best way to subdue a fighting fish

[Chad Carney]

Murat,

I've never been to the Med, or seen a dusky, so I'll take your advice if I ever go there. Big black groupers in FL and the Bahamas that are still pretty green can beat you up, but their gills will not hurt your hand through a tough glove.

Absolute,

Let's not take this thread where it doesn't need to go.
I only posted that fish because nobody mentioned dealing with a grouper over about 50 pounds. Off Tampa Bay many freedivers also scuba deep for big fish. I prefer to shoot without tanks in shallow water, but this 103 lbs carbo was taken in 180 fsw, about 85 miles offshore. It was a great hunt too.

BTW, that second freespear you see on the gun... it's the best way to subdue a fighting grouper.

Chad

 

[freediver7]

Crush their little heads with your teeth

 

[Spearing Port A]

Have any of you ever used a reel around stucture like a rig? i have a reel and didnt know if i could use it for the barracudas around the rigs in the Gulf of Mexico...
Thanks from
Port A

 

[Asturven]

Spearing Port A

Do you Scuba or Freedive?

I am in Houston and I use a reel around the rigs. I have the option to change from reel to a Hawaiian Breakaway if I need it.
I use Spectra (Dyneema) for the reel and cable for the shooting line.

Cheers

Ivan

 

[freediver7]

I prefer to work a short knife into the fish brains. Start at the rear top area of eye socket, and pushing the tip up and back away from you towards the brain. The fish will start twitching when you kit pay dirt. Keep the tip of your knife in the brain and twist till its scrambled. Going in through their the eye avoids two hazards. 1) you don’t stab your hand which is in the fishes gills. 2) the scull is thinner between the eye and the brain than the brain and the front of the fishes head.

 

[Spearing Port A]

well i kind of do both... if i see a nice fish from the surface, i jump right in and go after him. but lately i have been doing scuba so that i have more time to chase around strawberry groupers since they taste so good:inlove . i have heard of the spectra line but is is very much tougher then cavalar? im going to use a cable connected to the spear then connect it to my reel but havent bought any line for it yet. when freediving the outside of the rig, is it alright to use the reel or should i just save it for the grass lines?

Thanks for the help!!!

Port A

 

[huntersinstinct]

The best way I have found subduing a large grouper 8-10 kg is to pull the spear back ensuring the lip of the spear is extended therefore wedging the fish agains the lip of spear. That usually holds it steady enough to grab my knife off my shin and finish it off with a sharp blow to the head.