Posts: 249
Threads: 2
Joined: Jun 2006
Reputation:
0
Not sure if many of you guys spearfish or not. I know that there are some out there that do not like the sport. Before yesterday I was one that thought ah that would be to easy to swim up on a fish and shoot it. Well not so! Man it is a lot harder than you think.
Yesterday I went scuba diving and spearfishing for the first time since getting my scuba certification. A group of us went out to Starvation res. and were going after Small mouth, Walleye, and Carp. The water was a little merky but not bad, and after we got all our gear on the hunt was on. I guess I do not look like another fish in the water as they were spooky as all get out. I finally got a fish to sit still after about 45 min of swimming around. When I saw him I thought "Oh there is a decent fish" and even after I got him I did not know what I had. Not until a little later when one of the others guys started freaking out about the size did we think maybe. He had a scale at the truck so we weighed it there and realized um we probably should get this thinkg officaly scaled.
When we put it on the scale at the grocery store in Dushene it read 4.01 and the stated record is 4.0. I was pumped. However when I got home we realized that the DWR rounds down to the nearest oz. Thus my fish ties the state record at 4lbs. Oh well, it was a great day and now I have another hobbie to occupy my time. Like I needed another.
[signature]
Posts: 14,434
Threads: 189
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
15
Congrats, that's a nice fish.... I think that would be a lot of fun, but I'm the same way as you, I don't have time for another hobby... Thanks for the story... J
[signature]
Posts: 3,724
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2012
Reputation:
0
One good reason that the bass fishing is going down the drain right there.
Please kill the smaller bass not the big ones [mad].
[signature]
Posts: 249
Threads: 2
Joined: Jun 2006
Reputation:
0
[quote Flyfishinglover]One good reason that the bass fishing is going down the drain right there.
Please kill the smaller bass not the big ones [mad].[/quote]
Thanks for your opinion but it is just that. Your opinion. Have you ever scuba dived in the lakes around here. The bass population is doing very well, I saw plenty of big bass while fishing yesterday. Spear fishing has the same limits that angling does. And we did take a bunch of small ones. But again thanks for you opinion. I knew post thing this would not make everyone happy.
[signature]
Posts: 3,327
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2011
Reputation:
0
Wow what a fish. So close too!
If only my ears could handle the pressure of being under water....you'd see me down there too!
[signature]
Posts: 3,327
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2011
Reputation:
0
[quote Flyfishinglover]One good reason that the bass fishing is going down the drain right there.
Please kill the smaller bass not the big ones [mad].[/quote]
Lets not jump on the guy right off the bat. He did things legally from what I can tell and shouldn't be harassed like this. You've been on the receiving end of flak for your posts in the past, and didn't like it either, so try to play nice here.
[signature]
Posts: 3,724
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2012
Reputation:
0
True true but it just bothers me seeing someone kill a big bass especially with the down fall of nice size bass these days and you know it.
[signature]
Posts: 3,724
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2012
Reputation:
0
Sorry for the small off rant but for sure it's a nice bass but lately from the recent studies that actually the bass are doing pretty poorly with the amount of big bass are in the lakes in Utah is a pretty big decrease in the past 3-4+ years now,
[signature]
Posts: 128
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2013
Reputation:
0
Man congrats! I would love to try my hand at scuba diving and also spear fishing. Some day.
[signature]
Posts: 100
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2007
Reputation:
0
Real spear fishermen free dive. Using scuba gear is for pansys.
[signature]
Posts: 184
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation:
0
Great fish! And good on you. I hope you get a bigger one next time--and be sure to post the pics!
[signature]
Posts: 1,081
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2008
Reputation:
0
What a trophy! Well done sir...never mind the nay sayer, we all know how well thought through his opinions are
[signature]
Posts: 4
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2014
Reputation:
0
Nice job DeadI, looks like a blast.
Can I just get something off my chest here, This fish was taken legally. The Fisherman was on his first venture out spearfishing. The Fisherman was excited for the opportunity to participate in something he loves to do.
Does the proclamation say he could not harvest this fish!
Has the DWR not come out and asked us to harvest more fish? There have become to many individuals who feel that there "ethics" and there standard of fishing should be forced down the throat of everyone! I for one am tired of it!!
