Spearfishing on air - what's your opinion.

TGMitchell posted asking for a dive partner http://fishwrecked.com/forum/looking-dive-partner. In the post he mentions he's keen to do some spearfishing. His thread was hijacked by those that don't agree with spearing on air & those that don't agree with those that don't agree with spearfishing on air. So this thread is for you all to tell us your opinions on this subject and let TGMitchell get on with looking for a dive partner.

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sammy85's picture

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 I have no problems with

Mon, 2013-06-10 09:55

 I have no problems with either way your spearing fish with or with out air still the same outcome.

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agreed

Wed, 2013-06-12 11:35

 ^  - should really be a short discussion.

outdoinit's picture

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+1

Fri, 2013-06-28 18:02

Same Same

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skill

Mon, 2013-06-10 09:59

more skill without air obviously, but each to their own.  In the grander scheme of things it really doesnt matter

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 Can't see how it matters,

Mon, 2013-06-10 10:13

 Can't see how it matters, without air is more skill I suppose but air is an easy and selective way of getting a feed. No bycatch from a sensible and good spearo and only fish to be eaten are killed. 

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 I wouldn't say skill, I

Mon, 2013-06-10 10:21

 I wouldn't say skill, I reckon it's fitness (holding your breath, getting a good lung full). Someone with a tank on could be just as good a shot as someone without. I did a lot when younger with no tank and a lot with tank when I got older (and fatter lol) and both ways are very fullfilling.

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 Have to disagree.

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:33

 Have to disagree. Spearfishing (like nearly all sports) is a combination of skill & fitness. There are many other elements to deep freediving apart from just fitness.

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 I'm just talking from

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:41

 I'm just talking from experience. I was a pretty good shot with and without the tank. And I did a lot lot of diving in my younger years all up the coast, mainly Leeman.

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agree

Tue, 2013-06-11 22:42

there are lots of things that go into achieving a deep free dive besides skill and fitness for example knowing what depth you are going to and maybe you might need another 500grams of weight to get there and will you make it back with that extra 500gms and not just hyper oxygenating your self to achieve that extra 5 meters and how to avoid shallow water dive black out my deepest free dive was 37m I doubt I could do it now I was only 30 at the time but I used to dive with a kiwi guy that was getting 45 m plus with a bottom time of well over 3 minutes on one breath , the funny thing about that kiwi bloke was he was older than me and he was the size of a jockey ,smoked and loved a beer but when he was in the water he was like a seal

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tools

Mon, 2013-06-10 10:57

If i was fit enough to climb back on the boat with a tank,

I'd probably consider it ( if it wan't for the scary sharks)

 

I look at it this way..  with tank - without tank

with burley - without burley

with boat to get out to ffb - without boat..

 

a tank is just another tool used to help get some fish

same could also be said about gps's and fish finders..

 

but hey.. it's just my opinion

 

 

Paul

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A well put opinion I reckon.

Mon, 2013-06-10 11:11

A well put opinion I reckon.

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Is it illegal in the East ?

Mon, 2013-06-10 11:51

Is it illegal in the East ?

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Yep

Mon, 2013-06-10 11:58

Sure is. Illegal to even take crays on air in NSW.

Vinesh87's picture

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Yes but after talking to a

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:39

Yes but after talking to a few eastern staters they have different reef structures there. Eg flat granites and dont normally chase crays on the deeper limestone sort of reef i dive here. Not saying its easier, just different !

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But legal to shoot them. Go

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:35

But legal to shoot them. Go figure.

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Vinesh87's picture

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haha really ? I didnt know

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:41

haha really ? I didnt know that. I thought it was by hand only ?

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In QLD you can shoot them,

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:03

In QLD you can shoot them, not sure about the other states. Mind you they did have to make it easy for the QLDers ...

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 Ha ha classic. They're dirty

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:07

 Ha ha classic. They're dirty at the moment after the mighty Blues win.

