Ireland spearing 2008

[garett]

First of all – please understand that I’m not trying to push anyone to anywhere. I have just feeling that regulations will be made here at some stage, when – I don’t know. And it will be really bad for all of us if they would be created after some accident or incident happened. Government will say “…who’re those people with guns underwater and what they are doing there!? What law says? No law!? Create it for those … ugly fish killers!” Then – spearfishing will be dead here, even in the West Cork or Donegal. Can this be happen? No guaranty, but chance raised 100 times since eastern european came to Ireland. I’m Russian myself but to tell you honestly I liked Ireland much more 10 years ago when I arrived and it’s pointless and useless to regret or to complain about this now – this is the life. I know more spearos from those countries that Irish… If there is no regulations – they follow their own regulations… not so good very often, unfortunately. It’s normal freshwater spearting in those regions, besides other freaky things. Unfortunately. But even without all those people – chance is still really high that something can happen some day even with locals. As you know it’s better to wear helmet before something heavy falls on to your head. And it’s useless to put in on the cracked head after. I was thinking, if we by somehow can manage to get GOOD for us regulations – that’s will be just perfect. How can I think we would try to do so? We need to establish good and friendly relations with fisheries or other government departments who’s responsible and who is dealing whit this. How? Friends… I believe if we had someone from government (or family) in our community – that will be much more easy. It just a one, maybe to primitive example but if we really want and if we think well, and if we apply sufficient amount of efforts – we can get what we need. Once and forever. But if we think about ourselves something like “…I’m safe here for next 200 years and it’s enough for me…” so what is the point to talk to each other like to real friends? I hope I didn’t say to-o-o much, if yes – I’m sorry, I didn’t want to insult anyone here. Any way – again, I’m not trying to push anyone to anywhere, I’m sure I’ll find solution for myself any way. But … something doesn’t let me to say “this was sorted in the best possible way”…

P.S. Huan, it’s not about how much we take. It’s about how we take and what other people think about this, unfortunately…

[foxfish]

Hmm our sport does appear to exist on a knife edge! I guess sitting back & letting others make decisions is the majorities choice! Some may feel disrupting the present circumstances could cause a back fire?
where I live spearfishing was once very popular, we had national competitions & twice monthly locale competitions, a very active club, fish of the month & regular articles in the local paper. What killed the sport was publicity, people would come to spectate the competitions weigh-ins. In fact lots of people would come & then they started saying to many fish were being killed but what they really meant was the relatively few fish that were being killed & sold for charity looked awful! The fish had holes in them, there was blood, they were manhandled around with thier guts hanging out! The naive public did not like the look of this, there were complaints & letters in the paper & so ended the popularity of our sport.
Now we keep a low profile, no competitions no record list - just deeper blue.
Still to this day divers are blamed for all sorts of things espesally the decline of fish stocks & we are careful what we say & print on db as we know others types of fishermen are watching us though the forums.
Definitely a knife edge existence!

[garett]

Originally Posted by foxfish

... we had national competitions & twice monthly locale competitions, a very active club, fish of the month & regular articles in the local paper. What killed the sport was publicity, people would come to spectate the competitions weigh-ins. In fact lots of people would come & then they started saying to many fish were being killed ...The fish had holes in them, there was blood, they were manhandled around with thier guts hanging out! The naive public did not like the look of this...

That what actually killed your club – WRONG publicity. Publics are primitive, they don't what to think to much especially after coffee with cigarette, when mouth works faster that brain. If you want to promote something – you have to be very careful and really smart. Especially if you need to promote something not popular… But as I’ve said – everything is possible if you really want it and if you plan everything properly. I believe if we plan everything wisely – we shouldn’t loose anything here, even if didn’t get those GOOD for us regulations. But first of all we need to decide if we want them or not. To understand this (on my opinion) we need to make a list of all advantages and all possible disadvantages. We didn’t do this yet. At this time as I’ve understood majority is against any try. Again did you think well before sharing your opinion, and was it before or after coffee?

