Billfish tactics

[fishimani]

I have no experience in shooting billfish and i was curious as to where the heck to shoot the thing. I would like to stone the fish but i have no knowledge of the exact brain location. I have done various anatomy searches but there are only diagrams of the superficial portions of the billfish (sailfish/marlin) if anyone has more detailed diagrams i would love the link or just some more knowledge about what to expect when spearing these monsters.

Thanks,

Pete

 

[jon penrith]

Hi,a shot behind the eye & slightly above will hit the brain & stone it(provided the spear has enough impact).All round fish will be stoned if hit here.If shooting from above , if you were to draw an equilateral triangle from eyes with the apex being towards the tail, that is the brain.If you get a copy of Terry Mass's excellent book bluewater hunting & freediving the various kill shot spots for most l game fish is on there.

 

[behslayer]

Tiny brain compared to a long Spine... I've had a few point blank shot opportunities on billfish. In retrospect, I've always been happy to take the moment and not shoot, and just look. Best advice here, shoot them with a camera.

 

[Don Paul]

I'm with behslayer on this one, a stomach wound is hard to deal with if things
go wrong. A lit up sail or blue marlin is a gift from god you'll will always remember.
Don Paul

 

[Dogmatrix]

IF your going to pull the trigger just behind the gills mid body works ok... the flesh does tend to tear a bit during the fight though. If you can shoot from slightly behind it may help achieve less shaft pressure on the flesh.

Keep in mind seeing a lit up blue marlin in the water is a pretty special thing... Oh and don't be one of the knobs that troll a teaser in the water then jump in and plug the billfish... otherwise you might as well just drive up and shoot a cow instead.

Cheers rob

 

[blueface]

IF your going to pull the trigger just behind the gills mid body works ok... the flesh does tend to tear a bit during the fight though. If you can shoot from slightly behind it may help achieve less shaft pressure on the flesh.

Keep in mind seeing a lit up blue marlin in the water is a pretty special thing... Oh and don't be one of the knobs that troll a teaser in the water then jump in and plug the billfish... otherwise you might as well just drive up and shoot a cow instead.

Cheers rob

Where are these cows and what kind of gun should I use?:martial

 

[Mullins]

Shoulder shots seem to hold pretty well in marlin, even with flopper shafts.

Just don't be one of those knobs that jumps in on baitballs and plugs the marlin. Too easy. Don't be one of the knobs who shoots marlin that swim past in open water either. Also too easy. Must dive to at least 40m and take a 20ft shot to make it honourable rofl

 

[blueface]

Unless you jump out of a helicopter and grab one with your bare hands you get no credit. rofl

 

[Don Paul]

What no Marlin- Mahi double grab. I saw this years ago...nice edits.
Right up there with car hood surfing except that's real.
A fun flick to watch though.
Cheers, Don

 

[Dogmatrix]

I agree Mullins Real men flash for attention... :martial or jump out of a chopper... would have a ******* of a time getting it back into the chopper... perhaps just let it take you down 20M or so then aim it up...

To make it truely honerable perhaps consider freeshafting... that way you don't limit yourself to a 20 foot shot

Rob

 

[Mr. X]

rofl

... would have a ******* of a time getting it back into the chopper... perhaps just let it take you down 20M or so then aim it up...

Reckon you might need a big chopper(!), like one of those rescue helicopters, with a proper winch (e.g. Wessex, Sea King):

By the way, did you hear that mountain rescue helicopters in the UK are being outsourced to a French company using smaller, non-military helicopters . Having witnessed several rescues in the mountains & on the coast in the UK & abroad, the British helicopter rescues were incredibly skillful, professional & quick, while the foreign rescues were glossy but protracted (a trip to bring up a single paramedic for two fallers, a trip back for a stretcher, another trip back for the second patient, a trip back for the paramedic. We sat next to the daughter of one of the fallers on the saddle where the helicopter landed. I think one didn't make it ).