Not pulling the trigger?

[Pinniped72]

I had the opportunity a month or so ago to dive in clearer waters, vis at least 15 foot when I am used to vis of 3 foot or less! I was just chilling on the surface when a big and I mean a big mullet came within 4 foot of me, along with a good number of his mates. We literally just looked at each other and he didn't budge at all, obviously didn't feel threatened and he hung about for a good 30 seconds. I didn't have my gun on me but to be honest I couldn't have shot him, it would've been too easy and wouldn't have felt right.............. to me, I know we are all different Has anyone had the same experience and yes, I know that many will now consider me a long haired, sandal wearing, politically correct, tree hugging raving lefty but out of interest have you?

 

[Selenium]

I would of shot him right between the eyes if I had a chance... I had a bass doing circles around me at the beginning of July... probably around 2 lb... and I had just snapped my spear... I just wished I could of shot him!

 

[sharkey]

Its just one of the "steps" as we progress, it becomes less important to shoot lots of fish, or the biggest fish, hopefully it becomes more important to just enjoy spearfishing the more experienced we are.
The irony & bonus to this, is that as we let more fish swim, we seem to be presented with greater opportunities at better larger fish.

 

[Pinniped72]

Wise words indeed sharkey, couldn't agree more

 

[cdavis]

Sharkey's got it. Pretty sure its a progression. I used to be as serious a killer as you could find. Now, once dinner is in the boat, I'd way rather play with'em than shot'em. If somebody else wants to do the dinner getting, fine with me(most of the time).

 

[subunit]

.... and yes, I know that many will now consider me a long haired, sandal wearing, politically correct, tree hugging raving lefty....

....and i guess thats exactly what you are....

 

[Woohoo]

Interesting thread. I totally understand the OP's way of thinking and think that's a place all spearos should ultimately want to be.

With any sport/hobby, once you reach a certain level of ability and experience you no longer have anything to prove to yourself or anybody else. If you know like the OP you have the ability to catch large Mullet all day long, then you should be mentally strong enough to enjoy leaving them as much as you do taking them. The more experience you have the more selective you can be, and that for me should be just as pleasurable and as much a part of the learning curve as taking PB's and record breaking numbers of fish per dive.

I personally am very happy when I leave the sea with a single legal size bass and more often than not leave with nothing. If you're edible and legal then make no mistake I will be trying to kill you, your family and all of your friends. That's where I'm at right now, but I look forward to one day being experienced enough, and to have caught enough fish that I too can look a big Mullet in the eyes and happily watch it swim away without the need or desire to kill it.

My desire to catch everything I possibly can is directly related to my lack of experience and ability. If you're still thinking like me when you're experienced then I think you've missed the whole point.

 

[Pinniped72]

I can't catch large mullet all day long, far from it, most of the time near me I would have to almost bump into one to shoot it! I just think that on that particular day, in that particular place, the viz was so great allowing me to see the fish clearly, I didn't have my gun and had no intentions of fishing, so weren't giving off signals spooking the fish. My dog does that with crows, she knows that running straight at them will see them flying off in short order so she just walks along pretending to eat clover and sniff the ground, looking in any direction other than the crows and when she thinks she's near enough for a sprint, goes for it................ the crows fly off, obviously, clever birds you know I just think on that day the beauty of the fish and the water would have been tarnished................ obviously well and truly tarnished for the fish..............maybe, could have missed, probably would have! For me, being in the water is enough, the sea is my go to spiritual place................... know you know I'm that dude on the toilet!

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I'm reading this on the toilet so I can relate.

I shot my first fish around 70 years ago so I'm not still trying to shoot everything I see. It's not that at 78 I'm very good at it anymore, but I don't like to bother to reload the gun unless it's a special fish. Just seeing all the life is enjoyable while I wait.

Your story reminds me of an experience about 20 years ago. We stopped near some kelp floating on the surface about 15 miles offshore in over 1000 feet of water. I jumped in and saw that the visibility was at least 80 feet with the early sun rays coming through. There was a single little yellowtail of about 10 to 15 pounds under the kelp paddy and it swam straight out to me and turned sideways a few feet in front of me. I didn't shoot and the guys in the boat asked why. I told them that the fish just seemed lonely out there and wanted some company, so it didn't seem right to take advantage of it.

 

[Selenium]

thats a good experience to have

 

[prospector]

It's fun hunting with a camera too. In the winter I live down in Baja, generally shoot one fish per week, other than that it's just diving with them or taking their pictures, which is no less exiting, great thread, cheers.

 

[Camospearo]

I had the opportunity a month or so ago to dive in clearer waters, vis at least 15 foot when I am used to vis of 3 foot or less! I was just chilling on the surface when a big and I mean a big mullet came within 4 foot of me, along with a good number of his mates. We literally just looked at each other and he didn't budge at all, obviously didn't feel threatened and he hung about for a good 30 seconds. I didn't have my gun on me but to be honest I couldn't have shot him, it would've been too easy and wouldn't have felt right.............. to me, I know we are all different Has anyone had the same experience and yes, I know that many will now consider me a long haired, sandal wearing, politically correct, tree hugging raving lefty but out of interest have you?

You did the right thing, mullet where I come from are bait fish and as pointed out as we progress through our spearfishing days ,less fish are killed and more quality presents itself . you are not a greeny because you let the odd fish away with its life only to have better targets present . I am a lucky soul in the fact that my stomping ground is in the northern parts of the Great Barrier Reef and I regularly pass up Coral trout under about 45 cm and some of my spearo mates find it hard to get their heads around that , give them time to get big enough to breed for a few seasons I say so my boy , who is cutting his teeth at the moment may have numerous opportunities to spear and eat big fish

 

[billder99]

...In the winter I live down in Baja, generally shoot one fish per week, other than that it's just diving with them or taking their pictures, which is no less exiting...

I am in Loreto, finally just met a buddy today for kayak spearfishing. Are you in this area?

 

[prospector]

I was down around Agua Verde, but am headed back to Canada early this year, probably back in same area next year.

 

[billder99]

Are you working with Robert Ross? The east end of Isla San Cosme and the little submerged reef 1/2 mile east of there have decent spearfishing, but Isla San Damian is off the charts for pargo.

 

[prospector]

I’m not with Robert Ross, but I have several videos of those pargo out at Damien, spent the last eight winters in that general area, cheers