When i get that feeling...this is normally the result

Every now and then i get this overwhelming feeling to go spearfishing, stronger than usual, so if i can (i make all efforts to do so) i do. This time i found myself at a bay on one of Trinidad's smaller islands where ive never actually spearfished before and i spent the evening taking pics, the night fishing and sleeping on the sand, by myself, with one goal...to be in the water as soon as the sun came up enough to see. My fishing buddy wasnt able to spend the night so he was to join me in the morning. He was running late as usual so just before 7am i donned my gear and hit the water without him. After about 20mins searching the bay, seeing a couple fish and passing on them while momentarily checking the shore to see if my buddy arrived, i came across a school of bait fish that got me excited. Before i committed all my focus toward them and their behaviour, i made one last look at the shore only to see my buddy now arriving. I waved him, he waved back and it was back to business! As soon as i put my head back underwater, i saw a barracuda staring at me about 15ft away. I slowly pointed my Baja Plus as he turned broadside then started to swim away. I aimed, I squeezed, he disappeared and i waited for the tug which turned out to be more of a boatride as he pulled me through the water for about 20secs as i had no reel. Only when i brought him close to subdue him did i realize his true size. He bent my spear nearly 90 degrees but its not fully visible because of the angle of the pic. He may not look it but he weighed 49lbs. Im 6'6 by the way.

Quote from Don Paul

Nice fish Khalel, do the larger ones have cig as many do in French Poly ? I have never shot one for this reason but I did get one to flood a old Nikonous III.when he bit the lens I shoved in his face. He managed to crack the glass and deform the aluminum edge.:@ This gave me me allot of respect for this big hotel Bora Bora resident.

Cheers, Don Paul

hey Don, as far as i know we havent ever had any reports of cig or people that have been affected by it. i myself havent had any problems eating cuda or any other big fish over the years.

Quote from Dan

Nice Khalel. My main goal when shooting big cuda is to achieve landing it without bending a shaft. For this I like to shoot them not broadside but as they're angling away, so that the pull on the shaft is as much along the direction of the fish's run as possible. I use a float line and float and put just enough pressure on the line to slow the fish but not bend the spear, until it tires out. Granted a big fish like that can bend a spear against all efforts.

Thanks for the advice Dan but after having my shaft bent i knew better next time about shot placement on big fish, every experience is a learning experience. He took off so fast and with so much power i dont think i couldve helped the shaft from being bent though. All in all, i got the fish, i straightened my shaft and i gained some experience.:)

Quote from tinu

hey khalel,
nice barracs. the water looks calm there.
that was at the bocas ? for a long time i want to make a dive on the far end of chacachacaree.
ever dive there ? lets go when the water gets clean.

Hey Tinu, yeah that was the far end of Chacachacare at La Tinta Bay in the Grand Boca. That was my first time at that spot. Been around that area once since that and came across thick schools of big Power(atlantic spadefish) feeding on jellyfish. I meant thick like getting 3 on one shot! Shot about 20 and called it a day. Made good eating!