Time to get serious with my hunting.

[Gordon Aldaco]

So today in southern California I went out for a hunt, and only came back with a broken spear. I got carried away with tracking down a guitarfish I had spotted, and when I stuck it the thing twisted so quickly it bent the tip of my spear to a 90. I feel terrible that I didn't complete the catch and its just bad hunting. So I have come to realize It time to stop being cheap and invest in a pole spear and or spear gun for medium to big game... I'm looking to catch halibut, guitar fish, leopard sharks. and I would on occasion catch some small game when none of the bigger guys are around. What do you all think I should go with? pole spear or gun? and please if you have any recommendations don't hold back on me. Personally I like the hunting style of a pole, but I'm always looking to try new things.

Thanks!

 

[KeithG]

Ever thought of using a camera?

Sometimes harder to catch. Sometimes more rewarding as you can get multiple shots at the same prey.

But in many ways photography requires similar stalking skills.

 

[KnCDIVE]

So today in southern California I went out for a hunt, and only came back with a broken spear. I got carried away with tracking down a guitarfish I had spotted, and when I stuck it the thing twisted so quickly it bent the tip of my spear to a 90. I feel terrible that I didn't complete the catch and its just bad hunting. So I have come to realize It time to stop being cheap and invest in a pole spear and or spear gun for medium to big game... I'm looking to catch halibut, guitar fish, leopard sharks. and I would on occasion catch some small game when none of the bigger guys are around. What do you all think I should go with? pole spear or gun? and please if you have any recommendations don't hold back on me. Personally I like the hunting style of a pole, but I'm always looking to try new things.

Thanks!

Id personally skip the polespear route and go right to the gun. Socal I think you guys hunt in some low viz sometimes.... you dont need a big gun. For starting out Id look at the following brands, and find somewhere to handle them in person -

AB Biller, 42 or 48

JBL - their elite wood series. The metal guns arent worth the time.


Rob Allen railguns

Riffe makes good guns but try to find one used before you buy new. they are overpriced when new.

 

[tphelps]

So today in southern California I went out for a hunt, and only came back with a broken spear. I got carried away with tracking down a guitarfish I had spotted, and when I stuck it the thing twisted so quickly it bent the tip of my spear to a 90. I feel terrible that I didn't complete the catch and its just bad hunting. So I have come to realize It time to stop being cheap and invest in a pole spear and or spear gun for medium to big game... I'm looking to catch halibut, guitar fish, leopard sharks. and I would on occasion catch some small game when none of the bigger guys are around. What do you all think I should go with? pole spear or gun? and please if you have any recommendations don't hold back on me. Personally I like the hunting style of a pole, but I'm always looking to try new things.

Thanks!

Careful where you fish and the regulations/jurisdiction that they fall under...a lot of MPAs in SoCal. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=59205&inline=true
Personally, I don't condone the killing of sharks at all. Humans already kill 75 million sharks each year. I was surprised to read that leopard sharks are allowed to be taken in California. Can you please help me to understand WHY you hunt sharks?? I've heard the meat doesnt taste good and can be loaded with ethyl mercury. Is it for the "rush" or the challenge with the hunt? Im just trying to get the other perspective...

 

[CodFishHead]

Ever thought of using a camera?

Sometimes harder to catch. Sometimes more rewarding as you can get multiple shots at the same prey.

But in many ways photography requires similar stalking skills.

Not very filling to eat a picture.

 

[nimoh]

Not very filling to eat a picture.

also makes the hunting irrelevant, since I'm pretty sure a halibut picture tastes the same as a picture of my office chair

 

[DennisDiver1]

Man you guys are brutal!! Huntting can be a good thing if done proper. Only take what you will eat, be carefull not to over fish and follow all the regs. Me I use a mare spare gun 550 with a heavy spear and rock tip. To be sure what Im shooting won't get away. Take your time and good luck

 

[John from the burg]

Your gun size (skip the pole dude, trust me) is based on your visibility, if you can only see 5 feet in any direction then 4 feet of gun is going to be to much. Once your vis gets outside of 15-20 it starts to become a preference/game specific choice. I use a 63'' mako when going for pelagic but like the 48'' (hand made freeshaft/line bamboo w nep reef mech and twin 5/8ths bands) for general work around the reef including, but not limited to, holed grouper so tasty it makes you want to slap a ignorant jew fish humper.

Spearfishing is the most sustainable, humane form of gathering fish in existence, zero by catch, zero bait (1/3 total biomass killed is bait btw), zero tired fish, zero punctured bladders AND its ****ing harder requiring more money and effort for the same fish!!

If you eat fish from long lines or nets then you are the problem, a spearo putting food on the table for his family is doing more for the environment than 10 jew fish freaks preaching the downside of spearfishing, ignorantly at that. We have one, lightly traveled section on this whole site and you guys cant leave it alone?

Don't make me upset your delicate sensibilities and paint this whole section red, because i can and will.

 

[CodFishHead]

What’s with all this BS having to defending harvesting legal fish in the HUNTING section. You don’t like to read about ethical spear fishermen harvesting their dinner go hug a tree.

Just got scuba certified just so I could hunt more/deeper. Stay down longer and stick more fish.

So much for the women in my class that said scuba divers should only leave bubbles behind. Me on the other hand I like crabs. So much so I’m leaving a trail of fish carcasses behind for my crab friends to eat. Everyone wins.