Australian Spearfisherman Attacked By Speared Barracuda Yesterday

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!

RickI

Contributor
Messages
694
Reaction score
168
Location
SE Florida
# of dives
I just don't log dives
I just saw an account of a nasty barracuda attack yesterday on a spearfisherman off Humpy Island in Keppel Bay, off the northeast coast of Australia in Queensland. His friend had already put a shaft into it but apparently it had enough capacity left to make a fast attack on the unlucky spearfisherman. Without the intercession of his friends the diver might not have made it with the potential severe blood loss. The following spearfishing blog in Australia strongly advises against shooting any barracuda which I don't recall having seen before but it makes sense on the odd real bad day.

"WARNING: GRAPHICS PICTURES.
Adreno has received this news story from a Yeppoon, Queensland customer. They have asked that names not be included. We have posted before about the dangers associated with spearing Barracuda, but we hope these pictures and the experience of these spearos over the weekend prevents further similar incidences from occurring. We advise that divers DO NOT spear Barracuda of any size. If you need to spear a Barracuda that attacks you, you should cut the shooting line immediately and get out of the water.

Continued at:

Severe Barracuda Attack - Page 2 - FKA Kiteboarding Forums

.
 
We shot hundreds and hundreds of cuda, most all to be sold in a commercial fishery. They are dangerous, you have to be very careful and you have to be very accurate when you reach out and try to grab a struggling fish. A missed grab could easily result in a very bad injury.


I do not recall ever being deliberately charged by one, but there have been times when they are running in a panic after being shot and you might have to move out of the way. My worst instance has been with a struggling cuda trying to swim up between my legs, while I am at the surface freediving- It was attempting to seek shelter from a large shark that was trying to eat it. I think this may have happened twice?
 
The whole charging thing I referred to earlier was more a result of the wounded fish running to the end of the tether and turning around to go the other way. I just happened to be on the other end of the tether, and consequently in his way. I don't believe he was after me personally.

The point is if you are going to spearfish and don't stone it, expect a struggle. The level of fight and danger is directly proportional to the size of the fish and amount of teeth the animal has. Of course, one can always freeshaft, but then stoning the fish becomes even more important


Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2
 
Last edited by a moderator:


A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Most of the posts in this thread have been deleted as off-topic. There are specific rules for this forum, which is to discuss the accident itself and not the merit/demerits of spear-fishing. Please stay on topic. Marg, SB Senior Moderator
 


A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved this thread to the Underwater Hunting forum because the discussion at hand seems more relevant there.

Please be aware that the underwater hunting forum has some special rules.

Thank you
 

Back
Top Bottom