Spear Fishing.

Joel O

Likes Bikes and Dirt
spearing squid would be fun hahaha

do they spit ink when you spear them?

i havnt been out in a long time.

been doing alot of line fishing instead.
there's a good article on spearing squid down your way in one of the (semi) recent mags. i'll see if i can find it and post it up.
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
spearing squid would be fun hahaha

do they spit ink when you spear them?

i havnt been out in a long time.

been doing alot of line fishing instead.

Well yes. Squid will squirt their ink when shot, or even threatened.

What I found interesting was when the Squid did squirt its ink, it didn't seem to mix with the surrounding sea water at all. Instead just drifted around the current in strands. Unlike the Cuttle fish I shot a while ago who's ink mixed with the water to form a massive cloud of ink.

Did you hear about the Bronze Whaler shark down at Williamstown Sawtell?

See here

Would be my worst nighmare.



Cheers, Shorerider.
 

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
i didnt read that, but i read about it on fishnet, some one said there "mate" and pretty gave the exact story, except it was only a 5 footer in that story, so maybe a different one..

but this person rekons he see's them out there all the time, but they never pay attention to him.


300m's of shore as well, i see normal swimmers out 150m ish..


that is scary. makes me think twice about going out on my kayak fishing, a 4-5metre bronzie (if it really was that big).. would make plastic mince out of my 3.5m kayak!!!
 

downhiller_1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
anyone got some pics of recent results... allways wanted to spearfish but never got around to it... i migth have to invest in a gun and wet suit... is a licence needed.... sorry if you have been asked a thousand time:)
 

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
just looked at the date that was posted.. i was pretty much out on my kayak every day, from the 23rd, to the 29th!!!

jsut floating around, trail of blood fish guts, feet dangling in the water!


i can confirm there were many pike around, a mate of mine got a few 2kg+ pike over that period.



im not sure if sharks are always around, or if this summer ive jsut read heaps of reports. but on another forum i use, a windsurfing site, many reports have been put up about a 3-4 metre bronzie harrasing them sandringham way.

then there was that report of 50+ sharks in a pack of carrum in october...

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 

Joel O

Likes Bikes and Dirt
just looked at the date that was posted.. i was pretty much out on my kayak every day, from the 23rd, to the 29th!!!

jsut floating around, trail of blood fish guts, feet dangling in the water!


i can confirm there were many pike around, a mate of mine got a few 2kg+ pike over that period.



im not sure if sharks are always around, or if this summer ive jsut read heaps of reports. but on another forum i use, a windsurfing site, many reports have been put up about a 3-4 metre bronzie harrasing them sandringham way.

then there was that report of 50+ sharks in a pack of carrum in october...

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Just keep in mind, with regards to the size, that it is a shark story... Bronzies don't grow much over 3m and at that size they are not particularly common. Even on a kayak I'd be more worried about being hit by a boat than getting attacked by a shark.

Even if you do come across one in the water, they are generally not overly aggressive and will pay more interest to your fish than you, if they pay you any attention at all. just learn to read their body language and know when it is time to get out of the water. i've had a shark swim right up to me 3-4 times, close enough that i had to push it away with my hands, yet at no point did the shark behave in an aggressive or threatening way. then again, i've had to get out of the water due to a shark that hadn't yet come within ten metres of me or my fish, just because of the way it was acting.
 
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Shorerider

Likes Dirt
anyone got some pics of recent results... allways wanted to spearfish but never got around to it... i migth have to invest in a gun and wet suit... is a licence needed.... sorry if you have been asked a thousand time:)

No, you don't need a "special" license to Spearfish. Just a normal fishing license like line fishing.

Be warned, its very addictive. Even on a quiet day, the scenery alone is reward enough without actually taking any fish home.

I've attached a pic of my catch from last Sunday.

Note - Fish have been cleaned and scaled so it affects their coloring.



Enjoy, Shorerider.
 

