Sharks And Spearing !

[East West]

I have only twice been bothered by a shark while spearfishing . I was in a spearing frenzy , ripping fish from my shaft , blood everywhere and nine on my stringer . A blue shark came by for lunch and I was in no mood to share my fish . My first instinct was to pull the fish close to me . Yes this sounds quite stupid that is my anti seal reflex . Hey at least you should unclip the fish from your weight belt was my next good thought . Visibility was only fifteen to twenty feet so the shark had the advantage . I was making 360's and holding on to the fish and decided to end the dive . Being low on air was another good reason to surface . I kept the fish and a lesson that I should be more fearful . My next experience is more exciting and will post the story soon !

 

[Johnoly]

....... Hey at least you should unclip the fish from your weight belt was my next good thought ......

One other safety item that we have added is a ' pinch ' clip. You can find strong ones on a dog collar sold at walmart to cut off and use. The reason, like you said, is if that shark hauls butt with your stringer, there is no amount of strength that you will have to unclip a carribeaner or eye clip from a 400 lb shark dragging you violently thru the water trying to get away from you faster and faster. With the pinch clip, you'll lose the stringer, but save your life.

 

[Hank49]

I've always been adamant about getting the fish on the boat as soon as I can after shooting it. But I've recently started spearing with a 68 year old Belizean, who is really good, and he carries an old shaft with about 30 feet of line and a floater. (all free diving) He puts up to 5 fish on there after he shoots them, and carries them around dangling below him because he says it brings in more fish. He said over all the years, he's only had sharks steal fish but they've never come after him.
I'm considering trying his method but have some reservations. One, I use a floatline, he doesn't, which will probably get tangled with the other floater attached to the spear. So, I get to spear a big fish if one comes by but he can't.
The only thing you could lose is the old bent spearshaft and some cheap line. ?? But the point was, he said he doesn't worry about sharks and he's been doing this for 54 years.

 

[cldomson1]

Sharks don't want to fight for a meal, they are lazy predators. I usually charge the shark and scream thru my reg. If he doesn't back down I keep charging and give a poke with my speartip. I'll do that twice. If he comes back for more, and is in an aggressive mode with pec fins down and back arched up, he's getting a freeshaft to the gills or my PPD to the head. Three strikes your out in my book.
And i've only had to dispatch of one shark. Here in the gulf coast, they usually bug out after my first banshee charge.
Then again, we avoid the shallow water in the Spring because of the Bulls. And we rarely see sharks on scuba. I see a lot more while freediving. If the vis sucks, I'm much more careful.
C

 

[Johnoly]

Today we had 30 bullsharks on the deep ledge in 130 feet deep in Jupiter for Grouper Opener.

None were killed, but one of them has a nice deep Rhino coating mark on his head!

 

[Hank49]

The sharks that have nailed my fish came out of nowhere and I didn't have a chance to try and scare them off. One came and grabbed this snapper and pulled my whole floatline and floater down into the blue.
I had one grab a 15 lb or so jack at Turneffe. The shaft had gone through the fish and it pulled the floatline down near the wall. I saw the shark come out of the deep and "snap"...right through the shooting line. Lost spearshaft and fish.
The come and and blind side me to get fish. I've had a few come in, circle and investigate but never follow up and get aggressive towards my fish. But I'm not counting on it never happening...