Scott - of course your allowed your own opinion. Never feel that you cannot express your own opinion here - we are an open forum and never remove posts unless they are specifically slanderous or illegal.
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Spearing On Scuba
- Thread starterAbriapnea
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Ethics
Maybe we should start a new thread called
"The ethics of spearfishing"
because this is what the whole argument is about. but it doesnt stop at scuba/freediving. some people refuse to shoot reefies because they are "too easy". they say its like shooting cows, but what is the difference when the game fish charge in to have a look at you flasher anyway. is it not true that often, getting close enough to the fish is half the battle won. after that you have to fire the gun (making sure that the safety is off
), hit the target, placing a good shot, get hold of the fish and then fight off the sharks that are trying to share the spoils.
in my opinion, as long as you activities are sustainable, then how the fish gets into the pan is up to the fisherman. but then one needs to consider what is sport. if it is too easy then it is more of a harvest and there isnt much sport in it, and the person shooting should realise that and not brag about it.
thats my 2c
Mark
Maybe we should start a new thread called
"The ethics of spearfishing"
because this is what the whole argument is about. but it doesnt stop at scuba/freediving. some people refuse to shoot reefies because they are "too easy". they say its like shooting cows, but what is the difference when the game fish charge in to have a look at you flasher anyway. is it not true that often, getting close enough to the fish is half the battle won. after that you have to fire the gun (making sure that the safety is off
), hit the target, placing a good shot, get hold of the fish and then fight off the sharks that are trying to share the spoils. in my opinion, as long as you activities are sustainable, then how the fish gets into the pan is up to the fisherman. but then one needs to consider what is sport. if it is too easy then it is more of a harvest and there isnt much sport in it, and the person shooting should realise that and not brag about it.
thats my 2c
Mark
Thank you Stephan.
Some people seem to not grasp the concept that people's views expressed on this Forum are their opinions and that everybody is entitled to have one. There is no wrong or right, they are only personal viewpoints. I think donmoore provided a perfect example of how this Forum should function. He had a differing opinion than mine and he debated my post extremely tactfully. He expressed his own opinion very nicely and pointed out why and what made him feel the way he did. I liked reading his post and it made me understand why he felt the way he does instead of just insulting me or saying I was wrong.
BTW, if I didn't have my own opinion, I think I'd adopt Griff's from above. Nicely put Griff.
Scott Turgeon
Some people seem to not grasp the concept that people's views expressed on this Forum are their opinions and that everybody is entitled to have one. There is no wrong or right, they are only personal viewpoints. I think donmoore provided a perfect example of how this Forum should function. He had a differing opinion than mine and he debated my post extremely tactfully. He expressed his own opinion very nicely and pointed out why and what made him feel the way he did. I liked reading his post and it made me understand why he felt the way he does instead of just insulting me or saying I was wrong.
BTW, if I didn't have my own opinion, I think I'd adopt Griff's from above. Nicely put Griff.
Scott Turgeon
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Re: Ethics
I certainly don't think shooting reefies is easy . I spent some time working as a commercial spearo on the Zululand south coast and some of those bottoms were hell on wheels to get to ...
My taking only pelagics is just another expression of our right to enjoy our personal preferences . My (personal) dislike in spearing bottoms comes from the quality fish I was obliged to take in order to survive during this period and is the reason I gave up commercial spearing ... Not a happy period in my spearing life , although I did manage to whack three sailies over a period of one month ...:king
I certainly don't think shooting reefies is easy . I spent some time working as a commercial spearo on the Zululand south coast and some of those bottoms were hell on wheels to get to ...
My taking only pelagics is just another expression of our right to enjoy our personal preferences . My (personal) dislike in spearing bottoms comes from the quality fish I was obliged to take in order to survive during this period and is the reason I gave up commercial spearing ... Not a happy period in my spearing life , although I did manage to whack three sailies over a period of one month ...:king
Re: Ethics
Thanks Scott
and Abri
rofl rofl
zululand south coast? where? i grew up in Richards Bay and would like to know what is divable in the area for when i go home to visit the folks.
is highpoints only for the hard core?
Thanks Scott
and Abri
3 salies in one month? now that sounds too easy!
rofl roflzululand south coast? where? i grew up in Richards Bay and would like to know what is divable in the area for when i go home to visit the folks.
is highpoints only for the hard core?
trimax
Abriapnea,
I saw and talked to two guy who were spearfishing on Trimax on a 160' rig. Don't know if it legal or not. I know the biggest snapper are on the deeper rigs. It sounds like Florida has more spearfishing laws and they are better inforced than Texas.
