I might be diving in a area that has a strong population of Sea Lions, so my question is should i worry about one of those huge things attacking me? Have there been many encounters with Sea Lions while spearfishing? Will i have a larger chance of getting attacked if i have a stringer of fish? Thanks in advance for any info
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Sea Lions and things
- Thread starterBaka
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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In the north pacific, diving with sea lions is safe from January to March. During this season they are waiting for the herring. Once mating season starts (May?), then they get really aggressive.
During the passive season (Jan/Feb/March), they will play bite you all over your body, including your head, if you stay still. It is really fun. During mating season the same play bites could be fatal.
At least that's how it is in the north pacific.
During the passive season (Jan/Feb/March), they will play bite you all over your body, including your head, if you stay still. It is really fun. During mating season the same play bites could be fatal.
At least that's how it is in the north pacific.
Have no knowledge about that, but I'de be careful spearing around other big predators, some of the tricks they might do to get your fish could be painful...
Like Eric stated, u should consider their attitudes according to the months..Once I saw a fisherman who is messing with monk seal by using piece of fish. At the end, he is bitten and his whole hand' skin plum torn. It was nasty..Lions are bigger than seals, so , need more attention,,himm
Also,I heard this guys r shootin seals :rcard coz of they r thinkin seals are giving damage to their nets..But, never be witnessed maybe just a rumor...However, I am sure u r not gonna mess with them:t
Have fun,
Burak
Also,I heard this guys r shootin seals :rcard coz of they r thinkin seals are giving damage to their nets..But, never be witnessed maybe just a rumor...However, I am sure u r not gonna mess with them:t
Have fun,
Burak
The first time one of those big bastards bluff charges you you will instantly have a SWB. Shallow Water Brown-out.
O
omega3
Guest
I hear the bites go septic quite easily.
There is a great pic on longstreath.com of a sea lion with its mouth over a kids head having a little "feel"
There is a great pic on longstreath.com of a sea lion with its mouth over a kids head having a little "feel"
In SoCal I often encounter Harbor seals. They are harmless enough but will tend to get curious when I start stringing fish or chum for larger fish. While treading water, my buddy actually kicked one in the face with his fin when it got curious and came right up under us. Seal wasn't having it and took off. But just be relaxed, because when a seal flies full-tilt passed you it might take some time to get your breathing back to normal
Sea lions can get very agressive when it comes to food, just as any animal does. If you have a fish and he wants it, there is very little you can do to prevent him from taking it. If you try to fight him for it you could be bitten.
Would I would worry about more however is sharks, big sharks. Usually where there are high populations of sea lions there are big white sharks.
Would I would worry about more however is sharks, big sharks. Usually where there are high populations of sea lions there are big white sharks.
It's nice diving with sea lions, but if you are spearfishing they might be a hassle scaring the fish at the bottom before you actually get there.
I have fought many times with the sea lions that try to steal your fish from your hands, it's not nice, specially with the big ones that tend to be more agressive.:ko
The ''fight'' consist in slaping the water, making noise and ultimately, just floating on your back with the fish on your stomach while trying to swim to the buoy. If the agression happens at the buoy just make noise and aim at them with the speargun (but never shoot!), the sea lion will circle around and under you for a while and hopefully it will give up.:martial
Most common is that they will try to steal the fish from the stringer, in order to avoid this you will have to attach a bag (mesh-bag-style) to the buoy and put all the fish there (through the stringer first and then in the bag). This will help a lot.
As it was said, try to not to dive among them if it's the matting season, the big males are more agressive than ever and might consider the diver a threat.
Diving with the younger ones is really nice, they are very curious and tend to bite everything to see if they can play with it, just like a dog, so watch out for your fins, snorkel, speargun and lines.
The rest should be fun, just enjoy it!:t :t
I have attached pictures taken in the Palomino Islands in Peru, where there is a permanent colony of sea lions...and some good fishing too.
Cheers,
Roberto
I have fought many times with the sea lions that try to steal your fish from your hands, it's not nice, specially with the big ones that tend to be more agressive.:ko
The ''fight'' consist in slaping the water, making noise and ultimately, just floating on your back with the fish on your stomach while trying to swim to the buoy. If the agression happens at the buoy just make noise and aim at them with the speargun (but never shoot!), the sea lion will circle around and under you for a while and hopefully it will give up.:martial
Most common is that they will try to steal the fish from the stringer, in order to avoid this you will have to attach a bag (mesh-bag-style) to the buoy and put all the fish there (through the stringer first and then in the bag). This will help a lot.
As it was said, try to not to dive among them if it's the matting season, the big males are more agressive than ever and might consider the diver a threat.
Diving with the younger ones is really nice, they are very curious and tend to bite everything to see if they can play with it, just like a dog, so watch out for your fins, snorkel, speargun and lines.
The rest should be fun, just enjoy it!:t :t
I have attached pictures taken in the Palomino Islands in Peru, where there is a permanent colony of sea lions...and some good fishing too.
Cheers,
Roberto