I have been fishing in Utah for over 40 years, I fished the glory days of Strawberry and Scofeild, We fished to harvest fish! We put food on the table, We bottle it for winter. We utilized ever fish we ever caught, And when we went back to the lake there were still fish, healthy fish
Today its almost a sin to bring some fish home to eat. Some of the looks I get when we are cleaning them at the cleaning stations is like we are stealing everyones fish.
With everyone released fish the DWR feels we are keeping to high of concentration in our lakes, to many fish competing for the food. Im sorry but I love to eat fish, smoke fish, bottle fish. I fish for that reason, the law allows me to do that, the law encourages me to do that. im sorry if some of you don't agree with that, it is what it is.
DeadI, go out there again, shoot an even bigger fish! I will be cheering you on.
[signature]
Posts: 15,546
Threads: 1,315
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
13
I agree. When I grew up we kept every legal game fish that we caught and every fish was eaten by us or given away to grateful neighbors. I keep far fewer fish these days but I don't fault those who keep many more than I do.
[signature]
Posts: 1,166
Threads: 1
Joined: Dec 2010
Reputation:
1
A mighty big congratulations to you!
Those that think that spearfishing is hurting fishing in this state are idiots. So few spear fisherman and so few fish harvested by this method. If I had caught that fish on a pole I would have kept it and if I posted it I would have caught hell for it also. I think that too many people are putting big fish on a sacred pedastle. They are just fish and I guarantee that more record size fish go home with average anglers that don't report on this forum than we could imagine.
I hope you enjoy your new found sport and that the vocal fish huggers don't get their own way and ruin it for those of you that spearfish.
In fact, I think I'm gonna start keeping a limit of large fish for every post that I see on here that moans about keeping or killing large fish.
Rant over. Sorry, just having a bad day.
[signature]
Posts: 249
Threads: 2
Joined: Jun 2006
Reputation:
0
Thanks for all the replies. I will defiantly be trying for a big one again. Like I said I got extremely lucky with that one. The other two that I got were about 12 inches long. But when I shot I was thinking they were huge. The water plays some funky tricks on your vision when your down 20 feet.
[signature]
Posts: 182
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2008
Reputation:
0
I think for the most part fisherman feel a certain degree of envy when they see a big fish being taken and kept, I'm guilty of this as I am sure we have all been at some point. But that is exactly where we must take a step back and put ourselves in the shoes of the other person, just because it bugs you doesn't mean you are entitled to be irrational. When I see people arguing and getting worked up over this issue, I have to roll my eyes, 9 times out of 10 the one who's complaining is really just jealous. sometimes you just gotta face the fact that the person with the huge fish in his cooler was more skilled than you or maybe just in the right place at the right time, and no matter how you might feel, if it was done lawfully he has every right to take that fish home!
[signature]
Posts: 3,724
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2012
Reputation:
0
Think it of this way, How often does a fisherman catch a big bass that size comparing to someone with a spear under water in 2014 on this form then we can talk?
[signature]
Posts: 729
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2012
Reputation:
0
Landing big fish can be done ALMOST every trip. You just need to know where they are, what they're feeding on, along with the time and temperature of that day. Most people just don't know how to catch big fish like his and get their panties in a bunch when they see it happen. Even when all the stars align it doesn't guarantee you a big fish.
He could of went his whole day out without sticking that pig and you would probably care less. Just because somebody spear fishes doesn't mean your way of fishing is any better. You're starting to act like an elitist Eric.
To the OP, good job on that fish! I've been watching a lot of the spearfishing tournaments on TV and when they stick a huge wahoo it gets my blood pumping! Hopefully one day I'll take the dive and stick one myself.
[signature]
Posts: 197
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2008
Reputation:
0
I'm definitely one of the idiots that thinks spearfishing is hunting and plan on doing anything and everything I can to make sure that spearfishing is treated as hunting and not fishing.
It's nice that you can call names and spout your jaded rhetoric but you can't back up your claims that your actions aren't affecting the big fish populations.
The second you shoot a fish, you become a hunter.
Please explain why he didn't shoot and kill the numerous 10-12 inch smallies. The reason is simple. Spear fishermen target big fish because they're a big target and it's a shooting sport, aka hunting. Black bass, specifically, have a large round profile (sunfish family) and are an easy target compared to salmonoids. They (bass) reside in shallow waters during warm months, so targeting bass is inevitable. So the bass, like the nice fish he killed are especially susceptible.
Spearing fish should be treated like hunting if allowed at all.
[signature]
|
