Determing legal size

[Jared9191]

I'll start off saying I'm a newby when it comes to hunting. I recently bought a pole spear and have been taking it with me to the local beaches. My primary targets are Calico bass and Halibut. The size limit for the Calico's 12 inches here in CA . When I spot a Calico, I have a hard time determining if it is of legal size. By this time he usually spots me and darts off.

Is this something that just comes with time?

 

[Karletto]

shoot
u'll do measurements later :martial

 

[monchan]

shoot
u'll do measurements later :martial

You could get in big trouble doing that,
and a big fine to go with it.

Things look bigger under the water,
You will get used to it but it might take a bit of time
to get your eyes and your mind agreeing on the size.
going home with a empty bag, is better than taking a fine home.

 

[Padaxes]

I found when I first started I shot a few fish that were too small, but I have put a measure on my float, after a couple of mistakes you can then Identify them under water, if your really worried about the fine make a legal fish sized target and drop it so you get the hang of how big it looks under water at different ranges.

 

[sciencemike]

shoot
u'll do measurements later :martial

Worst post i have read in a long time. Here in california there are groups of people who are trying to get rid of spearfishing. If people did irresponsible things like this it would be gone very soon.

I dive Laguna and PV. I started using a polespear when i began as well. I was told by a very respectable spearfisherman to train with a polespear for 6 months before getting a gun. During this time you will tune your underwater movements as well as hone in your sizes determination skills.

As for calico's and other reef fish, Never target them under 15 inches that way you will be sure to only get legal ones. Once you start not going for every one out there you will begin to see the big ones.

Halibut are a different story all together. They are tough to determine due to their being buried. So accidents do happen with them. But you should be able to tell with them once you see a couple.

I have measurements on my gun that i use for halibut, seeing as they will sit there for you.

These were taken in laguna a few weeks ago. The calico there was literally floating 6 inches from the end of my gun as i sat patiently on the water. I was able to eye ball him and i shot him when my flopper was about 3 inces from the side of his head. The halis are 31 inches and 24 inches and the calico is 14 inches. The moral is, just go down in the kelp, hold on and sit and wait. California fish especially medium size calicos will poke there eyes out and come see what you are. If they dont come then slowly poke around the kelp. Both halis were taken in 8-10 foot deep water.

 

[hteas]

Jared,

Two things to do
1) Don't shoot anything that's close to the minimum. As has been mentioned, it will save a few fish and save you some heartache, and maybe even wallet pain (fines are expensive)

2) Figure out the lengths you need to know, and mark them with paint or tape on your spear. Make the marks at the tip of the spear, so you can look and self calibrate under various conditions.

Howard

 

[Jared9191]

Making the size limit on my spear was a great idea, I did it for 12' and 22.. Hopefully that helps and thanks for all the advice guys.

Man those Halibut look tasty, thanks for that picture it's a great size shot.

 

[mishu1984]

try to get acces to a pool where you can put a piece of wood or something of the same size in the water, preferably on the bottom.
swim about 15 feet or whatever distance you plan on hunting them and close one eye. using your index finger in your NON-Trigger finger, mark the size on your glove. a lot of my friends in university are architecture students and use this techniche to jugde sizes.
g'luck