Lionfish injury in Florida 2016

[Bubblesong]

While I am interested in learning to hunt, prepare and grill Lionfish, I do wonder if there couldn't be better tools for the job than spearfishing.
I have seen big lionfish, and they aren't very Wiley, so how often do they come out on top in human Vs Lionfish?

There is this example that is concerning:

https://www.google.com/amp/wfla.com...ff-florida-is-hospitalized/amp/?client=safari

 

[Stoo]

I have seen a lot of lionfish dispatched over the past few years, and it strikes me that it's literally "shooting fish in a barrel"... I am aware of one person getting a sting on her hand when the DM let her try to get one using his spear. I didn't see it first hand, but it sounded like she wounded the fish and then bumped into it while it floundered around and she retrieved the spear.

I'm sure there's more skill in getting a clean shot than I think there is, but you're right, they seem like a pretty simple target. I also don't think one is likely to "attack" you...

Regarding that article you linked, my guess is that he was perhaps hospitalized due to missed deco or at least a rapid ascent. Taking someone with a sting to a chamber seems unnecessary, unless it was the closest facility. Having said that, given the guy's age and the fact that the sting was in his chest, they may have been concerned about some potential issue with his heart or lungs.

 

[Johnoly]

... and the fact that the sting was in his chest,... .

Totally untrue that he was hit in the chest. Come dive sometime with us in Florida, we'll show you how to properly harvest them.

 

[Stoo]

Totally untrue that he was hit in the chest. Come dive sometime with us in Florida, we'll show you how to properly harvest them.

The article said he had tingling in his upper chest, so I assumed he was stung there...

I'd love to come visit... you would need to toss in a nice fish BBQ though. I'll bring the beer... ;-)

 

[Bubblesong]

Is there a safe way to catch/kill lionfish that is not a spear gun?

 

[Goingforsound]

Its pretty safe to spear them. They are not very reactive unless you miss them. If you miss they bolt 12in further. If you get stung its very painful.

 

[Stoo]

Is there a safe way to catch/kill lionfish that is not a spear gun?

You could try dropping concrete blocks on them, but I think that that would mess up your trim big-time... ;-)

 

[Johnoly]

Is there a safe way to catch/kill lionfish that is not a spear gun?

I'm a commercial harvester out of Jupiter Florida. For recreational diving I would recommend a 4 foot tri tip that is not a speargun, but has excellent control and distance from the speared lion so it keeps it's distance from you after spearing it to avoid contact.

Simba Slayer 4ft LIONFISH POLESPEAR with Protector

To collect them, I recommend the Lionfish "ZooKeeper". It's a hard body tube with a protective easy insert funnel design that is so easy to use with the above tri-tip. Just spear the lion and shove it the top. Your hand never gets close to the fish and getting stung.

Product Categories Hard Body Lionfish Containment Unit Archive | Zookeeper

Your captain and deck hand will most often offer to filet your catch with a bit of a tip or part of the harvest if you catch a bunch and have too many to eat.

The best part is lionfish is a completely white meat that is better tasting than 90% of the other fish in the ocean. It doesn't taste fishy which is most complaints. You can go diving, clean up the reefs, and bring the fish filets to the restaurant on vacation and savor the freshest fish you personally caught that day and they will cook it for you.

It's very easy to do and the benefits are you help clean up the ocean and get the most mouth watering meal, like you've never had before,,,, that same night!!

You can tell,,,,I catch ALOT every tank !!

 

[Bubblesong]

Between Goingforsound video and Johnoly links, I know how I want to go about this. I did not want to deal with a speargun, but the trident looks simpler since I don't have to reload. The video it looks like stabbing litter in the park, but since your floating, I think there's going to be a lot of practice involved.

Now the shark problem is different, I have heard of people feeding lionfish to sharks, but I am not going that way because I have heard how tasty lionfish are. I have seen different shark electronic barriers online, and that might be the third item on my list.

 

[Bubblesong]

This Shark shield is what I had in mind, but it costs more than I thought, $650. Still cheaper than what i would pay if shark got me, or caused to make a mistake out of distraction.

Does anyone use this?