Wayward Son
Contributor
Can't spear billfish here, period. Custom is irrelevant, the law doesn't permit it.
Regs vary widely. I think for the most part, in coastal states spearing on scuba is legal in saltwater. Fresh water is often very different.
Some examples of the odd regs we have:
In FL, you can spear in saltwater. No distinction is made between free diving & scuba. But some species which are legal to catch with hook & line, such as shark or redfish, may not be speared. Bag limits for species legal to spear are the same as for H&L fishermen.
FL freshwater, however, bans ALL spearing, even for species that are legal to spear in saltwater.
TN has no saltwater. Only non-game species may be speared, and unless it's changed in recent years, there is no restriction on scuba for it. But game fish such as bass, trout, crappie, walleye & such may not be speared.
And so it goes. One must be sure to study & understand the regs in the state in question before heading afield.
Regs vary widely. I think for the most part, in coastal states spearing on scuba is legal in saltwater. Fresh water is often very different.
Some examples of the odd regs we have:
In FL, you can spear in saltwater. No distinction is made between free diving & scuba. But some species which are legal to catch with hook & line, such as shark or redfish, may not be speared. Bag limits for species legal to spear are the same as for H&L fishermen.
FL freshwater, however, bans ALL spearing, even for species that are legal to spear in saltwater.
TN has no saltwater. Only non-game species may be speared, and unless it's changed in recent years, there is no restriction on scuba for it. But game fish such as bass, trout, crappie, walleye & such may not be speared.
And so it goes. One must be sure to study & understand the regs in the state in question before heading afield.