Don
Abriapnea,
I saw and talked to two guy who were spearfishing on Trimax on a 160' rig. Don't know if it legal or not. I know the biggest snapper are on the deeper rigs. It sounds like Florida has more spearfishing laws and they are better inforced than Texas.
Don
Don,
I know a group of commercial hunters over on the Gulf Coast of FL that claim they're experimenting with trimix. They use it for longer bottom time and of course the no narcosis at depth aspect of it can be a lifesaver. I think they're looking in the 200-250 ft depth range. I've attached an example of what they're finding (93 lbs). Although, I'm not sure sure this partcular fish came from trimix. They get bigger than this also, I think 115 lbs (gutted) is their record.
Abri,
41 meters, now that's impressive!!!!!!!!!
Scott Turgeon
I know a group of commercial hunters over on the Gulf Coast of FL that claim they're experimenting with trimix. They use it for longer bottom time and of course the no narcosis at depth aspect of it can be a lifesaver. I think they're looking in the 200-250 ft depth range. I've attached an example of what they're finding (93 lbs). Although, I'm not sure sure this partcular fish came from trimix. They get bigger than this also, I think 115 lbs (gutted) is their record.
Abri,
41 meters, now that's impressive!!!!!!!!!
Scott Turgeon
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TRIMAX???? Can i ask what is it???Is it a kind of medical supply?
BTW hi Scott Turgeon;
I am wondering why u didn`t enter the OMER-RIFFE blue water touranment.Can you explain the reason if its not too special plz?
I noticed that some of the great speros that i expect to join, just didn`t enter it.They were just 12 competitor.Interesting........
BTW hi Scott Turgeon;
I am wondering why u didn`t enter the OMER-RIFFE blue water touranment.Can you explain the reason if its not too special plz?
I noticed that some of the great speros that i expect to join, just didn`t enter it.They were just 12 competitor.Interesting........
Sturgeon...why is that after Abri restated his intentions(exploring why those who do, do...) you feel the need to continue with banter about your opinion...like Abri said, that is not the intention of this discussion.
Abri, to answer your question of me. I guess you could try to shoot those AJ's freediving but here is the problem. The particular set of rigs I prefer to use scuba at sit 84 miles offshore in 300-400ft. of water. The AJ's prefer to hang out at 170+ ft. If you could draw them up to 70 ft or so and manage to shoot one in my humple opinion, it would be most difficult to retrieve. You see these commercial platforms have many hazards such as long line mono in balls as big as a house, discarded pipe and cable from the platform, ect. Maybe I just need to develope my skills to your level(I hope one day I will!)
As for a typical dive, I know I will get reamed for this, but I drop as deep as I plan to go...usually 195'. I quickly access the rig and if nothing is big enough to warrant a shot I hunt my way back to the surface. However more often than not I find a big AJ or grouper...if the shot takes place deep I immediately try to drag the fish up to 100' or less where i can safely deal with him. Depending on how long this takes I will drop back down a little bit and possibly take a second fish. I promise it is not as easy as many of you would like to believe. We also contend with the murk...that is Mississippi River runoff. It is freshwater that sits on top of the more dense saltwater. Somedays it iss non existant, others however, I have seen it go as deep as 80'. When you break through the murk it is pure blue...but an 80 mile boatride is a long way to go to find out...somedays I do freedive while my buddies scuba(I am the only freediver here)but then again, other days it just is not possible.
Hope I at least began to staisfy your curiosity.
Capt. Michael Freeman
Abri, to answer your question of me. I guess you could try to shoot those AJ's freediving but here is the problem. The particular set of rigs I prefer to use scuba at sit 84 miles offshore in 300-400ft. of water. The AJ's prefer to hang out at 170+ ft. If you could draw them up to 70 ft or so and manage to shoot one in my humple opinion, it would be most difficult to retrieve. You see these commercial platforms have many hazards such as long line mono in balls as big as a house, discarded pipe and cable from the platform, ect. Maybe I just need to develope my skills to your level(I hope one day I will!)