[stone_shot]

As regards regulation of Irish spearfishing, I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. While I agree that regs will probably be imposed on us somewhere down the road, I think that to try to be pro-active and get the regulations set now to the spearo's advantage would be disastrous to our sport. It's just an unfortunate fact that public opinion is decidely not in our favour when it comes to the methods we use to take a few fish. John Q. Public is almost certainly unlikely to notice that most spearos are passionate conservationists interested in the preservation of our quarry - they just see or hear "gun" and make a knee-jerk reaction that everything associated must be bad.
It is probably to our benefit to consider that every time we go fishing, we may be being watched - and to try to present the best possible face of our sport to the public. I've been asked questions by people on the beach before and I always try to leave them knowing something positive about the sport like how selective it is or all the interesting stuff you see underwater(even stuff you would never take for the pot). Something I also like to do is to take some rubbish off the beach with me and dispose of it properly - it's surprising how may people notice you doing something like that. When the inevitable regulation of the sport comes around, people are more likely to remember that nice spearfisherman that answered all their questions and cleaned up the beach and there's a better chance of support for us.

That's my take on it anyway - as always you're all entitled to your own opinions.

[baldyfish]

Dont fix something thats not broken. I agree totally with sunfish and huan.
Bad enough them trying to ban it.

Got out today with my girlfriend today and bagged a nice pollock. Met donnachad and tried for bass. Donnachad managed to get one but i blanked AGAIN! managed to put a tear in my suit under the loading pad. (butt of the gun slipped). any ideas on what kind of glue to use and the best way to do it? Sunfish did u do a similar repair to one of your suits??

[sunfish]

[quote=baldyfish;728762managed to put a tear in my suit under the loading pad. (butt of the gun slipped). any ideas on what kind of glue to use and the best way to do it? Sunfish did u do a similar repair to one of your suits??[/quote]
Hi Johnny, the easiest glue to find is Black Witch, as sold by the surf shops. Since your suit won't have any stitching though, I'd advise getting a neoprene glue from Cork Dive Centre in St. Finbars Road. It's the same as Black Witch but dearer and maybe better quality.
When the suit's properly rinsed and properly dried, you put a thin coat of glue on both edges and let it go touch dry. When you bring the edges together it'll stick so be sure to bring them together in the right place! I like to pinch it between my fingers all the way along the join then.
You'll get instructions on the tube and it's not too hard to do. I took a 2 inch wide strip out of the back seam of a pair of trousers to make them fit snugger. Take a look at this http://forums.deeperblue.net/goods-s...s-wetsuit.html

[sunfish]

Today I went East to dive the sheltered side of a headland for Pollack. I couldn't get the kayak to the spot I wanted it due to a small swell combined with a big chop and force 4 wind, so I settled on a bit of rough ground of 10 metre depth. I started diving without the gun, to warm up and get in the swing of things.MISTAKE!
After half a dozen dives I followed a dogfish up a gulley and spotted the biggest ray I've ever seen. On surfacing I sighted the exact tuft of grass behind the kayak flag and the approximate distance to the kayak then swam to it for the gun.I dived the area for half an hour but needless to say, I didn't see it again.
Afterwards I thought I should have tried for it with my Knife but it's easy to be wise after the event.
I went on to get 4 pollack of 2.5,4.0, 4.2 and 6.2lbs, and gave two of them to a Latvian couple who were camping on the beach. The woman cooked the on a grid over the fire, cutting them into steaks first, and cooking the head and some fin sections too. It was barbecueing slowly and looked good, but I'd been diving four and a half hours so I shot off home for roast freerange chicken with homegrown organic spuds,greenbeans,black kale,baby carrots and gravy.

[donnachad]

I've had nothing to report the last few weeks except for a couple of barely legal bass and an amount of euros in the diesel tank getting to and from west cork on a regular basis. But when your lucks in it's in. Went back to a spot Sunfish showed me a few months ago near inchydoney, low tide calm enough. After 10 minutes 2 bass, 4.5lbs and 5lbs so with my bag limit reached i decided to continue searching the area very slowly staying in the kelp all the time. I saw many bass around the same size resting in the kelp and on the way back 2 larger specimens I estimate to be around 8lbs, I'm sure I'll bump in to them again.

