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Ireland spearing 2008

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
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as abusing said keep it simple. the way i see it is if a fish is big enough to spear and within range there should be no need for a torch. i have one but only use it on scuba. if its freediving your talking about then it may be a good idea but for spearfishing its another piece of kit that will get in the way.
johnny
 
Hi Danas, a torch is not needed for daytime spearfishing unless you want to go looking in holes and caves, under boulders, in cracks etc. Sometimes fish can be found in these places but a speargun will be enough to carry when you first start.
If you want to look for crabs and lobsters then leave the speargun and take a torch to check the holes and cracks.
Foxfish, I've been out at night a couple of times but I really don't have a good enough light. I did have an interesting experience involving a courting couple, complete with sleeping bag and cans of beer. They'd come to the beach after I set out, so they were quite surprised when a light appeared in the water and then a strange mottled rubbery being emerged onto the sand.roflroflrofl
Danas, the seals won't hurt you as long as you don't trap them up a gulley or anything like that. They may follow you around but if you don't mess with them they're OK.
 
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i night dive on scuba but dont spear by night as i think its too easy and a bit unfair......

As a relatively experienced night spearo i disagree with you there. Personally I don't find night spearing easier just different and in some ways it can be a lot harder and to some extent a lot more dangerous. Unfair? Not IMHO.

Dave
 
I bought a torch at the begining of the year for scalloping at night. Its big and a total pain to spear with, trying to juggle a torch and a gun while equilizing ( spelling) its a something I am yet to learn.

Last year lidls did some really cheap yellow LED torches which was great until I lost the damn thing.

If you dive in the late afternoon then I would say a small torch is vital, nothing worst then stumbling out of the sea in the pitch black wishing you had a torch while you trip over everything on the way out and then not been able to find your keys in that secret spot you stash it in cause its too freakin dark to see where the hell you put it. I learned my lesson :)

omd I could agree more, spearing at night in our waters and viz is no easy feat infact I find it harder if anything.
 
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Hey lads

Great catch sunfish.Well done.Keep looking for the monster


Re: Ireland spearing 2008
i night dive on scuba but dont spear by night as i think its too easy and a bit unfair....... not sure about the lagality of night spearing though.

Thats a big topic that is never ending to be honest.I would agree with baldyfish on that.
Night spearing is totally forbidden in the mediterranean where i come from,including a heavy fine and confiscation of all equipment including boat,car...etc.

In my opinion it is a bit unfair as the fish is stunned by the light beam.The result is an easy fish hanging on the stringer at the end of the session.
I would agree on the visibility but i havent experienced it as i am not diving at night.

Daylight spearfishing is more exciting and more demanding.

Regards

Nik
 
Hi Danas, a torch is not needed for daytime spearfishing unless you want to go looking in holes and caves, under boulders, in cracks etc. Sometimes fish can be found in these places but a speargun will be enough to carry when you first start.
If you want to look for crabs and lobsters then leave the speargun and take a torch to check the holes and cracks.
Foxfish, I've been out at night a couple of times but I really don't have a good enough light. I did have an interesting experience involving a courting couple, complete with sleeping bag and cans of beer. They'd come to the beach after I set out, so they were quite surprised when a light appeared in the water and then a strange mottled rubbery being emerged onto the sand.roflroflrofl
Danas, the seals won't hurt you as long as you don't trap them up a gulley or anything like that. They may follow you around but if you don't mess with them they're OK.
hi Sunfish
"don't trap them up a gulley" - what it that ??? sorry english its not my native language .
 
Old Man Dave Re: Ireland spearing 2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by AegeanSeaHunter
i am not diving at night.

Daylight spearfishing is more exciting and more demanding.

Regards

Nik



If you don't night spear how do you know these things?

It's not really so controversial in the UK where it is legal, ethical and moral IMHO. I know what the med boys think (www.Medfish.com) but that's not relavent here.

Dave

Dear Dave

Thanks for that link about med fish.Looks good.

As i said in my post, night spearfishing according to me is a big subject that shouldnt be taken light-hearted.

I just said my opinion replying to the posts from foxfish and baldy fish.

As far as i know the sea and the oceans are one. Maybe the laws and the legislation is different in UK,MED or USA but please allow me to disagree about how ethical or moral is the hunting at night.

To answer to your question about how i know all these things i can assure you that there is nothing nicer than diving at night with a torch.I have done it many times back home but i have never carried a speargun with me.

