Spearfishing from Shore, Florida

[Divesherpa]

I live in SE Florida. Does anyone have any experience spearfishing from shore in SE Florida?
I haven't spearfished in years and said that I would never buy a spear. Well, I found one today at the end of a nice drift. It was freshly lost, so, fate opened a door. Now, I can spearfish with a clear conscience.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[joystershell]

Hiya Jaimie! Heard you were diving today. We're talking about doing a wreck dive next Sunday afternoon from Splashdown. Wanna come out and play with us? But no, Lynn won't let you bring your new toy!

 

[joystershell]

So Jaime,
Have you become MOFia yet? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Divesherpa]

I still don't know what a MOFia is.

The Mrs. has requested next weekend for a boat search. I'll see what she wants for a schedule. I would love to come out.

 

[HowardE]

I still don't know what a MOFia is.

The Mrs. has requested next weekend for a boat search. I'll see what she wants for a schedule. I would love to come out.

Hey... we're going too next sunday... sorry I don't know anything about shooting fish (other than pictures of em) but I have a thread for the trip in the conch trip thingy.

Hope to see you there, and good luck with the found speargun.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

FL spearfishing regulations are silly. There is a distance from the beach or from any pier/jetty/manmade structure you have to be away from by either 300' or 300m(or was it 500' or 500m)? Regardless of distance, its a retarded regulation.

 

[Christof]

FL spearfishing regulations are silly. There is a distance from the beach or from any pier/jetty/manmade structure you have to be away from by either 300' or 300m(or was it 500' or 500m)? Regardless of distance, its a retarded regulation.

I think your comments are silly .... Where did you get that info???
The only restrictions even close to what you are stating here is that you cannot spear within 100 yds of a bridge, pier, or jetty where fishing is allowed.... That would mean the Skyway fishing pier, etc.... There are thousands of bridges, jetties, etc, where R&R fishing is not allowed (nearly every traffic bridge) that you are allowed to spearfish near.... I do it on a weekly basis and find plenty of nice Mangos and Sheepshead to spear...
Simply go to the Florida F&W site and look up spearfishing.... Now the keys are a whole different animal.. Lots of "Preserves" in there where no spearing is allowed...

Christof

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I think your comments are silly .... Where did you get that info???
The only restrictions even close to what you are stating here is that you cannot spear within 100 yds of a bridge, pier, or jetty where fishing is allowed...

"-- Within 100 yards of a public swimming beach, any commercial or public fishing pier, or any part of a bridge from which public fishing is allowed.

-- Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty that is above the surface of the sea--except for the last 500 yards of a jetty that extends more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline."

From http://www.floridasportsman.com/regs/#spearing

Looks like bridges and piers are allowed if fishing isn't allowed, but there is still limitations on jetties regardless of fishing limitations. I was going off memory, but the above was copied from the noted website. Looks like we are both right.

I still find the regulations silly I guess I'm used to dropping down anywhere in saltwater off the beaches of AL, regardless of fisherman, and taking mangroves, flounder, sheepshead, ect

 

[HK182]

yup, good ole Alabama! (Florida is great too, I lived there for a long time )

 

[ReefGuy]

One thing I've never gotten a definiative answer on: What constitutes a public beach? Is it a beach with facilities? Or anywhere there's public access to a beach?