Spearfishing

Post by **Chalk** » May 4th, 2004, 11:47 am

Is there regulations on the type of fish you can and cannot spearfish for?

Post by **Flats Rascal** » May 4th, 2004, 11:50 am

http://www.americandivecenter.com/spearfishing/

http://www.spearfishing.org/floridarules.htm

Wil · Post by **Wil** » May 4th, 2004, 11:56 am

Flats Rascal wrote:http://www.americandivecenter.com/spearfishing/

http://www.spearfishing.org/floridarules.htm

Excellent links. Pretty much any offshore species you'd be targeting as table fare around here is legal to spear as well.

Post by **Chalk** » May 4th, 2004, 12:16 pm

I was hoping for something close in

..What about mullet, can I shot a mullet

Wil · Post by **Wil** » May 4th, 2004, 12:36 pm

You can't be within 100 yards of any fixed point on land. I dont see why you couldn't spear a mullet, but you'd have to find one at least 100 yards out.
On a good day you could get that new boat your building out to one of the near shore reefs easy though, and you don't need to be scuba certified to skin-dive. We killed most of our AJs and snapper just snorkling a week ago.

Wil

Post by **Chalk** » May 4th, 2004, 12:44 pm

Thats what I was thinking.....I wouldn't mind skin diving some of them shallow water rock piles too....

Post by **Reel Country** » May 4th, 2004, 1:12 pm

Chalk wrote:Thats what I was thinking.....I wouldn't mind skin diving some of them shallow water rock piles too....

I was thinking that last Saturday as we hit a few different spots.

Post by **Aucilla** » May 10th, 2004, 9:39 am

Thanks for those links. They were interesting. [I learned that black grouper and gag grouper are not the same, for example.] Of course all the size limitations apply as for rod fishing, 'cept the fish look bigger underwater! And closer, right?

I can't wait to get my c-card, which should be in the mail any day now, so I can learn and do some spear fishing. I know it is not something that just comes natural and that there is a lot to learn. For example, one fella' was tellin' me that a lot of folks get wound up on the anchor line by a circling, speared amberjack with a line attached to the spear. Now, I would have never thought of that if he hadn't told me.

Post by **Charles** » June 12th, 2004, 8:19 am

Wil wrote:You can't be within 100 yards of any fixed point on land. I dont see why you couldn't spear a mullet, but you'd have to find one at least 100 yards out.

I'm wondering where you saw this regulation, Wil. The closest thing I've ever seen to this restriction is, "Within 100 yards of all public bathing beaches." Which would tell me you couldn't spearfish from Shell Point Beach, but could along the shore line at Live Oak Island, for instance, since it's all private property. Or maybe it's a local ordinance, maybe county? But anybody that decides to try this be careful. I've seen some pretty fair size bull sharks that like to patrol the edge of that grass at high tide looking for the same mullet you'll be looking for.

Chalk, try the Rock Garden. I've killed flounder, sheepshead and mullet over there before. Kind of keep the boat away from each rock as you find it and hunt each rock pile individually. We used to do pretty good on AJs out at K-Tower. The biggest cobia I've ever seen in my life was hanging out at the sunken barge about a mile south of 24 one time. I wasn't about to take that one on. I didn't know they made'em that big until then. The offshore rocks of course everybody knows hold grouper, grey triggers and hog fish. Back when I was doing this I was strictly a polespear man and will be again, at the Rock Garden particularly. A polespear is just quicker and easier for multiple shots than a gun.

Wil · Post by **Wil** » June 15th, 2004, 12:43 pm

[quote="Charles Pulley"]I'm wondering where you saw this regulation, Wil. The closest thing I've ever seen to this restriction is, "Within 100 yards of all public bathing beaches." Which would tell me you couldn't spearfish from Shell Point Beach, but could along the shore line at Live Oak Island, for instance, since it's all private property. Or maybe it's a local ordinance, maybe county?[/quote/

Thanks for correcting me on this. I'd been told (verbally) that it was within 100 yards of any fixed point on land, but I just read the regulations, and you're right. Here's the regulation (copied and pasted):

-- Within 100 yards of a public swimming beach, any commercial or public fishing pier, or any part of a bridge from which public fishing is allowed.

-- Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty that is above the surface of the sea - except for the last 500 yards of a jetty that extends more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline.

-- In Collier County and in Monroe County from Long Key north to the Dade County line.

-- For any fish for which spearing is expressly prohibited by law.

-- In any body of water under the jurisdiction of the DEP's Division of Recreation and Parks.

I may just have to try this during scalloping season now. A 60" freeshaft would stop a mullet dead in his tracks.