Diving for fish.

[geoffman]

I'm a keen fisherman and have recently been thinking about taking up diving.
I'd like to go down with a net and just creep up on fish and get them. Where is the best place to dive for fish? What are the rules when diving for fish? I don't mind bringing them to the top, weighing them/photos and then sending them back. I don't want to eat these fish.
Thanks for your help.

Geoff

 

[SubMariner]

I'm a keen fisherman and have recently been thinking about taking up diving.
I'd like to go down with a net and just creep up on fish and get them. Where is the best place to dive for fish? What are the rules when diving for fish? I don't mind bringing them to the top, weighing them/photos and then sending them back. I don't want to eat these fish.
Thanks for your help.

Geoff

Frankly, u/w hunting usually consists of using a speargun because you're looking for dinner. You really can't "creep up on fish and get them" with a net; they are too aware & too fast.

 

[fnfalman]

Lots of fishies are friendly enough for you to get close to them, but as far as trying to net them? Good luck. Your arm doesn't move fast enough underwater to even come close to do what you want to do.

 

[NJ to FLA]

Agreed. Buy a gun. As for the size/weight of the fish, the rules everywhere are different. Where are you? Why don't you want to eat them after you catch them? Some of those fish are gooooooooooooooooood.

 

[Chugwhump]

Spearfishing is the most inefficient form of fishing there is.
It is the most selective and the most honorable.
Also about the most challenging.
I suck at it.....but I like it nevertheless.
The best hunting you could possibly realize is in fact with a camera!!
That is the most satisfying form of U/W hunting to me.
But pictures are not typically edible, so there are limitations.
Chug

 

[elmer fudd]

I find spearfishing FAR more satisfying than hook and line fishing. It's really underwater hunting and there's something primal about stalking your prey and then putting a spear through it that just isn't there when you fish with a rod and reel.

 

[pittyyofool]

yes it is possible, you have to heard and corral the fish on to a net. I have a friend that is a commercial fish collector for aquariums and research.

 

[Damselfish]

I have no problem with someone hunting appropriate species for food. And netting fish for actual research is another matter. I won't get into fish collecting. But stressing the fish out just for the heck of it I don't get. It seems like you're trying to translate regular above water catch and release fishing, along with the picture as trophy, directly to diving, and I've never heard of that being done.

Regular fishing, I understand the appeal is the challenge of the hunt, bragging rights, etc. Thing is, when you're above water, bringing up fish to weigh and take pictures is about all you can do if you're not keeping them. But once you're diving underwater, this doesn't really make sense since you have so many more options. Finding many fish and creatures can be challenging. Watching their behavior in their natural environment is very interesting. And pictures of fish underwater are much nicer and a whole lot more challenging to get than of a fish out of water.

The other thing is, you haven't started diving yet, but once you do you'll learn that on scuba it's dangerous to pop up and down. So do you end your dive as soon as you catch one fish you want to take a picture of? Or haul around that poor fish (or a bag of them) for your whole dive?

 

[Doc]

Chuck Norris fishes with grenades.

 

[JP11283]

Chuck Norris doesn't have to use grenades. The fish jump out of the water when they see him coming.