Guernsey 2006

[quattro]

Hi Guys
I do a little spearfishing in guernsey without a great deal of luck i'm afraid but was looking to have a better season this summer.
Have been reading around about techniques etc but cant find definitions for 'aspettos?' I presume they are some form of breath hold? Can anyone give me a short definition/instruction or a site that explains it all. Have looked here but no real definitions.
Thanks
Quattro

 

[Magpie]

Hello mate, welcome to the site.

Aspetto as I understand it is an underwater ambush, diving down to a good looking spot and waiting for something to come to you. Simple as that.

I'm sure Ed will be along to clarify further if required soon enough

 

[quattro]

Hi Magpie

Thanks for speedy reply!

So what the best techniques to improve breathholding in your opinion? I do a bit of gym/run/bike to stay in shape but something more specific might be useful? I know surfers dive down and carry rocks along the bottom, then 30 secs recovery before down again.

You guys do anything like that?

Quattro

 

[Magpie]

I'll definately leave that to Ed to answer, I'm only a beginner at this myself.

What I will say is you can increase hold times quite significantly at first without lots of effort, or thats what I've found anyway. My "static" times lying on my bed all relaxed shot up massively using static tables (do a search on here for those and you'll find lots of info), unfortunately I'm yet to transfer that to decent times underwater but its coming...

 

[spaghetti]

Magpie is right: aspetto is an italian word which simply means "waiting": you hide yourself on the bottom, wating for a fish passing within your reach (you can aklso make sounds to attract their curiosity: a deep goo-goo from your throat or a clop-clop with the tongue).
The word is in italian because aspetto's technique an definition were invented and spread in the world by italian spearfishing pioneer Rodolfo "Marò" Betti, in the late 50's at Marina di Pisa, Tuscany (wow, now I realize it's half a century ago!).

 

[portinfer]

Hi Quattro - certainly do not use the '30 second' recovery ! Far too short and so potentially lethal.

Best bet is to read around on the beginner freediving forum as alot of the things you are pondering have been answered by people with far more experience and better knowledge.

There are many different ways of fishing - I just happen to prefer aspetto because when I was learning I learnt from reading the forums here and alot of the Med boys use this technique and also I came to spearfishing more from the freediving side of things.

In Guernsey for bass the shallow 'indian' style stalking (very shallow - about 2ft sometimes) is the best place to start - remember that you don't need to hold your breath to catch fish - I can emphasize that the slower you go the better... you can't go slow enough ! Alot of beginners get bored (me too !) stalking Indian style so move off quicker to another patch - you probably just scared off five bass

Anyway - my rule of thumb is that you need at least twice the dive time for your surface recovery. For me that is at least 3 minutes. This has been discussed alot on other threads and I would suggest you read around - what is right for me is not everyones cup of tea

More of a Lapsang/Aspetto kind of guy ... maybe you are Darjeeling/stalking-stylee ... or Orange Pekoe/Pesca en Caduta .... or Assam/Aguatto ... choose wisely

Edward

 

[Old Man Dave]

Greetings quattro and welcome.

First off I must say that I am very impressed by the aspetto technique when demonstrated by the experts (Ed's blushing). After 40 years of spearfishing I was amazed when relative novices pasted me by using aspetto. It's not a technique i'm any good at (too old, too fat, etc...).

However aspetto is not the be all and end all of spearfishing. There are some guys locally with the ability to perform mega breath holds and who don't catch much. There are also some spearo's who have a short breath hold who do very well in the fish spearing department. Magpie will confirm the analogy with angling, if you can cast miles it sometimes helps but it doesn't guarantee catching fish.

So by all means train and improve your fitness and breath hold but the best way to learn is to go dive and better still go with someone who can show you how.

You've certainly made a good start as there are lots of people who can help you out on this forum. Try to teem up for some local dives and before you know it you'll be catching too much and we'll have to stop inviting you .

If you haven't read all of last years Guernsey thread then take a wander down memory lane and some of your questions may be answered. If more questions occur then ask away. http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=61120&highlight=guernsey+summer+fishing

So again "welcome aboard".:friday .

Dave

 

[foxfish]

Hi Magpie

Thanks for speedy reply!

So what the best techniques to improve breathholding i I know surfers dive down and carry rocks along the bottom, then 30 secs recovery before down again.

You guys do anything like that?

Quattro

HA those were the days, down Perelle "boulder walking"
Anyhow hi quattro.

 

[quattro]

Quick question...

you guys use floats? Saw a few photos and no one seemed to have them?
Also you buy kit off internet or shops on the rock? if so where?

Thanks
Quattro

 

[foxfish]

Some of us use floats some of the time, depends on the situation. Deeper Blue has a on line shop. If you want a custom suit you will have to shop on line but you can buy certain items of kit locally.

 

[spicer]

Quattro,

I have found using a float very usefull and will try and use mine most of the time. It helps to keep most boaters of you and for your dive buddy to know where you are. If you are tired or have a need for adjusting the kit then you can hang over the float. I also have my catch bag attached to it - call me paranoid but from where I come from there are some mean mothers that will take you with the fish. I tie mine to my speargun so that if I shoot a fish and run out of breath I can drop the gun and go for the float. Ordered mine from http://www.apnea.co.uk who are based in Jersey. I bought a fair amount of kit from the dive shop (impatient to get started:head )but have had to replace quite a bit of it as it was not so well suited. I have found that small things make a big difference in your enjoyment of the dive. I had a bit of a misfit with my mask and had various problems with headaches and it not sealing properly now have a great one that fits perfectly. Similarly used scuba type fins changed to long fins and immediately noticed the difference. Also switched to a rubber weight belt as mine kept swiveling around. As OMD has said best way is to go with experienced guys they sort you out pretty quick.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Magpie]

Magpie will confirm the analogy with angling, if you can cast miles it sometimes helps but it doesn't guarantee catching fish.