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downhiller_1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
nice catch man... i bet that leather jacket tasted very nice... i do alot of line fishing but i think the expirence of being in the water with the fish would be amazing... i live in Melton and a trip to willy of surroundings is heaps easy
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
Leather Jacket are a very nice table fish. I try to get one every dive for the misses, as she loves them.

When I'm pressed for time, I'll usually head down to Willy for a quick dive, but the fish in the pic were about a 2 hour drive from me. Well worth the drive, believe me.

I'm in Taylors lakes. Probably 20 minutes from Melton. If you're keen for a dive/snorkel, PM me your details and we can organize something.



Cheers, Shorerider.
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
Well a good 2 piece suit will cost upwards of $300, and a decent entry level gun will set you back around $250.

Then you'll need a dive float with floatline, weight belt & weights, dive knife, booties, fins, gloves, catch bag, snorkel and a mask.:eek::eek:


I know a few people who should be able to supply some of the gear for a good price. Let me know when you are ready to buy.



Cheers, Shorerider.
 

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
Went out for a dive last Sunday. Had an absolute ball. Vis was great. Up to 10m in some spots. Ended up with 2 good sized Dusky Morwong - 1 @ 50cm and 1 @60cm, a medium sized Squid, Leather Jacket and a Herring Cale.

Also got a Couple of Abalone. Looked for crays with no luck.



Cheers, Shorerider.


herring cale??? i have never heard off, or seen, until the pic you posted! od lookin fish, like a normal herring/mullet, cross with a carp, cross with something of extreme colour!!!!


i always wondered where you were from i knew you were from western sub's some where. tailors lake's is a fair drive to willy, woud you be better of driving out to somewhere like point cook???? ive never been out of there snorkling/spearing, i spose it would be to far of a paddle/swim, until you get to decent waters over 2 metres deep, and away from the crappy stingray, gummy shark and banjo shark infested sand flats!!!!! i have been out there on my kayk a few times (cambel's cove region) and got a few nice KG whiting, so maybe worth a visit one day if your bored... since its kind of wrapped around the point, a strong SW wind doesnt effect it as bad as williamstown/altona.stkilda, black rock / any other south west facing dive spot gets....

sorry for the blabber!!!
any way, dean.


you do not need all that gear to get going, well you do, but you dont need th best in everything, if you use ebay, you can pick up a spear (hawian sling) for 20 bucks, its not spear gun, but will get you into the sport, a wettie is not needed ALL the time, but is defintaly handy i fyou are heading of of the bay like shorerider (from memory you always head of the south coast??? nt in the bay?) bay temps too out side bay temps can vary 4-5 degree's after a hot spell, i think at the moment the bay is somthing like 17, and out side of bay is like 14. but then i havnt looked for ahile..


3 degree's makes a BIG difference while in the water!!!!

mask/snorkel/flippers, you can get for under 60 bucks all up, or you can spend over 500 EASY...

personaly i have a 30 buck set of snorkel and mask, does the job fine for me, and i use a set of body board flip's!!!! which cost liek 50 bucks a few years back, ..


well good luck, and if any one is ever going to go of williamstown, serioulsy give me a PM an i will giv eyou my number, i can be down the foshore in under 10 minutes (if im not at work.. ) keeping in mind i never see or get anything large, but a bit of company never goes a stray!!!'

alex.

sorry for the blanter, it is like 3 somthing another in the morning, and i have been drinking for a while as i expect most respectable people would have been!!!:p
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
herring cale??? i have never heard off, or seen, until the pic you posted! od lookin fish, like a normal herring/mullet, cross with a carp, cross with something of extreme colour!!!!


