Spearfishing with Scuba

[scubazachary]

scuba

 

[Platonas]

In Cyprus, scuba and spearfishing is not allowed.
Freediving goes with spear and I enjoy it much better than with scuba equipment.

 

[CA_Diver]

I do both. Scuba is nice because you can be a little more picky about what you shoot and where you shoot it, unless you have good bottom time. You also get to enjoy a nice dive. On the other hand, free diving is more sporty, less awkward, and more of a thrill. Personal choice, definitely.

 

[htn123]

Freedive in Baja CA for yellow tails with my bros.

Mostly scuba here in the warm water of Tampa, FL. Sometime freedive with my daughter and son.

 

[nwfladiver]

i only spearfish on scuba. like capt. pat green said, upper gulf coast (pensacola here) the good fish start at around 100feet. not only that in this part of florida the bottom is like a big underwater sand desert with the occasional limestone ledges and reefs. but we do have an abundance of artificial reefs like wrecks, concrete bridges, reef balls and pyramids made of concrete that can hold a lot of endangered and all too elusive american red snapper. but most of these start close to 100' so scuba is standard for around here.

 

[100days-a-year]

whatever is appropriate for the conditions and species...that means freedive to 60' for me,scuba on nitrox or air from 80' to 200' and trimix and doubles past that.

As stated previously thanks to ethical fishing and management in most cases US fisheries are in far better shape than any other developed nation.Perhaps other countries should emulate our practices.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I've fished rod & reel for over 50 years. I've spearfished (SCUBA) no more than 3 times in this last summer on the same wrecks I have fished for most of my life. First, for the primary species I am seeing here (tataug & seabass) I was amazed at how peaceful the fish have seemed. Little I did spooked them aside from sudden movements. As far as what is better for the fish, I'd say hands down spearfishing. While R&R fishing I catch a great many unwanted species and smaller fish. Most are wounded if not from the hook, but the rapid ascent where you can see the obvious barotrauma. Fish come up with eyes bulging, intestine bursting out of their rear cavity, swim bladder expanded out of their mouth. Many of these released fish, even after taking all the proper precautions (puncturing the bladders, etc) have a heck of a time descending and often end up seagull food before they get down. Only aiming at and shooting large fish, I dont have to worry about releasing unwanted catch. (Only once, my first shot penetrated a nice fat seabass and to my surprise had another small seabass also on the spear. I have to think this is fairly rare)
& then consider the commercial fisherman where is unwanted by-catch is measured by the tonnage.

 

[Spearo]

At one time when I had all my hair.... it was all about freediving, many years later with more experince, better equipment and yes less hair I find myself freediving the skinny water and scuba the deep stuff. It really makes no diffrence to me I have a ball just been in the water with speargun on hand with or without scuba.

 

[briankinley2004]

Scuba...hard to freedive, I would think, in 5' viz and find any fish, unless by luck.

 

[Hedden2005]

Freedive. Although never used SCUBA I am not against either They both have their pros and cons !