Absolutely, even people who aren't casting record holders like me often cast straight over all the fish.

Bass especially are more than happy in the shallows and often 20 yards out is 10 yards too far.

I've had stuff from the jersey site, and the deeper blue shop, both give good service. And I use a float most of the time now, its a good place to hang things off. I clip mine to the back of me weight belt and rarely notice its there. One thing though, I wouldn't use all the line that comes with it unless you're going deeeep. I chopped mine down to 11m and even that feels a bit long when there's boat coming your way.

I'm in again this evening, got to see me a bass soon, then I've just got to shoot it, but thats the easy bit eh.....it isn't? Oh..... :martial

 

[Old Man Dave]

Saw a nice bass last night in the 5 - 7lb range. Was in range but made the classic mistake of trying to get just that bit closer. In the end I cocked it up and was left with the long shot which fell 1 inch low. Was in about 6 foot which was deep for me :t .

Also tried out on the sand/gravel in about 8 - 9 metres on the edge of the tide. Missed a big pollack (well 5lb anyway) but got another one of 3lb. Stopped off at my mullet hole and culled a 4 pounder from the pack.

Still haven't got a bass yet this year must be getting old.

Dave

PS we're ordering some stuff from the French site. Best price (although I use DB shop as well). Will post the link later from home.

http://www.scubaland.fr/index.php3

Click union jack in top left corner for English version. Several orders recieved locally now. Have to join discount scheme and a bit fiddly but good gear at rock bottom prices. PM me if anyone wants further details.

 

[Magpie]

So following mondays murk-out to Paradis I set off to the deep west this evening.

All looked good, better viz, pretty flat as I paddled out into the bay.

Not 15 mins in something swam infront of me, just a mullet I thought, strange to see it mid water like that....hang on...that a bass! Smallish, 2lbs if it was lucky but that would do me, up came the gun, bit too far away I thought, so edged closer and it turned to run, panicing I let loose and of course missed the fast retreating fish.

Started pulling in my spear and turn to my left to see 4 more bass! Sat there, looking at me, knowing full well I couldn't do anything, having shot my bolt, literally. :head

Well that was it, I thought that was my chance gone. Slightly deflated but happy to have at least seen some I reloaded and set off. Rounding some weed I came to a clearing which contained more bass, slowly the thought hit me MORE BASS, BIGGER BASS! Slowly trying to edge the gun round they ambled off into the weed.

They didn't seem too spooked so I stealthed after them, topping some more weed I saw the now familiar shapes in the weed only these were bigger, two of them, must have been 6-7lbs I reckon. They were heads down in the weed and I had a clear shot at rear half of one, but again I hestitated, stupidly trying to get a full view of them, and they scarpered. :vangry

By now I thought I was in bass heaven, thinking "ah, there'll be more round the next bit of weed". But there weren't, that was it, a couple of glimpsed tails in the next 5 mins but then an hour of nothing.

Now knowing I'd missed my chance I mooched round a bit more and decided on going into the reel shallows. I'd been there for a while and had just turned to head home when I saw a flicker of silver behind a rock, I waited stock still, hoping it would come out the other side...........and it did, again I could only see the tail but I knew where the head must be behind some weed and wasn't going to miss this one.

Stoned is the phrase I believe 3-4lbs I reckoned.

I was glad it was in the shallows and I could stand up because I got in a right tangle getting it off the spear and onto the stringer on my float!

I paddled back, pulling the float in every 20m or so to check it was still there. Back at the car I phoned home, "Bass for tea babe".

Back home it weighed 4lbs 3oz. Thanks for all your help boys, I've still got a lot to learn but I'm on my way!

 

[Spaniard]

Well done there; persevere and you will get there!!! The first of many I'm sure

 

[foxfish]

I have been working on my boat for the last few days. I decided to adjust the already completed mods I worked on during the winter! Anyhow I hope the effort is worth the trouble because I would rather be fishing than covered in fibreglass dust!!:vangry
Which brings me nicely on to Sunday morning. I hope to go spearfishing about 9am & would be happy to pass on a few hunting tips to any less experienced member who is not to proud to learn. If I thought there was a half decent chance of catching I would be going on my own but as it is not a good tide & I need a planned break from the boat. So I would be happy to help any one interested in shallow water hunting (if I am able) Send me a PM if you are interested?
b lucky Mart.

 

[foxfish]

Well Magpie that is fantastic Good story too. I wish I could say that reminds me of the first bass I ever caught but it reminds me of every new season. You see a few miss a few & things just get better. Nice one mate.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Well done Tom .

Feels good, doesn't it? I wonder how you find the undersea world compared to your perceptions gained from angling. Do bass look and behave as you imagined?

Anyway now you can get out a hacksaw and convert your Kompressor into a handspear for flatties. After all you don't need it any more :t .

Don't catch too many as you need to leave some for the old man who has yet to break his bass duck this year (despite a lot of trying - nothing again last night).:waterwork .

Congrats again

Dave

 

[Magpie]

Erm, well, no is the simple answer.

I expected them to be far more timid and be moving around far more to be honest. Some of them, especially the smaller ones even seemed curious as to what i was. I've read that this was the case on here but didn't believe it! Many of them were simply hanging around not doing much and I saw one seemingly grazing on the bottom on its side, like you see mullet doing

It was very interesting i must say. This one had two crabs in its stomach too, which didn't seem like peelers.

I might not need my rods for bass, but I still need them for casting so all that expensive carbon is staying in its original form!

I'm in for sunday Foxfish, pm sent.

 

[beardy241]

Rocquaine this afternoon... dead loss. Vis about 2-3m.
Bumped into OMD as we were driving back. What was your score Dave?