'll be there again)...I just hope this don't become a habit...guess I did my son a favor since their will be future hoggies to shoot, or at least thats what I'm convincing myself of

[Lockedin]

I woulda nailed him! Mostly because with my crappy technique, and poor shooting skills, he would have had a good chance of surviving our encounter.

[MahiMan]

^-----

[Marwan]

tone, i know exactly what you mean...had that same moment once with a whole school of birg eyes..they are very elusive fish, and once i swam through a whole school that seemend fearless and decided not to shoot...In retrospect what went through my head at the time, probably was that they were accepting me somehow in their group...didnt seem appropriate to repay that with spearing one of their buddies..

[settingsteel]

^^^interesting M....What kinda has me questioning is why I even hesitated that split second...I saw him and my instinct is always so natural to pull the trigger spontaneously...but yet in the particular situation I didn't, I hesitated and that is what gave him his life and the opportunity to spread his genes...its practically as though some
some little voice said wait...I kinda hope I never hear that little voice again

[Whopperhead]

Tone- I myself would of shot him. I would be more likely to pass on smaller or medium sized ones and strickly go for the bigger ones. I just think if you pass on the smaller ones- eventually you'll have lots of big ones to choose from. I'm sure this is not the case as it sounds like they might be over fished? Just My Opinion.

I do give you Kudos for having that kind of will power.

[settingsteel]

Guess I'm softening up in the later years

[Newbie_spearo]

I said shoot, but I'm putting that down to my inexperience and the fact that I'd want to get some meat on the end of my new spear. No inuendo's with that one fella's!

[settingsteel]

Seems its neck to neck...young guns vs ol'guns perhaps....perhaps

[Newbie_spearo]

experience vs's lack there of? I think when I actually get in the water with my gun im gonna wind up firing off shots with out even meaning to, for 2 reasons: I'm gonna be frezzing my arse off coz I haven't yet got my new wetsuit and as a result my trigger finger will be shivering, and 2 coz I'm gonna be too trigger happy!