I recently went to Norway. We had 7 days diving. On the last day Mick Veal had a mate who had a mate with a boat at Saltstraumen. A few text messages and a meet was organised. A 90 minute car drive with a ferry trip part of it and we rolled up at the guys house. After a friendly greeting and a few hand shakes we followed him down a muddy track through some woods to his little boat. Not easy when your wearing a 8.5 mm smooth skin suit top and 7mm bottoms with 12kgs of lead plus 2 guns and all the other gear you need to dive. From the mooring to the first spot was only about 150m. He told us what way the tide would run and for how long before it turned. Its one of the strongest tidal stretches in the world apparently. I was using a RA carbon 110 with twin 16mm bands and a 7mm spear. It was set up mainly for halibut.
Soon's i entered the water i couldn't believe the sight below me. It was a mass of coalfish from about 6 to 20lbs. The yellow sandy bottom made them stand out well in the incredible vis. I was to excited to dive on them. I only just got in, plus the tide was screaming. I left Mick And Shane to have a go at getting a big one out of it. I drifted toward the bridge where it narrows. I could see cod and coalfish everywhere but i wasnt there for that unless it was a specimen size one.
At about 12 m i could see what look like a tyre on the bottom. It caught my eye because it was a slightly different colour to every thing else on the bottom. The bottom was a mix of rock boulders and kelp with course sand and gravel. As i looked more at it i noticed a tail coming away from it and thought wow thats what im here for. I dived to towards it trying not to get pushed along with the tide. Once down on the bottom there wasn't that much tide. I lay beside it looking at the beast. I shot it on the right hand side of its head while just above it to its right hand side. The spear exited on the lower left hand side. I was able to hold both ends of the spear either side of its head keeping its mouth closed as i made my way to the surface.
The boat man took the beast from me then offered to drop me back up tide to where we first got in. This time i was relaxed and ready for the coalfish. Again they were there. A gently duck dive and fin down to about 14 m looking all the time for that one big one. So many to choose from , i picked a double out straighten the arm to shot when i noticed a bigger on to my left. I slowly move the gun aroung and took the shot hitting the coalfish mid body on the lateral line killing it instantly. This one went 16lbs .
Next it was time to move away from the narrow part because the tide was starting to run. The next spot was halibut ground. This was probably the best ground for halibut we had dived in the last 7 days. It was perfect flattie type ground. I seen one within moments of getting in. I dived down to have a look because from 14m away it didnt look big enough. I got right down beside it with out it spooking. It was boarder line size wise so i let it be. 80cm is the legal size. After 4 more sightings of under size halibut i finally seen a keeper. It was swimming about 3 m off the bottom in 12/14. The tide had just started to run the other way. The boat guy said when that happens is when your likely to see them move on to the ground. It was a amazing sight to see a monster 13kg flounder swimming towards me. I dive down gently without frightening it off and put a good shot into the head. I soon had it on the surface with a firm grip in its gills and waved the boat guy over. Mick was 40m from me. He was also sorting a fish out on the surface. His was a 27lb cod. A little while after i stabbed what look like a small plaice from the surface but once down next to it i realised it was a lot bigger, probably 6lbs. The boat was coming towards me now with the other 2 guys in. Mick was smiling away. he had a 33kg halibut in the boat but thats another story.
Foxfish i will let you name the Beast