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lets not go there...haha

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:28

lets not go there...haha

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theyve got crays in NSW?

Tue, 2013-06-11 23:26

theyve got crays in NSW?

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My thoughts are it doesn't

Mon, 2013-06-10 12:35

My thoughts are it doesn't matter and each to their own.  I'm pretty sure spear fishing would be more sustainable (that is less taken) than by other forms of rec fishing. Obviously some types of endangered fish should be protected from both spear or line fishing.

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Berin's picture

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For sure

Mon, 2013-06-10 12:37

 I have never met poddyfish but could you imagine what he would get on scuba ??

I honestly thought you meant "on air" as in on TV, typically I had no idea that there was anyone opposed to shooting fish on scuba.

No, I have no problem with it as long as catch limits are respected.

 

Yes, I would be an avid viewer if anyone would make a good dive show. 

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Spear Fishing on air

Mon, 2013-06-10 14:01

 Spearfishing with one breath hold is the purest form of sustainable fishing. Sure its hard work but it is extreamly rewarding stalking a fish and bringing it back for the table.

Scuba is banned in some states due to the high kill rate and the systematic cleaning out of close reefs and shore lines. It is like shooting animals in a paddock it's not real sport!

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agree

Tue, 2013-06-11 21:44

totally agree with you I wont say more or I will get my head bitten of by some one who doesn't agree

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 Each to their own, I dont

Mon, 2013-06-10 14:11

 Each to their own, I dont agree with it, but not all fish would be easier to shoot, some would be more difficult. Dhu etc would be easier of course, though you would not get within 10m of smarter species, especially those on the east coast, Large eye sea bream, big green jobfish, big jacks, spangos etc.

I don't think SCUBA spearos are doing any more harm on the west coast then other stakeholders, so what's the problem.

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it's as bad as each other,

Mon, 2013-06-10 15:12

it's as bad as each other, it's not fishing anyway...

you select what you want to shoot, you take the shot and hit it and either kill it or take it out with a knife so what is the difference if you are on the gas or free diving? it doesn't worry me the slightest and well if old mate wants a trout and a bluebone for dinner, he gets it without the bycatch, baratrauma etc etc of us rec fishers. I'm sure all good spero's move spots very frequently and never hammer one spot as theya re so free to move around and find the fish. No problems here how you do it as long as the bag limits are kept and not exceeded.

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 are you saying spearfishing

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:36

 are you saying spearfishing is bad or good? i'm confused.

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i think it's fine if the

Tue, 2013-06-11 08:19

i think it's fine if the spearo's are doing the right thing and moving around thier spots and not leaving a reef dead of all the good fish, tank or breath hold, no different for me. I'm not getting into the whole sport thing, if you want a feed you'll get it, if you want a challenge you'll find it, no different to fishing with a rod and reel, you'll make it as hard or as easy as you want it to be.

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+1

Sun, 2013-06-30 18:49

Wise words and fully agree..

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Vinesh87's picture

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I don't spearfish (Yet) And i

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:42

I don't spearfish (Yet) And i cant freedive very well anymore due to equalizing.

 

Sure its harder to get down and stay down and find the fish without air but wouldnt the bubbles scare some fish away ? Just a thought.

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 How are you managing to

Mon, 2013-06-10 17:55

 How are you managing to equalise on tanks? Just curious

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I can just go down slow and

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:00

I can just go down slow and come back slower and let my ears equalize.

It is getting a lot better now but. I hopefully will get into freediving soon.

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pretty sure they do

Fri, 2013-06-28 10:49

I dive quite frequently up north, and in my experience air bubbles do keep the fish away, the fish are there but they don't come anywhere near shooting distance.
I purely free dive now and the fish are definately less aware that you are there.
I agree with Bruesta, generally up here, most spearfishers don't take bag limits, there is really no need, and if you have a freezer full of fillets then there is no excuse to get back out there :-)
in saying that there is always some di*kheads that give us a bad name, whether on line or straight hook.