i always wondered where you were from i knew you were from western sub's some where. tailors lake's is a fair drive to willy, woud you be better of driving out to somewhere like point cook???? ive never been out of there snorkling/spearing, i spose it would be to far of a paddle/swim, until you get to decent waters over 2 metres deep, and away from the crappy stingray, gummy shark and banjo shark infested sand flats!!!!! i have been out there on my kayk a few times (cambel's cove region) and got a few nice KG whiting, so maybe worth a visit one day if your bored... since its kind of wrapped around the point, a strong SW wind doesnt effect it as bad as williamstown/altona.stkilda, black rock / any other south west facing dive spot gets....

sorry for the blabber!!!
any way, dean.


you do not need all that gear to get going, well you do, but you dont need th best in everything, if you use ebay, you can pick up a spear (hawian sling) for 20 bucks, its not spear gun, but will get you into the sport, a wettie is not needed ALL the time, but is defintaly handy i fyou are heading of of the bay like shorerider (from memory you always head of the south coast??? nt in the bay?) bay temps too out side bay temps can vary 4-5 degree's after a hot spell, i think at the moment the bay is somthing like 17, and out side of bay is like 14. but then i havnt looked for ahile..


3 degree's makes a BIG difference while in the water!!!!

mask/snorkel/flippers, you can get for under 60 bucks all up, or you can spend over 500 EASY...

personaly i have a 30 buck set of snorkel and mask, does the job fine for me, and i use a set of body board flip's!!!! which cost liek 50 bucks a few years back, ..


well good luck, and if any one is ever going to go of williamstown, serioulsy give me a PM an i will giv eyou my number, i can be down the foshore in under 10 minutes (if im not at work.. ) keeping in mind i never see or get anything large, but a bit of company never goes a stray!!!'

alex.

sorry for the blanter, it is like 3 somthing another in the morning, and i have been drinking for a while as i expect most respectable people would have been!!!:p



Yes you dont need all the gear to start. A basic Hawaiin sling at around $30 from a fishing tackle shop, and a snorkeling set is enough. Paul's Sports Store on Wright st in Sunshine was selling Googles+Snorkel+Flippers sets for around $30. Thats what I started with.

Never thought of going to Pt.Cook. I only go to Willi to get wet when I'm strapped for time. Otherwise all my dives are out of the back beaches. I've never had much luck in the bay. I don't know why. I've seen a few (but not many) decent fish around, just never been able to actually bag any.:mad:

See the 13th pic from the top here. The color of my fish scaled, and in the other pic dont do it justice though. In the flesh, its a much more electric orange color.

Sawtell, seriously, you need to come for a dive at the back beaches. You'll be amazed at the fish life. Its a completely different kettle of fish - pun intended.



Cheers, Shorerider
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
Barrier Reef.

Just got back form a trip up north. Went out to the Great Barrier Reef for a dive. Weather was perfect and the swell was nonexistent. In fact the water was flat from shore all the way to the reef. Although the reef does provide shelter from the incoming swell.

The dive.......

Went out to the reef with "Quicksilver" (I would recommend them)

As soon as I put my head in the water the first thing that struck me was the visibility.:eek::eek::eek:. Would have been a conservative 20+ meters. Having never dived in waters this clear, it was hard to judge.

Straight off the dive platform there were fish everywhere, although they do feed them to bring them in closer. I was almost able to hand catch the fish, including a 70cm+ Giant Trevally!!!! If only I had my Speargun handy.:D

There were numerous monster Maori Wrasse, Giant Clams and all sorts of reef fish I've never seen before. I also saw a huge Potato Cod.

Water temp was cool at first, however swimming out, the temp would vary from cool to almost unbearably hot. The streams of "hot" water were unexpected. I didn't know that the change of water temp in these warmer streams, would be so noticeable.

The time out there just flew by, although I made the most of it as I was the last one out of the water.