As for a typical dive, I know I will get reamed for this, but I drop as deep as I plan to go...usually 195'. I quickly access the rig and if nothing is big enough to warrant a shot I hunt my way back to the surface. However more often than not I find a big AJ or grouper...if the shot takes place deep I immediately try to drag the fish up to 100' or less where i can safely deal with him. Depending on how long this takes I will drop back down a little bit and possibly take a second fish. I promise it is not as easy as many of you would like to believe. We also contend with the murk...that is Mississippi River runoff. It is freshwater that sits on top of the more dense saltwater. Somedays it iss non existant, others however, I have seen it go as deep as 80'. When you break through the murk it is pure blue...but an 80 mile boatride is a long way to go to find out...somedays I do freedive while my buddies scuba(I am the only freediver here)but then again, other days it just is not possible.
Hope I at least began to staisfy your curiosity.
Capt. Michael Freeman
rigdvr,
I don't know what you're talking about. The only response I made to Abri was how impressed I was with him shooting a fish at 41 M (freediving). The post I think your chastising me for, was directed at Anderson about my spearing every weekend (I wanted to address that) and to you as to why I would never want to be associated with SCUBA spearfishing, even if it means a 'divided front'.
Murat,
Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the OMER tournament this year because I had to go to CA to defend my National Titles (I was there for 2 weeks), I'm also going to the World Championships in Brazil (another 2 weeks), and on top of all that I just had my first baby (he's 4.5 months old and his birth cost me another week). I'm done with vacation time until 2003.
Also keep in mind, a lot of the top competition divers in the Country and around the World won't do a tournament unless it's a qualifier for the Nationals or Worlds or the Nationals or Worlds themselves. That's not me though, I would've done the OMER tournament if I had the time and money.
Scott Turgeon
I don't know what you're talking about. The only response I made to Abri was how impressed I was with him shooting a fish at 41 M (freediving). The post I think your chastising me for, was directed at Anderson about my spearing every weekend (I wanted to address that) and to you as to why I would never want to be associated with SCUBA spearfishing, even if it means a 'divided front'.
Murat,
Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the OMER tournament this year because I had to go to CA to defend my National Titles (I was there for 2 weeks), I'm also going to the World Championships in Brazil (another 2 weeks), and on top of all that I just had my first baby (he's 4.5 months old and his birth cost me another week). I'm done with vacation time until 2003.
Also keep in mind, a lot of the top competition divers in the Country and around the World won't do a tournament unless it's a qualifier for the Nationals or Worlds or the Nationals or Worlds themselves. That's not me though, I would've done the OMER tournament if I had the time and money.
Scott Turgeon
PEACE PEACE ...........
I am a scuba hunter and wanting to learn to freedive cause I am beginning to see that I will get more fish by freediving, if the location is right.
My close by area only offer wrecks, FADs which are 4 buses stacked 2 by 2 and oil drums and one abandoned oil rig. The wrecks are at 120-170 feet bottom. The FADs are at 120 feet and the oil rig is at 120 feet. Visibility sucks, I will say 12 feet-15 feet about right. The deeper I go the more visibility sucks. If sometime u need to hit the wreck with the end of your speargun tip to learn that u have reached the wreck, viz can't be that nice right ??
I always do scuba on these places, except at the rig where I sometime freedive, may I say I snorkel waiting for rainbow runners. In certain wrecks, the current is so strong + bad viz, only tank dive can get me to the fish spot on the wreck ( with rope assistance ) , mind you these 3 wrecks are 500 feet long, so I get lost easy. This area is proven bad place, I know some good 100' Aussie freediver that could not dive these wrecks on apnea even when the shallowest deck is only at 70 feet. They might touch down but they can't see and shoot shit.
In a further area by the Indian Ocean side I have tried freeding/snorkeling. In all the very few hours I spent freediving there, I saw two Spanish Mackerel already..... this is why I think freediving will yield more fish. YEP I could not get close to one and I missed the other one....can't go deep you see.
I think there are places for both skill. The more rich fish area you are in, freediving will make more sense and of course more fish.
I seen good fishes from the surface to about 100 feet of depth, many at 60 feet in good area. If I can do 100 feet and 2 minutes, I will find my a way to kiss my OWN ass...ha ha ha ...both sound ridicoulously impossible now, for me. This area is where I troll for Tuna and that means they hang around shallow when the time is right. My Rapala lure does not go deeper than 20-30 feet at most. I even seen a Marlin sun bathing on the surface that we failed to tease it to consume our lure. I do not have a speargun with me that day and using one without a float will be a suicide anyway. Well this is a polite excuse of saying " I'm scared the Marlin will makes slices of Shushi out of me "
Bali in Nusa Penida is one place that I spent about 6 tanks dive and I seen so many doog tooth, OK small 20 kg but to me those are better than any nude Baywatch Girls. Out of the 6 dives I seen like a total of 20 fishes, that is plentyful for poor me. If u 100' freedive dudes were there, you will definitely get a few.
