Scuba Diving club,
Southern California
Sea Sabres
Hunting
Techniques
Safety and Education Talk at the July 10, 2003 Meeting
When
hunting underwater, there are some basic things to consider. First you must specialize in one species of
fish or crustacean. If you go diving to
go after any fish that comes along, you may have some fish to eat, but not the
good fish and probably not anything big.
Try to concentrate on one fish, such as the Calico bass or Halibut. Learn about their habits, their type of
surroundings that they like to have and how to be among them without chasing
them away.
The
next thing to consider is to be comfortable with all of your gear and your
spear gun in particular. If you are not
comfortable, the fish will sense this and probably stay away. When you move through the water, you must
move smoothly, breathe in a repeating rhythm and keep yourself as level as
possible. This will make the fish feel
more comfortable with you. Remember,
the bubbles you exhale make you look very large to a relatively small
fish! Breathe in small bubbles! Try to convince the fish that you are not
after them in particular.
Of
course you must have your gear tuned to the things you are to hunt. A spear gun must be long enough to reach out
and get the fish, but still not be so complex as to cause you excess time to
reload. Make sure your line from the
gun to the shaft is of the correct length.
What is the correct length?
Unless you are after Yellowtail, the line should be only about twice the
length of the shaft. Most spear guns
loose their power after this point.
This will allow you to reload for the next shot more quickly. If you overpower the shaft it will not go
straight. If your rubber slings are
old, it will not have enough penetrating power.
If
you are after the big game such as Yellowtail, you will need a special gun,
special training and lots of patience.
This type of hunting is very specialized, requiring long-range guns,
long free-diving fins, the correct rigging and practice making breath holding dives
so that you will not scare away the game fish, but cause them to become curious
enough to come to you.
Above
all, try to practice your spear gun, such as in a swimming pool. Set up a plywood target with weights to hold
it vertical. Take off you spear tip,
replace it with something blunt and set up another piece of plywood behind to
protect the sides of the pool. You may
learn that you will be more accurate under water, than floating on the surface.
If
you are a beginner, the pole spear offers the easiest way to go after
fish. The pole spear also requires
practice, but since they are so easy to reload, practice can be done when you
are diving in the ocean.
Remember;
you and your gear must work as a team.
Be comfortable and be prepared.
Jeff
Shipley – Sea Sabre President
Posted July 15, 2003