[sunfish]

Nice one Dennis. I've been looking there every 2 or 3 weeks. I was wondering when the "biggies" would show up again.

[lulazz]

Hi,
I am from Italy but lived about 6 years in Ireland and I usually am in Ireland a couple of times a year to visit the inlaws.
I would like to fish there, but I have no clue about laws regulating spearfishing or technics and gear you use (I remember spearfishing was not very popular when I was over there).
I'll be in carlow so it probabily will be wexford.
Any video of spearfishing in ireland around? if you have links please post them (here going underwater with a camera on the gun is quite popular).
Thanks
Lulazz

[togo]

Agree with you guys just leave it like that and see if we really need to improve by proposing laws in the futur.

Hi guys anybody leaving on the coast near Dublin Brittas bay or Malahide. Will get in the water this week-end but can't go too far from Dublin and looking for 2-3m visibility. Been in Bascladden bay in Howth but want to try another spot protected.

Anybody fish Dunlaohaire??? Doesn't seems to be a lot of fish there appart from mackerel and mullet. Was there last sunday and couldn't believe the clear water on the pier so wanted to know if it can be good before getting there.*

Want to try Malahide aswell by the train bridge where there is a kind of lake/pool apparently bass, sea trout and mullet have been caught over there.

If anybody want to share a dive on saturday morning let me know, will leave santry by 5H30 and have to be home by 12am.

Hey Collin RA is the best gun i've never had

cheers togo

[bass hunter]

Hi Togo,
the pool below the railwaw bridge in malahide is good for mullet but I havent caught seatrout or bass there in about ten years due to pollution.I would'nt recommend diving there as a very strong current passes under the railway bridge and visability is usually bad too due to the muddy bottom and dirty water.
Maybe try the rocks in Donabate or Portrane,you can spear flounder and small turbot and somtimes bass and the visabillity is usually good.
I'll send you a pm if I can go with you saturday morning.

[ronnybiggs]

hi lads
I'm in the market for a new 75 aluminium gun but I'm torn as to which way to go. I was very happy with my previous gun a Spetton AMI II 75 so I am tempted to go for the same again except for the fact that spare Demka spears, wishbones etc are not always so easy to get.
I'm looking for a combination of good power, reliability and availability of spares and have my eye on the following:

Beauchat Mundial or Marlin
Omer Cayman Aluminium
Spearo UK Venom

Can anyone advise please? Does anyone know much about the Venom models sold by Spearo UK? I imagine The 6.3mm spear and 18mm rubbers would result in good range. Has anyone had any hassle with An Post/customs recently when ordering a gun online?

Thanks in advance

[lulazz]

i have a beuchat marlin carbone and I think it is brilliant.
not too expensive either

[JRH]

I have ordered guns, and knives and suits from dave@spearo and its all been fine, no problems, he seems like a decent guy and likes a good chat about spearfishing..etc.

On another subject, I will be spending quite alot of time in Galway for the next few years and am looking for some good spearfishing and a few new buddies. I'm currently fitting out a 4.4m fiber glass C-Ski for spearing. I expect to bring it over in September. The boat will be capable of taking 2 or 3 people out to the Arran Islands or over to Black Head / Cliffs of Morr. Also odd trips down to Dingle / Tralee Bay (by road).

Who's the area? Anyone fancy meeting up.

A little about my self:

Static - PB - 5min 30 sec - Dry
Static - PB - 4min 04 sec - Wet
Constant Weight - PB - 30m
Happy to hunt at 10 - 15 m but not much more.
Breath hold when hunting - 1 min and not much more.

I am 40, an engineer and married with 2 kids.
I have speared in Australia, Newzealand, Fiji, Med, Brixham, but for the last few years its been in Scotland (Aberdeen and Moray Firth)

Best fish (UK): Pollock -10lb, Cod -7lb, Mullet -4.5lb, Bass -3 lb, Thornback ray -6lb, Wolf fish -6 lb Conger -never landed one yet. Trigger fish -1.5lb (Dingle)