What fish to hunt?

I did a lot of wrasse hunting in the Northern Marianas, they taste amazing. A few sling-jaw or triple tails.... Awesome eats when sautéed in garlic, onion and butter. Definitely go for them as long as they are a prolific species and your local regulations are kosher with it.

I come from a similar background, and have been spearfishing for a couple of seasons now. Around dorset most people don't bother shooting wrasse, because there are hundreds around and they are easy to shoot. And with smoothounds people have seen them at night, maybe shot one to try but after left them be as again I think they are quite docile and an easy fish to shoot. I know most people concentrate on flatfish, bass, pollack, mullet, triggerfish cod (if your lucky) and bream. At the end of the day it's up to you what you shoot and as long as it is eaten most people will not mind.

Scoobaru said:

I come from a similar background, and have been spearfishing for a couple of seasons now. Around dorset most people don't bother shooting wrasse, because there are hundreds around and they are easy to shoot. And with smoothounds people have seen them at night, maybe shot one to try but after left them be as again I think they are quite docile and an easy fish to shoot. I know most people concentrate on flatfish, bass, pollack, mullet, triggerfish cod (if your lucky) and bream. At the end of the day it's up to you what you shoot and as long as it is eaten most people will not mind.

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Got to agree. as long as you eat it and theres enough around why not. tho I'l only shoot flatfish, bass, pollack, mullet, and bream. I'd take a skate if I saw one aswell.

Well I disagree to some extent!
To start with stingray are not an edible or should I say are not a 'palatable' fish & are very rare in the majority of the UK.
Some fish are indeed susceptible to overfishing by spear fishermen, territorial fish like wrasse, that are also very slow growing, & conger that are in huge decline are in my mind not fair game at all.
Of course if it is within the law to shoot a certain species of fish then anyone can do so but I would ask every spearo to become a waterman & know all the fish they hunt.
I get very disheartened when I see post asking someone to identify a fish they have shot....

I like to think that most spearos learn after a short time that some fish are quite easy to shoot and either not in plentiful numbers or a slow growing species, and from there they focus their efforts on the more popular species such as pollack bass mullet bream flatties etc. and I fully agree with you foxfish, all spearos should know what they are shooting at before taking it home. If you don't know what species the fish is or whether it is edible, enjoy the experience and let it live another day

I would add my support here. Ethical & sustainable hunting is a must these days. Taking responsibility for our hunting environment is also cool. Clark... you should really stick to the creatures which are average & numerous wherever you are hunting. Size matters too, if you take the local big Queen Mullet who produces thousands of off-spring every year you only have yourself to blame when Mullet disappear from your favorite hunting coves/spots. If we look after our own little bits of the sea it will look after us in years to come. Not wanting to patronize too much but its just intelligent practice to get to know your fish and hunting environment before shooting anything that moves... whilst not forgetting that we all make and then learn from our own mistakes!
Having tried Dogfish and Wrasse many years ago I have to say that I found them disgusting and I'm not too keen on most flatties either. It can be disappointing not to come home with dinner (you can always pick up a nice Horseburger from Tesco's on the way homerofl) but far better that than destructive and determined-take-anything success?
Just put those no-catch dives down to sustainability research and experience?