BC Spearfishing...Fresh and Salt water...

[Part270579]

Hi all!

New to the forum and even newer to the sport.

Well it kinda goes a bit like this...I'm getting married on 5th March in Kauai to my most beautiful Canadian fiancee. Lucky me huh So anyway, while we're there I'm hoping to maybe catch a ride and do some spearfishing for the first time...I know it WILL be cold but if there are any charters advertising I wanna book my place right?? Don't think it can be missed

So I've done a bit of snorkeling around the world, coastal Crete, UK coastal and in 2009 I spent 9 weeks in the Okanagan eating stake, drinking Kokanee and snorkeling the Similkameen River and Lakes Skaha and Okanagan. *Sigh* GOOD TIMES!!!

I'm also an avid 'Brother of the Angle', and I love the fact of catching for the table which unfortunately seems to be frowned upon over here in some circles. (And before anyone asks I never have taken anything from either UK rivers or seas, ex-Carp and Barbel angler )

SO my question is I'm gonna combine my two favorite sports and want to know what I can and can't spear for in BC. I checked out the B.C. fisheries site and it's kinda sketchy. Seems that apart from Burbot and Carp everything else is off the menu freshwater wise, even some of the 'introduced' species. I can totally understand why trout and salmon are, and even slow growing species. So am I reading it right? And Region 1 (Vancouver Island) has a total ban on spearfishing? Me and the future Mrs. Guertin :X will also be making at least one trip to Tofino every year and I'd also like to do some free diving and shootin' around there. (I went for the first time in October and I can see why the surfers spend all day freezing their brass monkeys off. Rough seas huh!?)

So yeah, any info regarding the above essay would be much appreciated.

Damn I'm excited!!!!

 

[wallybanger]

I don't know about Van isle but in fresh water you can only spear coarse species. So carp, burbot, white belly sucker, and I think perch is still a coarse species but I would have to check the regs again.

 

[Erik]

Welcome to Canuckland dude. There is no ban on spearfishing at Van island, just a ban on certain fish entirely. It's really overfished, which is why we go to the north end of the island or further, where the limits are better because there are fish there.
You can shoot Kelp Greenling anywhere on the coast AFAIK; they are excellent eating and good sport as they are sketchy as hell. Ling Cod is banned just about everywhere and Rockfish are banned or limited too.

In the sea you are looking for: Ling Cod (actually a big version of a greenling), Kelp Greenling, Rockfish, Skate and Halibut. Also crabs.

And angle your brains out! I don't think anyone here has a big problem with that.

You'll have some good company near you in the Okanagan: wallybanger and Amphibious from the forums here, as well as great freedivers in Vancouver.

 

[wallybanger]

yeah, shoulda mentioned that. If you're in the OK valley, hit me up. Amphib too but he is never home.