Going to the Bahamas and I need help!

Hello,

I have some questions about spear fishing, actually I’m going to be using a pole spear.

Live in New England and do dive for lobsters, not bugs.

I am taking the family to Eleuthera for Xmas and my son and I would like to try our luck with a pole spear. Have been doing some reading and viewing on the site. Our biggest question is the appropriate fish to target. Is there a list of the fish and images/pictures of the fish that we should focus on? We are excited about doing some surf and turf meals or some surf and surf!

Any tips to make this trip awesome will be welcomed.

Thanks for your help.

Hawkeye

As I understand it, in Bahamian waters you are only allowed to spear fish on snorkel, not SCUBA. The last time I was there some of the folks in my group took groupers, lobster (it was August during the season), snapper, etc....

As far as I know, I've been there abit, game can be taken only freediving on snorkel. No scuba.

Look here All About Pole Spears & Slings - Spearboard Spearfishing Community and especially for "Mr. Polespear" OceanEd. I think he mainly dives the Bahamas.

Oh yea!!! In Eleuthera I'd trade those heavy tanks and dive gear for a pole spear because alot of good ledges are in shallow water (less than 15 feet). My favorite head for lobster is a rockpoint tip, better to buy a couple tips in the US BEFORE you leave because replacements will be very pricey (if you can find them) there. There are plenty of locals that will private charter their smaller boats and take you to the real lobster and fish holes. Beware of the party dive boats, they go to the same place day after day, your coolers will be much fuller if you go on a locals private boat. Lots of big hogfish there and these fish are pretty easy to shoot. Have fun!!!

They have a dive called "Current Cut" that is supposed to be cool. I have not done it...but my buddies and I were headed over there a couple months ago and our trip got cancelled because of weather. The current cut dive is a ripping current that runs between two of the islands. The boat drops you upstream and you shoot between the islands. I think it might have been 60 feet with ledges if I remember correctly. On nearby Harbour Island Valentines Dive Shop runs charters to there. Ocean Fox Diving was also highly recommended.

You definitely cannot spearfish on Scuba and the pole spear is a good option since you are not allowed to use a trigger mechanism gun in the Bahamas.

Have fun!
-Chris

CRAWFISH-LOBSTER

Season lasts from August 1 - March 31. Annual closed season is April 1 to July 31. Six tails per person, at any time. Minimum size limits are 3-3/8 inch carapace length or six inches tail length. Egg-bearing female crawfish are protected. Six crawfish per person may be exported from The Islands Of The Bahamas.

SCUBA

For recreational divers, it's illegal all year around to catch, net, spear or otherwise capture fish or invertebrate critters while using scuba gea or surface supplied compressed air equipment.

SPEARGUNS and HAWAIIAN SLINGS:

Spearfishing using spearguns is illegal in The Bahamas. Hawaiian slings or pole spears are the only approved spearfishing devices. Use of them to collect fish or lobsters is allowed under the following conditions:

* a least a mile offshore of Grand Bahama or New Providence.
* offshore beyond 200 yards of any other Out Island,
* while freediving or on snorkel, but not on scuba.

Spearing or taking marine animals by any means is prohibited within national sea parks.

If you are going to polespear have a variety of tips with you for the variety of prey. I would take at least take a three prong (paralyzer) and a single flopper tip. If you are interested in landing larger fish a slip tip may be required. Your primary targets would be hogfish, mutton snapper, grouper and lobster for starters.