Hi Newbie Rider
Guess you might be the guy mart (Foxfish) met the other day?
There used to be mainly 3 types of spearfishing around Guernsey. 1. Shallow water bass and mullet hunting. You need to go an hour before to up to 2 hours after low water. Look for areas away from people and really rough terrain. I often walk up to a mile over rocks to reach the water. West coast is best. Hunt in the long string weed in between 1 and 5 foot depth. This is stealth hunting from the surface. Very quiet and very slow is the key.
2. Hunting flatfish. An hour each side of low tide in 10 to 30 foot of water over sand, gravel and mixed bottom. Anywhere around the island is good. Lots of repeat dives 20/30 seconds down same time recovery then dive again. Swim just off the bottom. Target species are plaice and sole. Both often are buried so you need experience or luck to find them. Big (5+lb) plaice are often uncovered and can be easily spotted. Edge of tide runs are hot spots. Best to go with someone to start off who can show you how to prod lumps and find fish. Anyone know any expert flatty divers?
3. Reef fishing and holing. Lobster, crab, conger and wrasse are the targets. Not practiced much as wrasse and conger are no longer “fashionable”. An hour each side of spring low tides is best and depths of 5 to 20 foot are usual. Rocquaine is the hotspot.
In the last few years the Mediterranean method of fishing has arrived particularly asspetto. Hiding on the bottom in up to 30 or more feet and with bottom times of 1.5 minutes plus has seen some nice catches of bass. Some visiting Italians have really shown us how it’s done and local Ed (Portinfer) has shown me up more than once using asspetto. Low tide on the edge of tide runs over reef is the place to go for this method. West cast is favourite. Be careful not to go too far out as the current can be strong. That’s partly why there is little freediving from boats.
Lastly in the last couple of years night diving by a few hardy individuals :martial has seen good catches. Perfectly legal over here and can be very productive. By far the easiest way to catch flat fish, as they are more active at night. Bass are also more easily approached at night.
Easiest way to learn is to join up with a local or two. Plus of course you can’t catch fish unless you get out there and do it.
Dave