Spearfishing Monterey area

[mpoberg]

So...I have been trying to wrap my brain around where i can and cant spearfish in the vicinity of Monterrey. I live in Gilroy and would like to take the easy trip down there instead of always driving 3.5hours to the north coast. My new gun is still shinny and new. I need to stick some fish. Would anyone like to make a trip? Show me oh wise one. SMCA,SMR,CNN,TNT,LSD...What? anyone have a map that is clear? Lets do this! Thanks -Matt

[deadbilly]

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/ccmpas041907north.pdf
California Department of Fish & Game, Marine Life Protection Act, Central Coast Marine Protected Areas (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/ccmpas_list.asp)

Allow me to do the hard work for you:

SMCA: it is unlawful to injure, damage, take or posses any specified living, geological or cultural marine resources for certain commercial, recreational, or a combination of commercial and recreational purposes. In general, any commercial and/or recreational uses that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community, habitat or geological features may be restricted by the designating entity or managing agency. ALLOWED: research, education and recreational activities, and certain commercial and recreational harvest of marine resources may be permitted.

SMR: it is unlawful to injure, damage, take or possess any living, geological or cultural marine resource, except under a permit or specific authorization from the managing agency for research, restoration or monitoring purposes. While, to the extent feasible, the area shall be open to the public for managed enjoyment and study, the area shall be maintained to the extent practicable in an undisturbed and unpolluted state. Therefore, access and use (such as walking, swimming, boating and diving) may be restricted to protect marine resources. ALLOWED: research, restoration and monitoring may be permitted by the managing agency. Educational activities and other forms of non-consumptive human use may be permitted by the designating entity or managing agency in a manner consistent with the protection of all marine resources.

Doc Rickets SMCA: All take is prohibited except: The recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line is allowed.
Lovers Pt SMR: Take of all living marine resources is prohibited.
Pacific Grove SMCA: All take prohibited except: The recreational take of finfish is allowed. (spearing may be OK)
Asilomar SMR: Take of all living marine resources is prohibited.
etc.

In summary, SMR = no, SMCA = maybe, with exceptions.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Doc Rickets SMCA: no spearing.

[mpoberg]

Argggg... OK. Is there a place i can go that will not be a hike down a clif and is also a nice dive?

[mobeeno]

Argggg... OK. Is there a place i can go that will not be a hike down a clif and is also a nice dive?
Point Lobos, no hiking down a cliff for nice diving.

[Peter_C]

Point Lobos, no hiking down a cliff for nice diving.
I dare someone visiting Lobos to pull out a spear gun in front of Ranger Chuck http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/images/smilies/Standard%20Smiles/11.gif Might be the first time Chuck gets to pull out his gun :eyebrow:

[reefvagabond]

I find these regulations pretty hard to understand exactly where it's ok to spear and where not. That said it seems like Del Monte Beach in Monterey allows spear fishing. I have heard you can get halibut there.

[mobeeno]

......

[mobeeno]

I dare someone visiting Lobos to pull out a spear gun in front of Ranger Chuck http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/images/smilies/Standard%20Smiles/11.gif Might be the first time Chuck gets to pull out his gun :eyebrow:
Just nice diving no spearing

[deadbilly]

I suggest if you're interested in shooting fish, you check over at spearboard. There don't seem to be a lot of local hunters who hang around here. Anyway, isn't it more of a triumph if you had to hike down a cliff?

[Guy Alcala]

I find these regulations pretty hard to understand exactly where it's ok to spear and where not. That said it seems like Del Monte Beach in Monterey allows spear fishing. I have heard you can get halibut there.

Not a hunter, nor do I play one on TV. But the easy way to figure out if you're okay at Lover's is to stay north of a line running due east true from the tip of Lover's Point, or west of it. If you enter at Lover's #3 and stay west or north of the point, you're fine.

The western end of the Pacific Grove SMCA appears to run on a bearing of something like 330 true from the lighthouse at Pt. Pinos, but to make it simple I'd just stay east of a line running due north from it. And if you stay south or east of the tip of the Breakwater (Del Monte Beach), you're also good to go.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/mpamaps/asilomar_ricketts.pdf

Guy

[mpoberg]

I do enough hiking to get the elusive abalone." And they run so fast " ;p I want to cruse in a nice peaceful place and hunt down a monster to fill my belly. Now. From what I'm reading you can spear fish south of lovers almost all the way to Monastery. I could be wrong. I just hate all the trouble and governed regulations. I want a few fish a year. Not looking to stock the shelves in a store.. Arggg. Ill try over on spearboard and see that i can figure out. Thanks for the input and I'm always open to a dive. Going to Monastery Sunday morning. Looks like its going to be nice. Thanks, Matt

[KRL1973]

I do enough hiking to get the elusive abalone." And they run so fast " ;p I want to cruse in a nice peaceful place and hunt down a monster to fill my belly. Now. From what I'm reading you can spear fish south of lovers almost all the way to Monastery. I could be wrong. I just hate all the trouble and governed regulations. I want a few fish a year. Not looking to stock the shelves in a store.. Arggg. Ill try over on spearboard and see that i can figure out. Thanks for the input and I'm always open to a dive. Going to Monastery Sunday morning. Looks like its going to be nice. Thanks, Matt.