I think those who can dive well on scuba and decently good on apnea is a lucky hunter.
Since I am noisy, less mobile, slow and do not use float line while on scuba, any 15kg fish or bigger that I shoot is a possible liability when not stoned. Loosing the gun is another option.
I think it is a fair enough sport. I recalled shooting a merely 20kg giant trevally in a FAD, the sunken bus. Since viz is always bad, I need to approach the front window of the bus slowly, side window too small to take aim, and rely on the illumination of the light coming from the rear window. I don't see the fish, all I can see is the silhoutte. If the GT goes not move around, I would probably missed it as one of the chair/seat of the bus. I mean this is awful and clusterphobic kind of visibility. Since I can't aim by looking at my speartip angle on the fish, a midbody shot as close as possible to the gill is the popular hit zone. This GT at 20 kg is big, so I will hit something of it for sure. I must shoot fast cause I know it surely have spotted and hear my bubbles. Typical time is under 5 seconds by the time I place my face and gun on the bus window. I hate when the GT moved around cause aiming at blackness without the speartip in sight and the GT keep moving is not fun. I get dizzy sometime looking at nothing and see nothing, the eyes just can't focus.
GT in/around the FAD in my poor area is not like what you see on Discovery channel or in Great Barrier Reef. They take off when they see you, they are not curious, they hate you. This is why we consider them prized target. When I saw how curious and approachable Amberjacks are on spearing videos....man I was jelous. The dumbest GT I seen was in South China Sea on an abandoned oil rig. These fishes come to you. I guess fishes behave differently by the geography. In Bali famous Tulamben wreck, you can even feed the fishes with banana. No shooting here.
That day I shot that 20 kg GT in the sunken bus and it gave me the strongest pull, must have hit the gill. I was dragged into the bus thru the front window. All I could do was spread my legs around the window frame praying I will not be dragged inside the bus. The bus is 20 years old underwater and unsafe to enter. My last resort was using the gun against the window frame as a brake cause sea urchin spikes was entering my foot from the soft sole of my full foot fins. The GT went mad and it broke free, leaving me with a 60 degree bent shaft, bruised gun and no fish.
What a waste. In this circumstances, I think unless u are very superb freediver, I don't think u can hunt this kind of FAD.
As for the stealthy Job fish, my friend and I have got them a few times on scuba, no problem. The key in my experience is consistent breathing rhythm. Fishes hear you even before you see them, sudden move is another bad one. If fishes are scared by noise alone, no fish will eat a lure trolled by a boat. Propellers are very noisy underwater. My only problem with rythm is when I see a big fish my heart goes goo-goo-gaga like Apeman so does my breathing.
I experimented a few weeks back on how a sudden noise can scare fishes while freediving . So I farted a few times......... , those powerful fart with obstrusive sound does scare the fish. Those mild low frequency rumble, the fish don't mind...wha ha ha ha
As for me ,where I do not break law and where my apnea skill can't take me ( ooppss must be almost all location !! ) , I suck those regulators hard.
May The Force Be With You,
Master YODA
P.S
Turgeon,I thought Omer sponsors you for all comp , I mean u just bring ur Omer gun and they pay all the bills ? Don't speargun manufacturers sponsor spearos like how good sportfishermen get sponsorship + $$$ from fishing tackle manufacturers and boats manufacturer ????
PEACE ...........I am a scuba hunter and wanting to learn to freedive cause I am beginning to see that I will get more fish by freediving, if the location is right.
My close by area only offer wrecks, FADs which are 4 buses stacked 2 by 2 and oil drums and one abandoned oil rig. The wrecks are at 120-170 feet bottom. The FADs are at 120 feet and the oil rig is at 120 feet. Visibility sucks, I will say 12 feet-15 feet about right. The deeper I go the more visibility sucks. If sometime u need to hit the wreck with the end of your speargun tip to learn that u have reached the wreck, viz can't be that nice right ??
I always do scuba on these places, except at the rig where I sometime freedive, may I say I snorkel waiting for rainbow runners. In certain wrecks, the current is so strong + bad viz, only tank dive can get me to the fish spot on the wreck ( with rope assistance ) , mind you these 3 wrecks are 500 feet long, so I get lost easy. This area is proven bad place, I know some good 100' Aussie freediver that could not dive these wrecks on apnea even when the shallowest deck is only at 70 feet. They might touch down but they can't see and shoot shit.
