Disappointing Med

[Leeu]

Just got back from the French Riviera, St Cyr Sur Mer to be precise. What a disappointment!

Saw 28 divers with pro-gear, proper fins, suits, etc in 2 weeks, but no fish, or rather 1 10cm blacktail and a tiny octopus. The (little)fish are so skittish as I've never seen in my life. It is clear that everybody is taking a shot at anything that moves there.

I got 1 x 2lb mullet and 3 x +-3lb bass and was treated like an world champion, pictures taken by strangers, kisses from old guys to congratulate, and even a phone number or two.

The water was crystal clear, average 18'C, and I went to amazing places.

Unless you are willing to spend a lot of money on a guide with a boat, I would give the Med a miss this time of year. I wouldn't go back for spearfishing any time of the year.

I may be wrong, or I may fool myself and not know what I'm doing, but my next trip will be Down Under.

 

[AcedUp]

Re: Disapointing Med

Malta is a bit like that so far I have seen.

I will have to go alot deeper to find big fish.

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Disapointing Med

Mike Ladle caught, I think a bass, plugging in Malta near his hotel. The locals were delighted and had apparently never seen one before. I believe Malta has a very high population density ... not usually good for wildlife/environment.

I guess the thing with clear water is that you can see the fish sooner and further away - but the fish can see big old you sooner and further away too.

Maybe things will pick-up as the summer progresses and you get to explore some more places?

 

[Simos]

Re: Disapointing Med

Very sadly true about the med - I am not a spearo but it's not easy to see anything worthwhile in general. I don't know how much there is out there in the med but even if there are fish, I bet they run a mile from the most accessible locations since they are often very busy, lots of boats etc.

Also since lots of people are into spearfishing everything that moves (sadly), med fish seem to have evolved into these super-suspicious-shy creatures lol

When I first got out of the med to more 'tropical' destinations, I really thought there was something wrong with the fish since they weren't running a mile when seeing me...
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[Leeu]

Re: Disapointing Med

There are loads of videos of fish taken in the med, but where they are remains a mystery. The people eat everything, they even sell these tiny little reef fish on the village markets.

The water was very clear, but even in clear water you can see fish if there are any. On the day I got the 3 bass there was a bit of wind and I shot them in the white water close to the shore. The mullet I could see coming from 30m away.

What is there for the scuba people to see?

 

[foxfish]

Re: Disapointing Med

If only we could go back 50 years!!
The med was once a spearfishers paradise but even though our British waters are supplied by a much larger body of water, our fish stocks are also in rapid decline.
Also look here http://forums.deeperblue.com/mediterranean/90927-spearfishing-ban.html

 

[Mr. X]

The world's human population continues to burgeon - destroying natural habitats worldwide. Indonesian/Amazonian rainforest/jungle but I see it clearly in the little villages of the UK too, with gardens, woods, farms and fields being built over. Some creatures are facing total loss of habitat (orangutangs for one) and so eventual extinction. Destructive & unsustainable fishing practices are part of that. But with an ever increasing population, can any fishing be sustained?

A chap on BBC Radio 4 this week was talking about the latest population growth figures. When he was born, the world population was less that 2 billion, now China's population is more than that, and the current population is more than 6.9 billion and continuing to grow apace - currently increasing by 7 million extra people a day. The world governments, charities and international organisations have been weak and highly irresponsible in ignoring, down playing or even denying this. I think it's the source of most of the world's biggest problems (pollution, intolerance, conflict/war, poverty, starvation, disease, global warming(?), animal/plant extinction, fuel/resource exhaustion) - surely population is our #1 challenge?

 

[spearfishinglog]

Guys, fish do exist in the Med !

They just a bit more difficult to find, but that’s the challenging thing being a spearo in the Med. You have to evolve into a "Hunter" improve your skills. learn the habits of the fish you want to catch and outsmart them. That’s why I love spearfishing in the Med, the “challenge”
Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to spearfish in the pacific as well but it’s a completely different sport, fish come and kiss your shaft, now where is the challenge in that?



I shoot the folowing video in Eastern Med (Cyprus) ..... fish are there, you just have to know where to look


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S9Rjh-uLNw"]YouTube - Spearfishing - 200 Amberjacks - scuola sorprendente di ricciole[/ame]

 

[Simos]

It's definitely hard to spot fish in Cyprus I can confirm, compared to other places the fish there are ninja-fish nice video George!
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[Leeu]

Cyprus is a long way from St Cyr Sur Mer, at least the are fish in Cyprus. The bass I shot were in the wite water, but I think they were the last ones.
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[spearfishinglog]

It's definitely hard to spot fish in Cyprus I can confirm, compared to other places the fish there are ninja-fish nice video George!
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Thanks Simo

 

[foxfish]

Great vid - great fish, thank you for letting us see your film.