Skin Diving/Spearfishing
Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels
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brunner2178
- Posts: 93
- Joined: April 18th, 2004, 4:12 pm
Skin Diving/Spearfishing
Is there anywhere around here in the Big Bend area one can spearfish without all the scuba gear. It looks very fun and have been wanting to get into it. Any suggestions or comments would be helpful. Also if there is such places, what species of fish can I expect to find?
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Wil
- Dive Boards Moderator
- Posts: 200
- Joined: December 12th, 2001, 8:00 pm
- Location: Crawfordville
- Contact:
Depends on how deep you can freedive.
60+ feet: Anywhere you want to around here. You can run out to the Yamaha and shoot AJs*, cobia* at O Tower, or move in a little bit and hunt grouper anywhere
20 - 40 feet: try heading out of St. Marks, Panacea, or Mashes Sands and hit some of the natural bottom in the area of Marker 24. You'll find grouper, hog snapper, and grunts.
less than 20 feet: Head out on the flats and look around rock piles for grouper, sheepshead, flounder, and cobia. Most of the grouper will be way too small to keep, but there'll be the occasional big boy.
* Make sure, though, that if you shoot an AJ or cobia, either you have someone with a gun right next to you to back you up, or that you're using a float line. If you don't get a kill shot, you might get an up-close and personal view of the reef unless someone else can get another spear in the fish. We shoot AJs freediving, but sometimes it takes two guys to get one of them up to the surface.
If you don't already own a spear gun, I'd recommend getting a pole spear for starters, and just hit some of the near-shore rockpiles. That way you'll learn how to sneak up on them, and proper shot placement. Coral Reef Scuba has some nice 6.5' fiberglass poles for $37, and you can get a decent single-barb tip for about $6-12 (depends on whether you want stainless or not). If you don't mind spending just a little more, then I'd recommend their 3 piece aluminum pole spear. It's got grips on it, an oversized band, and since it's heavier and wont flex when you load it, you'll get a lot more knockdown power. The spear itself is $64, and it takes the same tips as the other. Make sure you attach the tip with the non-permanent locktite.
Wil
60+ feet: Anywhere you want to around here. You can run out to the Yamaha and shoot AJs*, cobia* at O Tower, or move in a little bit and hunt grouper anywhere
20 - 40 feet: try heading out of St. Marks, Panacea, or Mashes Sands and hit some of the natural bottom in the area of Marker 24. You'll find grouper, hog snapper, and grunts.
less than 20 feet: Head out on the flats and look around rock piles for grouper, sheepshead, flounder, and cobia. Most of the grouper will be way too small to keep, but there'll be the occasional big boy.
* Make sure, though, that if you shoot an AJ or cobia, either you have someone with a gun right next to you to back you up, or that you're using a float line. If you don't get a kill shot, you might get an up-close and personal view of the reef unless someone else can get another spear in the fish. We shoot AJs freediving, but sometimes it takes two guys to get one of them up to the surface.
If you don't already own a spear gun, I'd recommend getting a pole spear for starters, and just hit some of the near-shore rockpiles. That way you'll learn how to sneak up on them, and proper shot placement. Coral Reef Scuba has some nice 6.5' fiberglass poles for $37, and you can get a decent single-barb tip for about $6-12 (depends on whether you want stainless or not). If you don't mind spending just a little more, then I'd recommend their 3 piece aluminum pole spear. It's got grips on it, an oversized band, and since it's heavier and wont flex when you load it, you'll get a lot more knockdown power. The spear itself is $64, and it takes the same tips as the other. Make sure you attach the tip with the non-permanent locktite.
Wil