In a further area by the Indian Ocean side I have tried freeding/snorkeling. In all the very few hours I spent freediving there, I saw two Spanish Mackerel already..... this is why I think freediving will yield more fish. YEP I could not get close to one and I missed the other one....can't go deep you see.
I think there are places for both skill. The more rich fish area you are in, freediving will make more sense and of course more fish.
I seen good fishes from the surface to about 100 feet of depth, many at 60 feet in good area. If I can do 100 feet and 2 minutes, I will find my a way to kiss my OWN ass...ha ha ha ...both sound ridicoulously impossible now, for me. This area is where I troll for Tuna and that means they hang around shallow when the time is right. My Rapala lure does not go deeper than 20-30 feet at most. I even seen a Marlin sun bathing on the surface that we failed to tease it to consume our lure. I do not have a speargun with me that day and using one without a float will be a suicide anyway. Well this is a polite excuse of saying " I'm scared the Marlin will makes slices of Shushi out of me
"Bali in Nusa Penida is one place that I spent about 6 tanks dive and I seen so many doog tooth, OK small 20 kg but to me those are better than any nude Baywatch Girls. Out of the 6 dives I seen like a total of 20 fishes, that is plentyful for poor me. If u 100' freedive dudes were there, you will definitely get a few.
I think those who can dive well on scuba and decently good on apnea is a lucky hunter.
Since I am noisy, less mobile, slow and do not use float line while on scuba, any 15kg fish or bigger that I shoot is a possible liability when not stoned. Loosing the gun is another option.
I think it is a fair enough sport. I recalled shooting a merely 20kg giant trevally in a FAD, the sunken bus. Since viz is always bad, I need to approach the front window of the bus slowly, side window too small to take aim, and rely on the illumination of the light coming from the rear window. I don't see the fish, all I can see is the silhoutte. If the GT goes not move around, I would probably missed it as one of the chair/seat of the bus. I mean this is awful and clusterphobic kind of visibility. Since I can't aim by looking at my speartip angle on the fish, a midbody shot as close as possible to the gill is the popular hit zone. This GT at 20 kg is big, so I will hit something of it for sure. I must shoot fast cause I know it surely have spotted and hear my bubbles. Typical time is under 5 seconds by the time I place my face and gun on the bus window. I hate when the GT moved around cause aiming at blackness without the speartip in sight and the GT keep moving is not fun. I get dizzy sometime looking at nothing and see nothing, the eyes just can't focus.
GT in/around the FAD in my poor area is not like what you see on Discovery channel or in Great Barrier Reef. They take off when they see you, they are not curious, they hate you. This is why we consider them prized target. When I saw how curious and approachable Amberjacks are on spearing videos....man I was jelous. The dumbest GT I seen was in South China Sea on an abandoned oil rig. These fishes come to you. I guess fishes behave differently by the geography. In Bali famous Tulamben wreck, you can even feed the fishes with banana. No shooting here.
That day I shot that 20 kg GT in the sunken bus and it gave me the strongest pull, must have hit the gill. I was dragged into the bus thru the front window. All I could do was spread my legs around the window frame praying I will not be dragged inside the bus. The bus is 20 years old underwater and unsafe to enter. My last resort was using the gun against the window frame as a brake cause sea urchin spikes was entering my foot from the soft sole of my full foot fins. The GT went mad and it broke free, leaving me with a 60 degree bent shaft, bruised gun and no fish.
What a waste. In this circumstances, I think unless u are very superb freediver, I don't think u can hunt this kind of FAD.
As for the stealthy Job fish, my friend and I have got them a few times on scuba, no problem. The key in my experience is consistent breathing rhythm. Fishes hear you even before you see them, sudden move is another bad one. If fishes are scared by noise alone, no fish will eat a lure trolled by a boat. Propellers are very noisy underwater. My only problem with rythm is when I see a big fish my heart goes goo-goo-gaga like Apeman so does my breathing.
I experimented a few weeks back on how a sudden noise can scare fishes while freediving . So I farted a few times.........
, those powerful fart with obstrusive sound does scare the fish. Those mild low frequency rumble, the fish don't mind...wha ha ha haAs for me ,where I do not break law and where my apnea skill can't take me ( ooppss must be almost all location !! ) , I suck those regulators hard.
May The Force Be With You,
Master YODA
P.S
Turgeon,I thought Omer sponsors you for all comp , I mean u just bring ur Omer gun and they pay all the bills ? Don't speargun manufacturers sponsor spearos like how good sportfishermen get sponsorship + $$$ from fishing tackle manufacturers and boats manufacturer ????
