Your thoughts on spearfishing?

[esangler]

At one time, I was a certified diver and have spearfished off Carolina, Florida, and Hawaii. And while I enjoyed going out and shooting my dinner, there is no way that this activity can be considered fishing in the angling sense of the definition. It is definitely a sport, definitely exciting and it definitely requires skill, but it is more hunting underwater than is is fishing. Spearing pelagic species like tuna and hoos looks like a huge challenge, but I have also seen so called spearfishermen shoot large jewfish and cobia that were as challenging as shooting somebody's pet Labrador Retriever. These two species can be naturally curious and sometimes approach the diver and kind of check you out, a real challenge to shoot when they are literally face to face with you.

Just my opinion...

[Big Jay]

Ok did you do this with dive gear or free dive? HUGE difference...HUGE.

[esangler]

I did both, but my free diving was nowhere near as extreme as they do now. It consisted primarily of snorkeling over a shallow water wreck or reef, spotting you target(s) then diving down and shooting it (hopefully) with a speargun or Hawaiian sling. I'm not against spearfishing, as I said I used to do it and enjoyed it.

[neilinov]

I love it. It's a combo of hunting and fishing. I don't tank dive any more. I got certified while in college, but never tank dive anymore. I like just free diving and going after big fish!

[MountainM]

Defintely huge difference in freedive and scuba spearing. The more freediving\spearing I do the more I love it. Even when I go on trips I tend not to dive as much and just snorkel and freedive, and I even run a dive shop!

[clt_capt]

Spearfishing is much more like hunting. Free Diving definitely adds a layer of challenge...

I know what you are saying about shooting fish in a barrell, but why is that any different than backing down on a floating log and filling the boat with 60 flip flops?

[Big Jay]

I have done both. I am a tech diver who dives in the MA. Yes, it is easy with scuba gear. However, i don't even bring a spear down anymore. Stab the flukies with my knife, just grab the seabass, and i don't like the way tog tastes so i don't bother.

Freediving...now thats a different animal. That's REAL fishing/hunting. I've done it once, not counting shooting mahi's under a buoy.

Jumped in the inlet once, almost got swept out to see, so one bass, and it swam away before i could shoot it.

[esangler]

Spearfishing is much more like hunting. Free Diving definitely adds a layer of challenge...

I know what you are saying about shooting fish in a barrell, but why is that any different than backing down on a floating log and filling the boat with 60 flip flops?

You are right, I guess the only difference would be that the floating log was at least fooled/tempted/tricked into eating your rigged bait/lure?

[Robja]

Free diving seems more sporting and gives the fish a better chance of escaping. Fishing out at Frying pan tower there are more and more divers out there spear fishing. The free divers are okay but I have seen others go down with their tanks and shoot African Pompano by the dozens. To me there is not much sport in that. They just sit and wait for the fish to swim by and shoot.

[loosegoose]

Spearfishing definitely seems to be a growing sport. I am a certified diver and agree with the fact that free diving would be a lot more challenging and bring much more skill and challenge into the equation. Does anyone have any experience spearfishing off of ocean city, maryland?? It seems the clarity of the water would throw another difficulty aspect/challenge into the equation?