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 Good move duges66 starting

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:00

 Good move duges66 starting this new thread

I felt sorry for the bloke just chasing a dive partner and then gets a flogging for spearing on air

 

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from the very first response

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:25

poor form

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duges66's picture

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Cheers crano

Mon, 2013-06-10 18:17

Exactly what I thought.

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Bag limits

Mon, 2013-06-10 19:07

 It's not for me but if you added up all the fish shot on scuba it wouldn't be a fraction that is shot on breathe hold.. Or caught recreationally on line... Compared to what is taken COMMERCIALLY How many air spearo's bag out?? Doubt many- scuba divers don't get long on the bottom either so you could argue the whole argument is backwards

 

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 Spearing on rebreathers, now

Mon, 2013-06-10 19:22

 Spearing on rebreathers, now that would be the ultimate disadvantage for the fish ;)

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Not illegal - no problem

Mon, 2013-06-10 19:26

And for the record, it shouldn't be illegal, especially not in wa. Either way (freedive or scuba), you still got to work hard for each and every fish. 

 

It shouldn't matter how your fish is caught, as long as bag limits are adhered to. 

 

I also strongly disagree with not being able to shoot cod and wrasse in the ningaloo marine park, whilst line fisherman are allowed to take them.

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 Would love to know the

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:09

 Would love to know the reasoning behind it Scotto. 

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There are some, ahem,

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:19

There are some, ahem, ``legacy issues'' in the restrictions that RFW is working on ;)

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 Sounds promising.

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:22

 Sounds promising.

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RFW did recently get all

Mon, 2013-06-10 20:35

RFW did recently get all divers the right to dive for crays at the abrolhos. Small bug to be fixed on the seasons though yet pending.

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I take my gun with me

Mon, 2013-06-10 19:31

I take my gun with me sometimes when chasing crays just in case something decent swims by and will continue to do so. Will try shoot something wednesday when I go out.

 

 

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Not an issue

Tue, 2013-06-11 09:23

As Turboz said the amount of "catch share" that is taken on air is miniscule in the whole recreational catch percentage , Have done it myself in the past , but only freedive these days . Coastal Water Dive in Bunbury used to run a comp where Freedivers , Scuba and Hooka's divers used to compete , from Memory I can not recall Hooka or Scuba ever placing in the Top three . If it is not Illegal not a problem to me.

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duges66

Tue, 2013-06-11 19:56

good idea starting this thread these are the types of subject's we should debate among ourselves and not let blokes who have never line fished, scuba dived or free dived make decisions that affect us it is interesting to see the comments on eastern states compared to Western Australian regulations it is strange , I was in nsw recently and went crabbing with my brother they have a regulation that you cant use a two ring drop net like we use over here the only net you can use is a tangle net go figger that one out. I wont say what I think about spearing on air as I think most followers of this site already know what it is (one of my best mates spears on hooka and we have this argument at every bbq after a few drinks and start on the port)

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 As long as the spearing is

Tue, 2013-06-11 23:22

 As long as the spearing is done sustainably and within fisheries guidlines then I have no issue with it, however, I wouldnt do it myself.

 

I dont buy the sporting argument. How is it 'sporting' sitting in the comfort of a boat, in 30+ metres of water, dangling a baited hook down below for that big Dhu?

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Im happy to use air. Our bag

Tue, 2013-06-11 23:30

Im happy to use air. Our bag limits are stringent enough as it is outside the metro area.

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;)

Wed, 2013-06-12 10:58

I grew up on the barrier reef where it was illegal to spearfish on scuba. It forced us to learn the techniques and skill of freediving and I can honestly say I appreciate it that much more now.

I understand some people prefer it on scuba and whilst it is legal to do so then so be it, but personally I am a breathold guy. I think it takes more skill.