I dont think is only the "med boys" that think that way.

Of course i respect your experience as a night spearo and i believe you that it can be dangerous too but dont expect from me to get a kick out of night hunting.


Laws were made to be broken anyway.I am not talking about the legality of the subject in UK.

Just to let you know i wouldnt like to be a sleeping fish getting a spearshaft through my head, stunned by some hundreds of kW of light without getting a chance to get away.



With Respect

Nik
 
We are not going to agree on this but that's okay (with me anyway). One of the great things about DB is the ability to disagree in a nice way.

Personally after spearing for 40 years in daytime only I discovered night spearing 3 years ago and I love it. As I said before I don't find it "easier" just "different".

Dave
 
understand what your saying dave but what im saying is from a fish perspective its unfair to kill him when he is sleeping. It takes the joy out of the chase too. maybe this is because i lived in the med and saw how much preparation was needed for a fish to protect itself while sleeping, ive grown to respect this. its just a point of view i have.
johnny
 
We mainly hunt nocturnal species at night. Fish like red mullet and dover soles. These fish actually hide away in the day time and are only active at night. So by your arguement we shouldn't hunt these in the daytime when they are in fact hiding away and sleeping and so we should hunt them at night when they are active.

I think that the situation in the Med is very different to the UK.

Soles and reds are not in my experience blinded by the lights and are in fact fairly slow moving fish normally anyway. The don't swim off even if you saw an active one in the daytime (which is unlikely). Not the most sporting of fish to capture just some of the best eating.

I would encourage any spearo in the UK to experience night hunting but most will not want to do it too often (too difficult/dangerous). However i think you should try it first here in the UK rather than base an opinion on experience in the Med. You might change your mind. In a way I did. Until I tried it i never really had an idea what it would be like.

As I have said many times on DB though, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that.

Dave
 
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hey danas, i don't know what your background is, but if you haven't done all that much snorkeling etc, i'd say go as light as posible on equipment (outside wetsuit, weight, mask and fins) until you feel comfortable.

and then a torch is a very handy thing to have.

I'm still waiting on delivery of me speargun but i was also wondering about gear. Now i'm in no rush to go out buying loadsa gear before i've even tried it but what do i need to keep in mind? I'll be just using a regular steamer 5 4 3, i've got a hood,boots, diving knife, mask, snorkle, fins, wiegit belt and two good lungs... I dont have a reel or floats but i do have a kayak but no anchor

Mick
 
Day or night, whatever floats your boat. I have had a crack at both and have caught in both situations. I can't say one is easier than the other but I will say that if it is easier...brilliant! Isn't spearing all about finding and shooting your dinner?
 
Mick it looks like your good to go as soon as you get your gun. I started using the gear i had for scuba and I'm replacing it for spearo equipment bit by bit as I go on. I'm waiting on delivery of a two piece suit and I'm still using cressi scuba fins. long fins are next on the list but what I have are working fine. It can be difficult persuading my better half that the perfectly good equipment I have for scuba isn't suitable for apnea because it all looks the same to her.:chatup
 
hi Sunfish
"don't trap them up a gulley" - what it that ??? sorry english its not my native language .
Hi Danas, a gulley is a space among the rocks. If a seal thinks he can't get away he will bark and show his teeth. He may even bite.
Don't be afraid of them though. If they come to you they usually just want to look at you.
 
Old Man Dave Re: Ireland spearing 2008
We are not going to agree on this but that's okay (with me anyway). One of the great things about DB is the ability to disagree in a nice way.

Personally after spearing for 40 years in daytime only I discovered night spearing 3 years ago and I love it. As I said before I don't find it "easier" just "different".

Dave

Hey Dave.

Thats a good subject, isnt it?

It keeps us posting mad anyway

We might meet up in the future with a couple of :friday and have a chat.I might change your point of view...:):):):)

Isnt it great as you said that we can nicely argue?

Thats ok with me too.Its nice to post different views cause we all learn something out of it.


Regards

Nik
 
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Nice bass & pollock guys;)
Just to let you know i wouldnt like to be a sleeping fish getting a spearshaft through my head, stunned by some hundreds of kW of light without getting a chance to get away.
Surely better to be speared through the head while sleeping than while awake Nik?:D

I haven't speared at night yet but reading through various reports & discussions on the forum, I don't see a problem with it. The dangers & challenges are different. Ethics & techniques vary from region to region based on local needs & pressures. If you choose not to, good for you. You might be missing out though;).
 
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