Is it necessary to do a spearfishing course?

[Mr. X]

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Which is why it's gaining such momentum on social media. And since no one is impressed when you shoot a bream with a bazooka they all dive deep for the big grouper, which is already labeled as endangered. Both the safety and ecologic margins are traded for youtube views.

You are right, there are a lot of grouper spearing video on YouTube - far too many - but they are so boring. The first half of the video is often a long descent using a hand held weight. The spearo points his Speargun into a hole (often marked with an object) and shoots the hidden fish and then tediously ascends. I can't watch them anymore. .

Too much depth, not enough hunting. And Shooting grouper seems akin to shooting Wrasse but at depth. Not a fan.

 

[Mr. X]

This one?

www.amazon.com/Len-Jones-Guide-Spearfishing-Zealand/dp/0473082519/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Len+Jone's+Guide+To+Spearfishing&qid=1595132821&s=books&sr=1-1

Yes, I have the South African version. The difference is probably the fish section.

 

[alex95]

Hi Alex,

Your question inspired me to my first post (a little late). For background, I've been diving since 1988, and teaching SCUBA for about 17 years. I guess that puts me in the "old-fart" category with Nomad.

You sound like you have a good safety ethic, and I'm hearing some really good advice and references from the responders. I teach a spearfishing class, but it is tailored more to my home environment here in South Carolina and probably wouldn't be the best fit for you. We are doing academics online now, and it seems to work well. I would recommend that you take a course local to where you will hunt, and find someone to hunt with who can show you the basics. I'd also recommend dealing with a local shop when looking for gear. The advice and support you get from local professionals will save you money in the long run compared to internet bargains.

I'll offer a few tips that I haven't seen posted yet:

Spearguns should be treated just like firearms, i.e. watch where your pointing it, know your target and what's behind it, etc. Add to that: Never charge a speargun out of the water, and discharge or unload it before it comes out of the water.

Mr. X gave good advice about the length of gun you might want. Consider the visibility where you will hunt. Shot distance should determine gun length. Shorter guns are easier to load, but won't reach out in clear water where fish keep their distance. There is nothing wrong with a pole spear for starters, and you'll learn a lot quickly.

Next, find a place to do some target practice. I rigged a foam board to shoot at in the local lake. Many beginners aim for the "center of mass" like a bullseye. Don't do that. Fish shot in the gut or the middle of the filets will die, but you won't necessarily capture them. Fish have a "lateral-line" that you can see. It follows the spine and is generally accepted as the best place to put your shot. Personally, I prefer a shot about an inch behind the eye. That's where the brain is, and a fish shot there will give you no trouble.

Lastly, learn the species and catch restrictions before you go. Always know what it is before you shoot it. There are probably some abundant species where you are going that are good to eat, not too hard to find, and will make for easy practice.

Best of luck to you, and let us know how it goes!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share that with me! Some really great advice especially regarding gun safety and where exactly to shoot the fish! I've posted in a local forum and a couple of people have offered to give me a message next time they're heading out, so looking forward to picking their brains as well and learning from locals. It's been great to get so much detailed advice from posting on a forum, very much looking forward to joining the spearfishing community!

 

[Leander]

You are right, there are a lot of grouper spearing video on YouTube - far too many - but they are so boring. The first half of the video is often a long descent using a hand held weight. The spearo points his Speargun into a hole (often marked with an object) and shoots the hidden fish and then tediously ascends. I can't watch them anymore. .

Too much depth, not enough hunting. And Shooting grouper seems akin to shooting Wrasse but at depth. Not a fan.

I can't shoot groupers. They seem so friendly. Always coming to me to say hi. Very different fron lionfish who look and behave like they're the schoolyards bully.
And tbh, shooting an endagered species while there is a problematic invasive species that taste just as good, perhaps even better, doesn't show a lot of respect for the sea.

This makes me wonder btw, do spearfishing courses also touch the subject of ethics? Or just aim, shoot, kill, picture?

 

[Mr. X]

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This makes me wonder btw, do spearfishing courses also touch the subject of ethics? Or just aim, shoot, kill, picture?

There should be but I expect most concentrate on technique, safety and legality. Hard to cram everything into a short course.

Perhaps we should also ask if ethics is part of business courses, management training, HR, banking courses, accountancy, legal education, political studies, medical training and commercial fishing. Judging by recent history, there is a need. Perhaps as part of basic education too?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Ethics in spearfishing is a slippery topic. On other forums, Spearboard in particular, I’ve seen bitter arguments over the ethics of spearing on scuba. In Florida it’s common and in California almost no one goes it. I grew up in Florida and used scuba. I never use it in California where I live now. The Florida guys point out that they generally have to five much deeper and good luck retrieving a big fish from a wreck freediving. Just yesterday I watched a video of a Florida guy shooting a 134 pound grouper in scuba but he was at 268 feet. Could you shoot at 268 feet on breath hold? Or is it unethical to chase them that derp anyway?

Does edibility matter? Right now there is a video here of a guy shooting a 42 kg
amberjack. He didn’t have to dive super deep to shoot it in a hole. It swam right up to him in open water. I see video of people shooting amberjack all the time and I cringe. My father was a commercial fisherman and charter captain in Florida and amberjack were considered trash fish, not worth bringing home when we could eat grouper or snapper. I’ve gone down anchor lines when the circle of amberjacks was so thick
I couldn’t see through it do they sure would have been easy prey if I wanted one.

But maybe some people think they taste great so who am I to say they are shooting trash fish?

And back to California. Our two main targets are White Sea Bass and yellowtail and neither one likes bubbles. So maybe it would actually be more sporting to hunt them on scuba instead of sneaking up on them silently?

 

[Leander]

Agreed, but even the term 'ethics' is just too broad. It has som many forms. Your examplemof spearing on scuba is one, and one that can have both valid pros and cons. But taking care of your environment, to work in a way that is sustainable for all is another. I could take grouper because I'm allowed. I can even take the last grouper of the reef. But I don't because I can see that it's not sustaibable. It's a dead end, and quite literally so too.

I hope to see more people make decisions based on what is good -for all- in the long run, and in every part of society, including all of X's list.

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, good point Bill. I wasn't thinking of brow-beating specific beliefs but rather encouraging new spearos to think about the big picture - increasing human population, declining fish stocks, commercial fishing pressures, pollution, increasing extinction of species, etc. - and the small picture, the local environment, e.g. over fished/overcrowded/under pressure?, species preservation, sustainability, pollution/litter. To be fair, most spearos, or forum members at least, already seem pretty "woke" on such things.

To keep things in proportion, I find it useful to remind myself that some new British commercial fishing boats will catch 4 tons (or is that tonnes?) of mackerel in a single net full. Hardly sustainable fishing.

 

[Leander]

To keep things in proportion, I find it useful to remind myself that some new British commercial fishing boats will catch 4 tons (or is that tonnes?) of mackerel in a single net full. Hardly sustainable fishing.

Just don't see it as an excuse. If something feels unsustainable to you then go with that feeling, even if on the background people take out thousands at once.

That is at least my way of thinking. As long as I care, there is at least one in the world who cares, so all is not yet lost.

 

[Mr. X]

Yup, if something feels wrong it generally is. Trust that extinct and let it guide you.