Sturgeon
I am referring to the 2 posts you made following Abri's on page 3...I can not be much more plain than that (not to mention the tantrum about why your opinion is your opinion). As for you adopting Griff's theory...do it because you have no idea what is involved in the type of hunting here...its not a 30 ft. reef in FL!
Anyway Im done with this b/c opinions are like buttholes...we all have one and most of them stink!
Good hunting to ALL...
I am referring to the 2 posts you made following Abri's on page 3...I can not be much more plain than that (not to mention the tantrum about why your opinion is your opinion). As for you adopting Griff's theory...do it because you have no idea what is involved in the type of hunting here...its not a 30 ft. reef in FL!
Anyway Im done with this b/c opinions are like buttholes...we all have one and most of them stink!
Good hunting to ALL...
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Thanks , Scott ; sure trimix will eliminate the narcotic effect but the deco penlty you aquire will mean hanging around , sometimes for hours , and possibly with some gently beeding fish around you .With my backgroun it is especially the latter that would worry me ... . You can't simply hop out of the water if a shiny set of teeth start taking too much interest.
Rig ; travelling 80 + miles to spearfish ...THATS dedication to the sport ...:king
I often spear seriola rivoliana which I think is similar to your AJ's in about 40m. Have found them to be very social fish . If you manage to stone one without alarming the rest and then slowly pull it up he rest will follow . Have been able to let my mates get fish this way .
Having said that ,your rigs certainly dont sound like a fun environment to be freediving in ...
Oh ; I get them up to 15 kg.
. You can't simply hop out of the water if a shiny set of teeth start taking too much interest. Rig ; travelling 80 + miles to spearfish ...THATS dedication to the sport ...:king
I often spear seriola rivoliana which I think is similar to your AJ's in about 40m. Have found them to be very social fish . If you manage to stone one without alarming the rest and then slowly pull it up he rest will follow . Have been able to let my mates get fish this way .
Having said that ,your rigs certainly dont sound like a fun environment to be freediving in ...
Oh ; I get them up to 15 kg.
Oh , yeah ; Rig ... concerning that runoff water you mentioned , we have similar conditions at Aliwal Shoal where I worked as commercial spearo . There is a paper mill who'se runoff streams right over the reef , often have2 to 3 ft. viz in top 15 m.
Have found that the mackerel often patrol just under this layer ; you could hang in the dirty stuff and pretty much just stick your head down into the clean water .Excellent ambushing ; only problem : the @#$% johnnies use exactly the same technique ...rofl
I have found myself virtually straddling some size ten tigers this way
Have found that the mackerel often patrol just under this layer ; you could hang in the dirty stuff and pretty much just stick your head down into the clean water .Excellent ambushing ; only problem : the @#$% johnnies use exactly the same technique ...rofl
I have found myself virtually straddling some size ten tigers this way
Originally posted by sturgeon
on top of all that I just had my first baby (he's 4.5 months old and his birth cost me another week).
Scott Turgeon [/B]
Hell yeah!!! Congratulations man!! All the best with the baby! I am surprised the misses gives you any time off at all
on top of all that I just had my first baby (he's 4.5 months old and his birth cost me another week).
Scott Turgeon [/B]
Hell yeah!!! Congratulations man!! All the best with the baby! I am surprised the misses gives you any time off at all
Griff , we hunt during the winter ; visibility is better but on a average seven hour spearing day it gets pretty cold . Our average working depth was around 20m. with max.es of around 36m. Afterwards you have to gut your fish , clean the boat ect. Some days we sold our fish off the road , others we supplied regular makets . It's a LOOONG day ,shower and sleep is pretty much the full extent of your social life .
All this is still O.K. ; what got me down is the size of the bottoms we had to spear . Have never been too keen on hunting bottoms anyhow , but to survive commercially you cannot rely on pelagics alone . You also cannot afford to hop out of the water simply because some johnnies are taking undue interest in you .
Add to that the fact that one of our team died due to entanglement on my first day working , and another (not from our boat) shortly after ; and I think you will get the picture ...
All this is still O.K. ; what got me down is the size of the bottoms we had to spear . Have never been too keen on hunting bottoms anyhow , but to survive commercially you cannot rely on pelagics alone . You also cannot afford to hop out of the water simply because some johnnies are taking undue interest in you .
Add to that the fact that one of our team died due to entanglement on my first day working , and another (not from our boat) shortly after ; and I think you will get the picture ...