Meat Hunt

[canuckanuck]

I spearfish a lot, but so far, only while freediving. I've hunted lobster on tanks, but that's it. I'd really like to try some spearfishing on tanks. I am a fairly accomplished spearfisherman and don't have anything to prove these days. I'm also NOT an elitist, so I don't see a problem with strapping on a tank to hunt for halibut, rockfish, ling cod, scallops, etc. to feed my family. Most freedivers I know stick their noses in the air when you talk about tanks and hunting. All the scuba divers I know think that taking anything but a photo while down there is evil. It's common in Florida, but here it seems very hard to find tank divers who spearfish. So I'm expanding my search via scubaboard. If any of you are down please send me a PM.

 

[jensfisc]

Hit me up, not afraid to post publicly. Diving crystal cove tomorrow and maybe sat and taking the polespear. I don't spear that often (maybe 1/10 dives) but i'm in pretty much the same mindset as yourself. I don't kill things for "sport" and I always use 100% of what I take. I am also pretty species selective but to each their own and I won't judge you. The stigma of hunting on scuba is ridiculous and unfounded, but divers (all divers) should have respect for their environment.

 

[dead dog]

Hit me up, not afraid to post publicly. Diving crystal cove tomorrow and maybe sat and taking the polespear. I don't spear that often (maybe 1/10 dives) but i'm in pretty much the same mindset as yourself. I don't kill things for "sport" and I always use 100% of what I take. I am also pretty species selective but to each their own and I won't judge you. The stigma of hunting on scuba is ridiculous and unfounded, but divers (all divers) should have respect for their environment.

I thought Crystal Cove was a restricted area for taking game fish ?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area
JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:

33° 35.372' N. lat. 117° 52.645' W. long.;
33° 35.065' N. lat. 117° 52.692' W. long.;
33° 32.400' N. lat. 117° 49.200' W. long.;
33° 33.211' N. lat. 117° 49.200' W. long.; and
33° 33.224' N. lat. 117° 49.184' W. long.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource for recreational and/or commercial purposes, with the following specified exceptions:
   1. The recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line or by spearfishing, and spiny lobster and sea urchin is allowed.
   2. The commercial take of sea urchin; spiny lobster by trap; and coastal pelagic species by round haul net, brail gear, and light boat is allowed. Not more than five percent by weight of any commercial coastal pelagic species catch landed or possessed shall be other incidentally taken species.
   3. Take pursuant to beach nourishment and other sediment management activities, and operation and maintenance of artificial structures inside the conservation area is allowed pursuant to any required federal, state and local permits, or as otherwise authorized by the Department.
2. Take of all living marine resources from inside tidepools is prohibited. For purposes of this section, tidepools are defined as the area encompassing the rocky pools that are filled with seawater due to retracting tides between the mean higher high tide line and the mean lower low tide line.

 

[jensfisc]

Yea the SMCA there really only protects the Sargassum. Only halfway being sarcastic. Definitely agree with them trying to protect a lot of the more pressured invertebrates especially scallops. I see baby scallops in so many of the dive sites and then next dive they are gone or half the shell is popped. Is this poachers? Do they have natural predators? Disease? Did anyone else notice this with the scallops at shaws cove? I used to always point them out to beginners but now they are all gone. Yea outside of scallops and maybe crabs not many species that divers go after are protected by that SMCA.

Did take the spear out yesterday, did not shoot anything but had a nice dive. Put my face in the water to see a big batray cruising by in about 4'. Vis was ok at 15' better further out and I got in early at 6:45 am so it was not super sunlit. Lots of life on the reef, medium size calicos and sand bass, lobster under every rock (mostly shorts) and some kelp seems to be growing back. Water was 60 at the surface and mid 50s at ~40'. Got out of the water at about 8 and made it in to work at 9. Was a good morning.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have no problem spearing while on scuba, it's legal and I never take more than I can use in a few days, no problem. The elitist crap with the freedivers they can have it, all that is is macho chest thumping "look at me". I'm a freediver too, yeah so what? I'm just into getting food now and figure screw them, I like my tank. What about hook and line fishermen from boats? Sitting with a beer. Why is that OK then?
I wish I lived closer I'd take you up on it.
Make a trip up to Norcal, the spearfishing is way better up here anyway, AND we have abalone (freediving only on those though).