I don't know how I'll ever be able to dive in Vic's cold and cloudy waters, now that I've seen the grass on the other side of the fence. I guess I'll have to make do with what I've got.:(



Cheers, Shorerider.
 

skivi

Likes Dirt
bump

last weekend a friend and i went down to a local dive spot- Ricketts Point (SE Port Phillip bay for non melbournians) but the wind played havoc and the chop churned up the water so visibility was less them half a meter, good news is that there was about 100m of quality reef i'd never explored, we spent about an hour and half milling around observing the rocky bottom and ample weed. plenty of deep crevaces and bommies in the deeper water (10+ meters) you can't fish or take a boat there because it's a marine sanctuary but it was still fun snorkelling there and it's only 5 minutes from home.

yesterday i went down to Half Moon bay (SE port phillip bay) to avoid the heat but again the wild wind stirred up the water so bad you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

next Saturday or Sunday i'm gonna try spearing around the border of the sanctuary at Ricketts Point and at the yacht club or maybe a reef/weed bed i've hear of off Brighton near the old man'ed railway crossing they closed down.


Q: how important is camouflage? i'm using a hand spear not a gun and usually just swim in my boardies, should i look for a camo rashie and shorts? (too hot for a wettie this time of year)
 

Shorerider

Likes Dirt
Glad to hear you knew about the Marine Park at Rickets Point Skivi.

My opinion regarding camouflage is that you can still take good fish without camo. I wear an all black, 2 piece, 3mm Wettie - yes even now in summer - and have bagged some good fish. I've swam in boardies and a rashie in 39 degree heat, and still got cold after 4+ hours.

Plus, in summer you wont have to wear sunscreen if you're wearing a wettie.

I think JoelO has commented on the topic of camo vs non-camo earlier in this thread. Maybe re-read his words, as I'm only a beginner.

You'd look less silly to onlookers returning to the carpark wearing an all black suit too.:D


Hope this helps, Shorerider.
 

downhiller_1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
i was down in portarlington a few weeks ago and there was a few spearfisherman there... there were getting a few travelly and even some whitting... i did see a few massive butterfish coming down off the breakwall too!
 

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
after getting a new spear and the quite nice weather, been out last two days.
plenty of fish around of willy, a little larger then the normal hand sized stripey things.. a few of the striped fish probaly 30 od cms long.. didnt go for them through, if i dont know what it is, i aint shooting it!

I seen a very large snapper, probaly a 3-4kg fish, 60 od cms id say.. but couldnt get it, it was quick smart out of there, i could see it from a bit away, and my mate didnt see it, instead swam right over it, spooking it, by the time i was within range, it was of like a freight train!

but i did get a large flatty yesterday, 50cm on the dot, 900grams.. well i thought it was big, untill today, i got a 58cm, 1.4kg, this thing was MASSIVE its atleast 1.5 times the size of the smaller one accros the head, and the whole body even through the same length.

funny bit about it is, my mate both times swam right over them. some people just suck at seeing fish!!

and one last thing, we seen 3 elephant sharks/fish today, in about 1 metre of water, of the boat club at willy beach. all together, they werent to fussed about us being there, was angry i had handed my spear to some one else i was with byt the time some one with a spear got close, they had swam off.!!

has been a good two days, hopefully head out tomomrow arvo as well, then out proper fishing satdy!
 

_CODY_

Likes Dirt
Hey didnt want to make a new thread because the fully hectik wanna be mods would have a winge.
Anyhoo I want to get into spear fishing. Is there anywhere to fish in south east QLD that is reasonable shallow ( i fail at holding breath) and is decent visability?
Im not sure as how to start this sport what do i need and how much is it going to cost me. I dont think i need a gun just a pole spear. So can anyone help me out.
 

cretin...rider

Likes Dirt
Hey didnt want to make a new thread because the fully hectik wanna be mods would have a winge.
Anyhoo I want to get into spear fishing. Is there anywhere to fish in south east QLD that is reasonable shallow ( i fail at holding breath) and is decent visability?
Im not sure as how to start this sport what do i need and how much is it going to cost me. I dont think i need a gun just a pole spear. So can anyone help me out.
Read this thread... or at least the past three pages
 
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