South Devon report 2007

[Doc]

I must admit to having been a rod and liner in the past but I havnt really had any grief from fishermen. They usually just want to know where the fish are and I do tell them about the topology below the waves. Any conversations are amiable and they soon realise that I'm choosy about size and type of fish. I have even given one away to a lad who had caught nothing in the 3 hours I was out there, hope his missus didnt notice the hole in the head!
Just be pleasant and dont get your back up, usually works.

 

[Mr. X]

some spots around torbay like hopes nose look like scene's out of saw, with all the fish chucked around and black bags full of mackerel still flapping about alive, the majority of tourists don't know how to kill a fish humanly:rcard . These are the people that give sea fishing a bad name. That's why i think a sea rod licence could possibly put tourist of the idea of buying a cheap rod and heading down to the local pier.

Hmm, dispatching a fish while spearfishing is pretty straightforward but what is the best way to deal with rod caught fish? Before taking up rod & handline fishing last year I thought about this -- and came to the conclusion that most of the millions of commercially caught fish (by rod or net) are left to asphyxiate. Having seen various alternatives (priests, rocks,...) used, I came to the conclusion that asphyxiation or iki-spike probably offer the best combination of speed, cleaness, distress, effectiveness - especially if there are children around.

However, having caught a fish on the kayak last year, a nearby child asked me to kill the flapping fish, so that it would not suffer. I was unable to, as I had already decided against the need to carry a priest or knife, but it made me re-examine my earlier conclusion. I know asthmatics and I am familiar with the distress breathing difficulties cause them. However, I still come to the same conclusion...asphyxiation or iki-spike. Maybe I'll just carry an iki-spike in future.

[How would you prefer to die - suffocation, stabbed or beaten over the head with club or rock?...or from a heart attack at a 100 on honeymoon with your 19 year old bride?! ]

 

[Huw]

You can always snap the spine simply by holding the fish with th palm of your hand on its back and holding tight around its underside with your other fingers of the same hand. Then use the index finger of your second hand to put down the mouth with your palm facing the sky, then pull back on the roof of the mouth untill the top of the head touches your hand on the fioshes back.

Quick, clean, humane... and no need to carry an iki.

(this thread has become rather grusome now!!)

BTW i would choose the latter of your options Mr X

Huw.

 

[Spiderman]

My experience of rod and line is quite limited, but I found that holding a fish firmly with two hands and striking the top of its head firmly against a hard object such as the corner of a pier wall or a metal railing had the desired effect - quick and non messy death (provived you don't swing the fish so hard that its head explodes!)

 

[Jez]

Ever tried killing a dogfish? They're like terminators or something!:martial

 

[Doc]

try vodka in is gills. it dies happy!!!
We used to pour a drop of rum or whiskey in dorado gills when we caught them living in the far east. quick and clean with no horrid blood and scales messing up the bosses boat!
tasted good as well

 

[scottwilson]

WOW did that really work doc. Ive heard of alcohol on scorpions but never to kill a fish. I find a good hard smack on the head does the trick oh and the honeymoon bride sounds pretty good to me.

 

[spearheads]

for small fish i just break the neck with my hands, but larger fish i will normally give it a smack on the head with something heavy, or one big clean cut down the back of the head till i cut the spine.

Huw this thread has turned a bit gory, telling are favourite Way to kill.

 

[scottie3030]

i find a whack always sort the men from the boys haha!
ive just got a new toy, 22 air rifle. nothing to do with spearing but as we're talking about killing stuff

 

[spearheads]

rofl i find a whack always sort the men from the boys haha!

hahaha , must cheak post before posting more often.

Air riffles lets get talking what you got, 22. you big man did you not like the girly .177

 

[spearheads]

Got in the water today stated of at oddicombe and checked out some deep water which was very strange diving in because the viz was so bad you just didnt know when the bottom is going to appear.
swam around to babbacombe nothing seen so moved on around to long quarry then half way to hopes nose. Did not do many dives was mainly just cheaking out my spots, but i did see some big wrasse and saw a few scallops.

 

[scottie3030]

i got a logun solo its a precharged 22 air rifle with all the trimmings on it. the 22 better for givin rabbits a good whack on the head thought i get one as my tigger finger was startin seize up, not many fish in bristol but theres loads of rabbits and pigeons!

 

[scottwilson]

Scottie3030 you should come down Paignton if you wanna WHACK some bunnies , I see them running across the Car Park at work in the morning and have often been tempted to pop one or two.

 

[spearheads]

Don't get caught you can only shoot on private land with the owners permission or you go prison long time and you won See your gun again.
You probably already know that.

Come down to the iar riffle club at paignton there's a big range, and they got a hunter range which is better for 22. riffles.

 

[scottie3030]

my friend and i go on drive byes through the country roads, missed a pheasant the other day! no you shouldnt shoot them with air rifles but had to have a go! :naughty gun club sounds good, my mum and dad have a big garden so thats where i go for practice!
just bought some decoy pigeons on ebay and i get my big ass batteries for my lamp tomorrow so this summer i will have rabbit and woodpigeon on the bbq as well as bass, mackrel ,scallops and anything else i can gather along the way!

Does anybody know if you can shoot ducks? and what the rules are?

 

[spearheads]

I think you need a game licence for pheasants, NO you cant shoot ducks.
Remember to set the decoys facing the wind or the birds wont land also you need to be very well hidden, build a hide 30 yards away from the decoys.


I have started to do some lamping again, Its very creepy when you are alone deep in the country side. Last time i went lamping i was laying down 40 yards from the rabbits hole when a badger crawled across my legs, it crapped its self when i jumped uprofl

 

[scottwilson]

You really are into your hunting spearheads. I might have get me a gun , it will give me something to do when I cant get in the water.

 

[spearheads]

You really are into your hunting spearheads. I might have get me a gun , it will give me something to do when I cant get in the water.

True maybe I'm a little obsessive rofl . If you going to get a gun i recommend a air arms s410 or 400 they are the best hunting guns in my opinion, also great at ft. There is a fishing shop in paignton with a gun shop above it , they have a great range of air rifles.

One more thing about decoys ,i find the best place to set them up is on a patch of small stones on the edge of a food source, after they eat they swallow small stones to aid digestion.
Decoying with a airifle in my opinion is more fun than with a 12 gauge shotgun.

I do wish that east wind would bugger off, would be nice to get in during the Easter holiday.

 

[scottwilson]

Agreed.rumour has it the weather is looking very good for the weekend.

 

[spearheads]

I'm diving at Plymouth breakwater next weekend which will make a nice change to my usual spots.
what you got a custom suit Scott.
But torbay is looking crap north and east winds.