The point of no return...

[Pekka]

Ok,
I have gotten some awesome advice from this forum, but here is one question that I have tried to figure out on my own when spearfishing...
When do you make the decision to start turning towards your chosen fish? I mean usually I wait for long time just motionless so that my future lunch has time to swim infront of me.. but sometimes this does not happen so how, and when do you start turning your gun towards your prey??

I have failed numerous times when turning too soon ans scaring the fish, but then I have also waited and waited...and lost the fish that way too...

So how do you judge when it is time to move for a kill or wait for that extra bit more?


Thanks

Pekka

 

[Memo]

I usually trace the fish with my gun very slowly and that movement does not alert them... If you are asking the moment of trigger pull, I think I just sense that my hunt has no where run if it comes at a certain distance and stops then I shoot, if it continues to come, I wait till the closest range...

 

[fuzz]

Pekka,

The main thing you should strive for is remain calm. Turning by itself often won't scare the fish, but rather the way in which you do so. It is rather conunter-intuitive to remain relaxed when you see a nice fish nearby & don't want to waste the opportunity; however, the more you dive & the more fish you shoot/lose the easier it will become. As much as I've dove, I am still guilty of being startled when I see a big fish nearby & scaring it away by my rushed or erratic movements. :t

Learning to "become one with the ocean" is a infinite work in progress. I didn't even know how much I had progressed until I dove with an old buddy a few months ago & he told me how much I had improved... embarassing myself by telling friends & family around about how I used to impatiently chase fish around, most often ending with me missing or spearing them in the tail.

Basically, to answer your initial question: Keep your movements smooth & most often the curiosity that brought the fish close to you will hold them there until you place your shot. :hmm

 

[Pekka]

I guess.. I have noticed that sometimes when I move very slowly, moving my gun slowly towards the fish it doesn't scare them, but then there is times when the fish dissapears after I make the slightest movement.. and those are the ones I often think "I should have just waited"

Memo, the moment I pull the trigger is the one where the fish is on the spot.. that is the easy part... but the waiting, or moving decision is the one I have not mastered.. I guess there is no definate answer to the question... :hmm

Thanks and safe hunting.

Pekka

 

[Memo]

In my opinion the waiting and moving decisions has to be done considering the underwater environment... I've tried many different waiting methods and found that, I get the best result when I hide best.. My rule of thumb is "being the part of the bottom". If you have to move move but parrallel with the bottom (ex: dont jump on the rocks ) If you have to track the fish, do it so naturally that, you look like a natural thing..

I think that topic forms the very basic of hunting in general...

 

[Pekka]

true, mate..

But don't you find it that the fish you are hunting somehow just appears right behind you, so you have to turn 180 degrees to actually have it infront of you... I hate that..

Then again, I do remember cases of turning quite quickly towards a fish and still not spooking it.. I guess that one wanted to be impaled by steel rod... there are suicidal fish I guess..

I remember once diving into a cave, and lying on my back in it and looking for fish that would come to see at the mouth of the cave.. it was nice place to be as I faced the only possible entrance to that cave and was already pointing my gun towards the fish... no need to turn or shift anywhere...

 

[Memo]

Well of course things happen suicidal fish exists and god bless them

I think we have to use all the tricks we know when are approaching a possible hunt. Environmental fit is one thing, spero behaviour the second and the mood of the fish is the last factor I think. Slow movement, indirect eye contact, relaxed movements are all keys to success but if fish doesnt want to be shot... then I guess no one could do anything.

 

[Murat]

Originally posted by Memo
Well of course things happen suicidal fish exists and god bless them

I think we have to use all the tricks we know when are approaching a possible hunt. Environmental fit is one thing, spero behaviour the second and the mood of the fish is the last factor I think. Slow movement, indirect eye contact, relaxed movements are all keys to success but if fish doesnt want to be shot... then I guess no one could do anything.

Agree with that