I hear you. It can be confusing. Do you know Carmel river beach, butterfly house, or copper roof? These three run 1 after another in close succession in carmel they are very good dives and spearfishing is permitted all along there. Generally don't see any 'monsters' but you are very likely to go home with some perch and/or rockfish that will certainly fill your belly. Check out this site for directions and descriptions of these and other sites California Diving News - Dive Spots - Central Coast (http://www.cadivingnews.com/divespots_centralcoast.html)

good luck and please be a responsible hunter (It's the right thing to do and besides rangers/wardens patrol these sites all the time to verfy licensing and regulations adhered to)

[Chuck Tribolet]

Just nice diving no spearing

It's illegal possess a speargun or any other fishing or hunting gear inside Pt. Lobos State Natural Reserve.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Not a hunter, nor do I play one on TV. But the easy way to figure out if you're okay at Lover's is to stay north of a line running due east true from the tip of Lover's Point, or west of it. If you enter at Lover's #3 and stay west or north of the point, you're fine.

The western end of the Pacific Grove SMCA appears to run on a bearing of something like 330 true from the lighthouse at Pt. Pinos, but to make it simple I'd just stay east of a line running due north from it. And if you stay south or east of the tip of the Breakwater (Del Monte Beach), you're also good to go.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/mpamaps/asilomar_ricketts.pdf

Guy

The western end of the PG SMCA (hunting OK) and the northern end of the Asilomar SMR (NO TAKE!) is a roughly a line from the
Pt. Pinos Light to the Pt. Pinos Buoy.

Each SMCA has it's own rules. They vary from "almost not take" to "almost anything goes".

DFG is working on a set of brochures on each MPA showing boundaries (inc. pictures) and regs (in practical English).
I don't know how much good it will do. A while back I chased a fishing boat out of OLD Pt. Lobos SNR (not even the
larger SMR). The owner had the DFG map in his hand. DUH.

[Joe_Diver]

Please ignore that guy who told you to go spearfishing at Pt. Lobos. He's just trying to get you in trouble.

MY favorite place to go stick some fish is right off Hopkins Marine station, just outside of Freya Sommer's window. Another good hunting spot is off the sand beach at Lover's Point. That's to the RIGHT of the point, down at the bottom of the stairs. Also, the beach at Asilomar is easy to access and has lots of stuff you can catch. Be sure to find the spot on the beach where the water looks real calm offshore and enter there.

Good hunting!

Joe

[Chuck Tribolet]

Please ignore that guy who told you to go spearfishing at Pt. Lobos. He's just trying to get you in trouble.

MY favorite place to go stick some fish is right off Hopkins Marine station, just outside of Freya Sommer's window. Another good hunting spot is off the sand beach at Lover's Point. That's to the RIGHT of the point, down at the bottom of the stairs. Also, the beach at Asilomar is easy to access and has lots of stuff you can catch. Be sure to find the spot on the beach where the water looks real calm offshore and enter there.

Good hunting!

Joe

Joe is trying to get you in trouble too. All three of the spots he mentioned are in SMRs. NO TAKE.

[mobeeno]

Doc Rickets SMCA: no spearing.
I suggested Pt. Lobos for nice diving because I thought that mpoberg gave up on the idea of spearfishing around Monterey and decided to just go for nice diving without hiking down a cliff. I was not implying that anyone go spearfishing at Lobos.

[Chuck Tribolet]

I do enough hiking to get the elusive abalone." And they run so fast " ;p I want to cruse in a nice peaceful place and hunt down a monster to fill my belly. Now. From what I'm reading you can spear fish south of lovers almost all the way to Monastery. I could be wrong. I just hate all the trouble and governed regulations. I want a few fish a year. Not looking to stock the shelves in a store.. Arggg. Ill try over on spearboard and see that i can figure out. Thanks for the input and I'm always open to a dive. Going to Monastery Sunday morning. Looks like its going to be nice. Thanks, Matt

Between Lovers and Monastery there are two SMRs (NO TAKE): Asilomar SMR (Pt. Pinos to Pt. Joe) and Carmel Pinnacles SMR (a microscopic rectangle covering Inner and Outer Pinnacles, sorta.

[mpoberg]

Pacific grove Marine gardens SMCA and carmel bay SMCA Are no Invert or plants and finfish ok under recreational permit. What a pain. I even found a good map on the DFG site...took a long time to process and find the info. Thanks, Guys

[mpoberg]

Thanks Mobeeno. I know what you ment. Guess you forgot to read the 1st post..hehe Thanks