How do you remove lionfish from your spear?

[FuzzyNutz]

I feel so stupid asking this, but I've never hunted underwater before...

I just ordered an AcuSpear to take with me on my upcomming trip to Cozumel (SB Invasion, whoooo!!). If I spear a lion, how should I remove the fish from the pole while underwater (and just leave them on the sea-floor for other critters to munch on)? I don't currently have a knife, so is this something I should purchase to 'un-skewer' the fish - and if so, what is a decent blade length to keep my hand away from their spines? Or is it possible to use your hand (my only gloves are 1.5mm) to pull them off? I'm not trying to get stung by their spines, so I'd like a safe way to take them off so I can rack up the kill-count!

 

[devildoggn0311]

YouTube - Lion Tamer Mini Spear

 

[Hank49]

You need a spear tip with no barb, or levers that open once the shaft passes through the fish and prevents them from slipping off. The fish will easily slide off a shaft with no barb. If you hit bone in the head, you should still be able to "wipe" the fish off against a rock or even on the sand bottom.
I would strongly recommend NOT trying to use a knife and especially not your hand. The spines are long, the fish is slippery and if you do that enough times, I would bet you a new MK 25/G250....on second thought, for you.... make that a new PRS guitar and a Marshall stack..... that you'll get stung and by all accounts, it really is painful.

Of course, you realize that as you're swimming around with that barbless spear shaft, that the biggest fricken kingfish, mutton snapper or black grouper you ever saw will swim right up in your face.

 

[FuzzyNutz]

Haha, Hank you're probably absolutely correct about the good eatin' fish swimming up while I have a barbless spear, but I'm not too interested on this trip in hunting other fish (will probably have a change of mind when I get there, DOH!). Since this will be my first time spearing, I kind of just want to kill a bunch of lions.

The video Devildog posted had a guy pulling a bunch of lions off the spear with his gloved hand, but I'm still not too willing to wager a PRS and Marshall stack! lol! I just found a skinny metal rod in my apt. about 15 inches long I could probably use to scoot them off with, but using the ocean floor or rock will probably be good too. I wonder if the glove that guy was wearing was anything special though, mine are just some thin scubapro ones. ... Although he seemed to just grab them by the face to yank them off, not really near the spines. ... but like I said, I still wouldn't be willing to bet a PRS that I wouldn't get stung! Perhaps I could try the tip of my fin??

Edit: I just tried a pair of gardening gloves overtop of my dive gloves, and they fit perfectly. I would feel a little better wearing both of them at the same time, the gardening gloves are fairly thick with tough palms, and dexterity is still somewhat decent.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

We just got back from Cancun. I shot and killed 21 Lionfish. I use a foldspear with a JBL barbed trident tip. I carry a titanium dive knife with a 6" blade when I'm hunting. It's long enough that I have no difficulty keeping my hands clear of the spines while I stab them in the brain and then push them off the barbs. Yes, I know they'd probably die soon enough from the spear shot, but stabbing them in the brain makes it 100%.

 

[Full Circle]

Make yourself an all-purpose tool.

1) Buy a cheap 3 foot long aluminum tickle stick that already has a ring attached. Hacksaw it in half and file smooth the cut end. Add a brass clip and a wrist loop so you don't lose it.
2) now you own two 18 inch sticks, or as I refer to them "all-purpose tools"
3) Drill a hole on the second one so you can also attach a ring to the end.
4) Bend the end, or not, to whatever angle makes you happy.

Uses:
a) Lionfish killer, once you spear a Lionfish drive your new tool through its eyes. Remember to place it on the sand or rock for resistance. Then sweep it off your spear tip, the 18" keeps your hand safely away from the barbs even on the big ones. I recently nailed a 14" and it worked just fine.
b) Pointer, I guide divers so I use it to point out small critters
c) Maneuver in tight, restricted spaces. Better to push off with the tool than with your hand
d) Monopod - I set the tool on sand or rock then place my heavy camera rig on top of that hand, great for steadying the shot when shooting macro.

and there you go, hope this helps.

 

[Johnoly]

I feel so stupid asking this, but I've never hunted underwater before...

I just ordered an AcuSpear to take with me on my upcomming trip to Cozumel (SB Invasion, whoooo!!). If I spear a lion, how should I remove the fish from the pole while underwater

That AS spear has a knob a couple of inches up from the tip. Lionfish are very soft and I'm pretty sure that the knob will blast right through the lionfish and get hungup on the knob. The spines on the lionfish can extend out 6 - 8 inches so your going to need a really big knife to avoid the spines. Remember it's almost impossible to get a 'stone' shot on a lionfish so it will be wiggling on your spear. If you wear split fins you can use the split to pull it off over the knob or both fins wedge together. The problem with that spear is the knob and it blasting through the fish. Tri-tips, liontamer and others have a smooth spear so you can just shake it off. With that device, I would make a vertical fist, thumb on top and insert your thumb into the open mouth of the lionfish. Don't push your fist forward just hold it still so the spines don't float forward towards your hand. Hold the fish motionless at arm's length and only move the spear out of the lionfish.

I do this now if I want to save the lionfish on my stringer. Remember that if you spear the lionfish in it's meaty side and you pull it off, it will survive and swim off, even people live every day from gunshot wounds to the torso. I like to use a pair of EMT shears and snip 1/2" deep into it's head right behind the eyes and that solves the problem.

I've been stung about a dozen times so far, you get used to it after a while and it's not as bad as the wimps say it is.

 

[Hank49]

I've been stung about a dozen times so far, you get used to it after a while and it's not as bad as the wimps say it is.

Hah !! Spoken like a true warrior.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Here's how I do it:

 

[jupitermermaid]

I feel so stupid asking this, but I've never hunted underwater before...

I just ordered an AcuSpear to take with me on my upcomming trip to Cozumel (SB Invasion, whoooo!!). If I spear a lion, how should I remove the fish from the pole while underwater (and just leave them on the sea-floor for other critters to munch on)? I don't currently have a knife, so is this something I should purchase to 'un-skewer' the fish - and if so, what is a decent blade length to keep my hand away from their spines? Or is it possible to use your hand (my only gloves are 1.5mm) to pull them off? I'm not trying to get stung by their spines, so I'd like a safe way to take them off so I can rack up the kill-count!

If you're going to keep them to eat, I put the speared lion fish in my carry bag, seal the enclosure, and pull the spear out, trapping the lion fish inside. It they're too small to bother to keep, I just cut their heads off and use my knife or sissors to pull them off the spear. If you use Hex Armour gloves, they are puncture resistant, and have less chance of getting stung should you get too near the spines or they lurch forward toward your hand. Grabbing them by the face works well if you get a good grip and the spear hits them near the head so they can't wiggle too much.

As Johnoly said, you get used to the stings after the first one. The first time it was a bitch, but after that they feel like bee stings. Annoying, but not life threatening.