can i spear fish in fresh water (in Alabama)

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

digndeep400

Guest
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Location
mobile,Alabama
# of dives
100 - 199
if this has already been posted forgive me .i live in Alabama and we have some big cats in some rivers and lakes .do any of yall know if i can spearfish in a river or lake ? i have tried to talk to the game warden's but they just look at me funny and tell me that they are not the person to ask ? :confused:
 
If the wardens dont know the answer then it must be leagle or they never heard of it before :D
 
if this has already been posted forgive me .i live in Alabama and we have some big cats in some rivers and lakes .do any of yall know if i can spearfish in a river or lake ? i have tried to talk to the game warden's but they just look at me funny and tell me that they are not the person to ask ? :confused:

Freshwater spearfishing laws are written by each state, with no knowledge about the impact on fish. Studies have shown that divers cannot match line fishermen in numbers of fish we catch, but we can be selective and when you have the skill you can take bigger fish. Arkansas, allows half a limit of game fish, with some lakes with different lake laws. Oklahoma allows rough fish and all catfish. Texas allows rough fish, but no catfish, and some lakes prohibit the possesion of a speargun. Maybe your local dive store can tell you about local laws. . . especially if they have and sell spear guns.

Here, in Oklahoma, our rivers have no visibility, some of our lakes are clear, and some are ". . .too thin to plow and too thick to drink." In the lakes where we can see well enough to hunt, try searching areas near the old river chanels. Lots of food still washes along those old river beds even when they're a hundred feet down. Where the old chanel twists near a shore, search for schools of baitfish. Where there is food there will be predators. Flat head catfish will be near those bait fish. When hunting the Flathead may be hiding in the open, with their camoflage coloring providing cover. Or, they may be under a tree, or partly in a hole. But they will always be near the shad or small sunfish.
 
I now live in Fairhope on the gulf coast, but I used to live in Tuscaloosa. So I know what you are going through looking for a place to spear. I checked into the laws and here is what I found out. In public waters you cannot spear game fish. This means that the only fish worth eating that you can legally spear is catfish. In a pivate pond you can shoot what you like. I luckily knew someone that had a 10 acre pond stocked with large mouth bass, bream and talapia. Unfortunately due to divorce that spot is now off limits to me.
 
if this has already been posted forgive me .i live in Alabama and we have some big cats in some rivers and lakes .do any of yall know if i can spearfish in a river or lake ? i have tried to talk to the game warden's but they just look at me funny and tell me that they are not the person to ask ? :confused:


You can, but it is very limited as to species--Drum, buffalo, catfish, suckers, bowfin, gar and mullet (north of somewhere in Mobile/Baldwin country) and you need a special license (extra $6 to your fishing license). See Page 63 and 65 of the document linked below.




http://www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/regulations/2007-2008RegBook-Final.pdf
 
Yeah dont get caught with a bass with a hole in its side you would be in big trouble. I would imagine getting your gear confiscated. I used to work on Lake Tuscaloosa for 2 years and I would spear there every day as long as you are shooting cats. I currently dive Smith Lake if you know where some fish are lets do some shooting. I have been getting good viz reports from Lake Tuscaloosa but haven't dove it yet this season. Don't be shy there are too few divers around here, and even less inland spearos
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom