Spear fishing in fresh water???

[chemmy]

I’ve being doing a lot or in salt water spear fishing lately that I up graded my Hawaiian sling for a spear gun and I was wondering if you are aloud to spear fish fresh water

Bugman you should know the answer to this question

Michael

[raefpud]

No No No No No No - well at least i think not - from the last i heard it was illegal in queensland, and in my opinion its a completely stupid idea, it should be banned (if it isnt already) for anyone to spearfish in any enclosed waterway, whether it fresh or not-----and why the hell did you spear a fish like that, was it a present for your mother-in-law???

I think it should be law for spearfishers to have to a license to posses a speargun, and should have to pass a test on rules and regulations before they are allowed to get all gun-ho underwater, otherwise tossers like you will just be blasting anything that swims.

[Mick]

Raefpud, what is your problem?

Firstly, nice fish chemmy. It is legal to spear slateys and that is a legal fish, so shove it where the sun don't shine raefpud.

Secondly, Chemmy, well done for asking about spearing in fresh before doing it. It is illegal to spear in fresh water or any enclosed bodys of water. Just check with your DPI about other regs.

Thirdly, raefpud, if you want to voice your opinion, do it without your degrading immaturity. Is he holding a barramundi cod? Is he holding a maori wrasse? No!

Don't listen to this idiot chemmy. Slatey bream, which you may have just found out don't taste the best and they are not as timid as other fish, so try and start spearing other types that are harder to get. This will improve your diving and spearing which will make you a better spearo.

Good luck and happy spearing mate.

mick

[mackmauler]

Wouldnt be many places the water be clear enough would it?

[devocean]

Raefpud, why dont you give the poor kid a break. I think you are the tossa here. Spearfishermen are not gun ho types as they are commonly steroetyped. When you catch a fish you dont know what it is till you get it in the boat. Spearfishing is way more sustainable than line fishing because it is selective. As a spearo I have seen heaps of line fish killed because tossas like your yourself pull them in to quick then they release them. Yeh they swim away all the way to the bottom where they roll over or just lie there for a couplke of hours then they die. I am not an avid fan of catch and release for this very reason. Catch and release only works when it is done properly and this is done by about 3 percent of all fishermen.

Spearing is an art it is not like catching fish in a barrel as most people think. Its idiots like you whoi have no idea that give us spearos a bad name. By the way least we take our chances with the sharks and that puts everything on a level playing field i reckon.

So why dont you just keep you crap opinions to yourself

Devocean

[liltuffy]

I'm on your side Mick, being an ex-spearo myself I know how proud Chemmy would have been to nail the slatey, hey who gives a rip if it ain't the best eating fish in the water, he's having fun. Good on you Chemmy it's a great sport and you will learn a lot about underwater life. Go home raefpud - you smell.

[devocean]

By the way chemmy nice shot would have been ery quick and almost a stoner. Try a little closer to the head or the lateral line of the fish. What type of un are you using? Looks like you are using a pretty thick sear. If you want to shoot more fish upgrade your spear to a thinner speed spear made of spring stainless. About 6 to 7 mm. They will move through the water 10 times quicker and are alot more accurate. Gives you a much better chance at shooting fish further away. Those prongers dont help to much either and can do some damage to the fillet. Anyway keep at it mate the trout will come soon enough

[agnes_jack]

Raef
Do you fish?
How do you manage to fish without hurting anything at all in a totally environmentally friendly manner?
The guy has asked for advice about wether he can or can not do it in the fresh. Judging by that I would say he cares about what he is doing and does not want to do the wrong thing.

If you fish you are not a totally environmentally friendly person either, or is that different ??? ??? ???

Good on ya Michael, enjoy your chosen sport and be a responsible spearo, no probs

Regards, Tony

[raefpud]

Hahahah - I knew that the reaction from many of you would be quite hostile, I apologise for stirring the pot, but this just happens to highlight the fact that many people are fueled by emotions on their opinions, and dont make their decisions or comments either based on fact or rational thinking.

Lets give an example here :-
Devocean said quote "When you catch a fish you dont know what it is till you get it in the boat. Spearfishing is way more sustainable than line fishing because it is selective" _ obviously this comment is fueled by rage. How the hell can spearfishing be selective if you dont know what you got until you get it into the boat??? I think you just speared yourself in the foot with that one buddy.

Ok so maybe i shouldnt have called the kid a tosser, but as far as i'm concerned if he is old enough to handle a spear, he is old enough to know about reading the rules and responsibilites that go along with this privilege. Immaturity combined with testoterone and ignorance is a recipe for disaster, and please correct me if i am wrong.
If the kid is ignorant enough not to know the rules about fresh water, then whats to stop him coming up with a maori wrasse or barramundi cod?? These rules are just as important.

The only person here who has made any good points is Tony, I always respect what he has to say, and so do most others, however what we are talking about here is an ecological issue, not an environmental one, easy to confuse the two.
I'm sure there are as many negative as positive points for spearfishing, and it is important not to have biased opinions, just because we are or are not spearfishers. Lets look at the real substance of this arguement - the kid is ignorant with a dangerous weapon in his hand, just as dangerous as a fishing rod in the hands of an ignorant fisherman. The kid shouldnt have to come to Ausfish to find information he should already know. Ausfish can inform, but is not its duty to do that.
Lets have a look at the real issue here.

[chemmy]

Hey raefpud

I am not ignorant if I was then I wouldn't bother asking ausfish and just go and spear fish where ever I want but I don't do that because that is stupid and if you think I am dangerous with the spear gun then you don't know me at all . I follow the rules and only spear what I know I am allowed to.

The rest of you guy thanks for the advice and the comments

Cheers Michael

[Custaro]

Good stuff Michael!

I reckon if I dug through the photo collection I could find a similar photo of my first speared fish. It was a moke too. I would have shot heaps of them in my younger days. Better to practice on them than putting holes in the side of trout etc. while learning the art of spearfishing. Tossers will always bag spearo's for being the blame for their poor fishing ability. Sinkers are dangerous weapons too when put in the hands of a cranky fisherman taking aim at an adventurous spearo.

I know I can't because of the regs, but I would love to have a crack at spearing a big barra in amongst some timber at Awoonga dam.

Vic

[banshee]

Devocean,your anecdotal evidence concerning catch and release,in my opinion is pure bullshit.Considering the depth of water a fish comes up from before it shows signs of stress has me wondering how you could possibly hold station and view the proceedings for the time stated,and while on the subject of "tossers",what sort of inconsiderate arrogant "tosser" would even consider spearfishing under or around an angler fishing in his boat? The gung ho type that gives spear fishos like you a bad name? While you consider your response,could you please supply the reference material that claims only 3% of anglers practice C&R,or is it only 3% know what they are doing?

[devocean]

Banshee I only claim what I have seen with my own eyes. As for spearing around the boat it was my Dads boat and my mothger and sister were fishing out of it at the reef. Quite interesting to watch fish take a bait underwater.The 3 percent I belive is the percentage of people who know how to throw back fish properly.

Raefud I was not talking about speared fish that you dont recognise I was talking about line fishing and not being able to see what you are catching. I dont go and shoot everything that moves you choose the fish carefully when you spear. As for fishing its whatever bites and you tell me thats sustainable

[devocean]

Catching a fish and spearing a fish are different in my book

[chemmy]

Custaro thanks for the comment and I will pick my fish carefully
And can any of you tell me if you are allowed to spear wobbegongs (carpet sharks)because i have seen a lot of them swimming around? A fella told me you can't but then 5 minutes later another fella told me you can

cheers michael