Underwater Hunter Course

[scuby]

My LDS has an underwater hunter course this month and I was wondering if anyone had opinions on the course. I have friends who spearfish in the Gulf and was wondering if I can just learn from them or if the course would be advised.

scuby

 

[voidware]

Sounds Fun! I want a speargun.

 

[Manogr]

As a diver that is really happy when he sees big fishes I become so sad with the so called "underwater hunters" especially the ones with SCUBA.

fortunately here in Greece it is not legal to spearfish when in SCUBA so we don't have such problems...


Manogr

 

[SM Diver]

I don't know anyone who has taken that course, but it sounds like a good idea. Anything you can learn on spearfishing is time well spent.

I would suggest that you spend time with some of the best shooters in your area. If you don't have a boat, pay for their passage on a boat trip in exchange for shadowing them. This is money well spent. Spearfishing can be an extremely dangerous activity for many reasons. That is part of the reason that I free shaft, so that I don't have the extra task of reloading the line, or the risk of getting wrapped-up (if you hunt with a line, then have a quick-release). A lot of shooters prefer free shafting also because of how quickly they can re-load and take another fish.

I am in the process now of learning more about approaching fish, and placing a shot effectively by considering the exact angle of the shaft entry. The best shooters have this type of thing down. Being that I am free shafting, I want to be very confident that I have a stone shot so I can find the fish.

CHECK YOUR SPG REPEATEDLY. You will be amazed at how quickly you will suck down air when exerting yourself on a fish (or just the adrenaline if your lucky enough to roll a big fish).

Good luck.

 

[WreckWriter]

It's a useful course IF the instructor is a regular and competant hunter. That might seem like a no-brainer but many "specialty instructors" have very little experience in the courses they teach. Ask first.

Tampascott's suggestion, with the exception of the free-shafting part, is a good one.

Tom

 

[TwoBitTxn]

What is free shafting?

Considering the popularity of UW hunting in the New Orleans area finding a competent hunter to teach shouldn't be a problem. I don't know the regs in La about freshwater hunting. Arkansas laws vary be each lake. Texas is real easy... rough fish only.

Good luck,

TwoBit

 

[WreckWriter]

TwoBitTxn once bubbled...
What is free shafting?

hunting with no line or shock cord, shaft is not attached to gun. In my experience it generally results in a buttload of lost fish and shafts as well as bent and broken shafts when big fish rock up.

One must be a very good shot to successfully free-shaft.

Tom

 

[Stone]

Your choice of spearfishing equipment depends on the environment in which you will be hunting and the fish you want to take.

All of my spearfishing is done on wrecks, concrete rubble, and limestone reefs. Obviously the wrecks and rubble provide a lot of holes for the fish, but even the reefs have deep and narrow crevasses and overhangs.

My favorite fish are grouper, snapper, and triggerfish. I could use freeshaft on the triggerfish, but the grouper and snapper always "hole up" (I doubt that I "stone" a fish more than often than 25% of the time).

For me, freeshafting would be an expensive proposition. As a matter of fact, grey/black snapper tend to hide under ledges and in crevasses, so I will often take a shot that would guarantee a lost freeshaft, but is routine for a line shaft.

Lineshafts require the extra step of wrapping the line, but I'd be suprised if that step takes more than 15 seconds. On the plus side for (some) line guns, if the gun is negative with the shaft loaded and buoyant without the shaft, you can shoot the fish, let go of the gun (which floats above you out of the way), and concentrate on getting the fish on your stringer. With the fish secure, you just pull your gun down and reload.

You might want to read a book such as Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook: Beginner Through Advanced by B. Allen Patrick as you get started.

 

[SM Diver]

I don't lose many shafts, however, it's because now I have to be highly selective in taking my shot. I have had several situations where I wish I had a cord, such as a black grouper hanging out by a ledge. With a free shaft, even if badly wounded, the grouper (or snapper) will likely at least have the kick to get himself under the ledge, where your shaft is lost.

I don't like shooting under a ledge at a trapped fish, so free shafting is not a problem for me in that situation. However, I will try to ambush fish near their ledge.

Do any of you guys hunt with an AB Billar reel, or do you just have a typical cord that you wrap near the trigger?

 

[WreckWriter]

We used tuna leader line (blue stuff) with a quick release about 2 feet from the gun end and a standard shock cord attached to the gun. Reels are a pain for Florida hunting but MIGHT be good on rigs.

All my hunting was done free diving, not on scuba.

Tom