Also who can be bothered sorting out all the scuba gear. I have my own dive gear, I even have my own compressor but frankly the effort required to clean the gear, carry the tanks and store all the stuff on the boat when I can simply throw on a wettie and go if freediving. Nothing shits me more then when you invite someone on the boat for a fishing trip and they rock up with 2 tanks, a bohemoth dive bag and then take up the whole boat getting ready.

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I spear on breath hold and on

Sat, 2013-06-22 16:01

I spear on breath hold and on air, and both have pro's and cons. I generally take a small gun down past 20 with me on air when chasing crays, but would only breathold on anything 15 or less. It is not illegal, there is no by-catch, and there is no excess taken, so what is the issue? Bubbles do scare the fish, you are more restricted as to where you can go with air eg crevices and caves, and you have the same amount of restricted movement. Spearing on air allows you maybe half an hour or so, and need for a long rest in between, breath hold can go on all day if you are keen enough. Both very different, and good/bad in their own right.

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Here's another point,

Sat, 2013-06-22 17:18

I can legally only scuba dive to 18m, but can freedive a fair bit more than that. 

 

Im goin to be finding more/bigger fish in deeper water whilst freediving, but yet it's frowned upon that I do it in shallower water on scuba.

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 As far as i'm aware, it's

Sat, 2013-06-22 17:56

 As far as i'm aware, it's not 'illegal' to dive below 18m on standard OW, it's just not recomended since you havent been properly trained.

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if anyones against spearing

Fri, 2013-06-28 18:22

if anyones against spearing on air (as opposed to just choosing to do it) then maybe they should be riding a bicycle to the ramp and rowing out to their spots as well rather than being selectively against the use of technology :-)

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The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

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 Lol yeah Rob. A bit like the

Fri, 2013-06-28 20:16

 Lol yeah Rob. A bit like the greenies who campaign against technology and progress but all have computers,phones and cars etc etc to get there word out.

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Technology

Mon, 2013-07-01 08:45

I cant speak for everyone but for me freediving is certainly not about restricting technology but rather by enhancing the skill required to get down there and get your fish.

Some of the top gear and synthetics us freedivers use is probably more technologically advanced than the scuba gear.

I like to hold the view that half the challenge is getting to the depths and having the skill to stalk a fish on limited time.

Each to their own though.

My main gripe against someone spearing on air on my boat is the amount of gear and space needed for divers. Nothing worse then a boat with crap everywhere.

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nothing wrong with your

Mon, 2013-07-01 17:07

nothing wrong with your comment JD-it was directed at people who tell everyone else how they should do it.
A bit like Lance Armstrong calling everyone who uses a car a loser or telling a 70year old he shouldn't use a pot hauler "cos the crays wont taste as good"!

All a bit tongue in cheek...

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The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

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my main grip

Fri, 2013-06-28 21:19

I have been in onslow on a dive trip (free diving) and the blokes in the accommodation next to us in the van park were too but they were on air had there own compressor to re fill there tanks as well we ran in to them at black ledge which is only a 10 meter dive at the most and they were on air in 8m and shooting heaps of silly old coral trout and they basically cleaned the reef out then moved on to bowers ledge and yes it did end up in a punch up when my mate buzz beat one of them at darts at the beadon creek pub and told them what we thought of them

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they sound like really bad

Fri, 2013-06-28 22:44

they sound like really bad people, you did the right thing...

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The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

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 That's more about attitude

Mon, 2013-07-01 19:08

 That's more about attitude than equipment though. I'm sure in 8m a freediver or even a lino could just as easily clean out a reef of trout. Would just take a bit longer. 

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agree but not

Mon, 2013-07-01 19:22

but not if you stay within the limits the days of taking your tucker box freezer to Onslow and filling it up with fillets are long gone plus there is a very over keen fishery's officer there now that cant tell the difference between a potato cod and estuary cod

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who won the punch up

Sat, 2013-06-29 00:41

who won the punch up

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we did

Sun, 2013-06-30 19:12

and my more crazy mate let down their boat trailer tyres