Posts by Pachamama

Exactly, another section of the forum... Note that not one post above mentions spearfishing and how it relates to no more fish.. It's an issue that needs to be discussed but I turn to the general spearfishing forum for spearfishing topics rather than discussions of ecology and conservation. Maybe others don't share my opinion, but that's fine.

Really?!! This is a general spearfishing discussion topic? Seems to me it belongs elsewhere. I don't believe that many on this board dispute the reduction of fish populations, we get to see it first hand while practicing the most selective method to fish...

For me it's the challenge and the accomplishment, both physical and mental. There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment from landing a challenging fish, especially when you've outsmarted a wary fish by understanding it's behavior or overcome difficult conditions - be it the sea, your physical condition or mindset. Of course, it's always good to get lucky once in a while!

Yes, that is Valente and me in the weigh-house at the co-op we fish from. Most of our fish are sold there. He also keeps his lancha there. Pretty nice set up with industrial-sized ice machine, cleaning stations, etc. Luckily for me, it's less than 100 yards from my house!

Hank, I'm normally boat diving 90% of the time, the rest is shorediving along our east coast, the reef is right on the beach. The current isn't usually too bad, normally 1-2 kts, but it's all drift diving. We have some areas where it reaches 3-4 kts, which is a real challenge because the spots in those areas are up to about 90'. You're flying over the bottom... In those areas we're entering the water about 500' upcurrent and starting our dives about 250-300' prior to the spot. Big schools of big barracudas sit in that current and don't seem to move around too much. The groupers that sit in the current on the bottom are big and strong from living in those conditions. I'm not sophisticated enough to know, but it seems like the speed of the current here is better related to the wind rather than the phase of the moon, but couldn't say for sure.

Our spots start fairly close to the island, less than five miles with depths at around 50-60'. We have several shipwrecks within 10 miles, the bigger ones are up to about 300'. They all can hold large schools of fish. I think our farthest spots are out to about 45 miles, not exactly offshore but up the coast. Still a long way in a 25' panga with a 60 hp four-stroke... We're usually pulling away from the dock at 6:30 a.m. and getting back after five in the afternoon. When we're working a spot it usually takes 10 minutes per drift, from entering the water to diving/shooting/landing a fish, and getting back in the boat to reposition back to the start/reload/re-enter the water again. I think I've said it here before, but commercial spearos know how to put fish on the boat quickly. We're not using floats, reels, knives, or anything extra to take time. It's all very efficient.

We don't spear many wahoo here, maybe six per year, but we see plenty of sailfish when entering the water. They'll just look at you and slowly swim away... We normally see wahoo in pairs and Valente and I can often times get both of them. One will shoot the first fish and play it until it's calmed down, the big thing is not to rush. It's partner will stay close to the fish on the spear and the second diver can usually get a shot while bringing the first one up near the surface. It's a treat to get them, you can really feel the power from them.

We focus on black groupers and snappers (mostly mutton and dog, and cuberas up to about 20 lbs). But we can also sell gags, amberjacks, mackerels, cobia, yellow jacks, permit, horse-eye jacks, African pompano, barracudas, and oceanic triggers. When the north winds kick up, like this time of year, the water clears and a lot of fish move into the area. The water around here was a mess this last summer with the low winds we had Jul-Sep. It was worse than normal, so we did a lot of diving through murky layers... It usually opened up on the bottom, but the thermocline dropped the water temps. Ugh.

I think that this will be a good winter for us. Plus, I picked up a new 5mm wetsuit from Dan a couple of months ago and think that it will do the trick for me. Super warm and comfortable. Well a buddy called to go get in the water (and it's flat calm this morning). Gotta go get dinner...:)

I'm from the US, but retired here about seven years ago. We bought our house in 1999 with the plan to do that. It took five years to get my permanent Mexican residency, and Valente and I have been fishing together for more than five years. Haven't been bored one second and have been thankful for every day.

Yeah, maybe it's because we're basically where the Gulf and the Caribbean meet. Lots of commercial fishing co-ops keep busy with several different techniques, but there are only a handful of freedivers that make a living by spearfishing. And, we've got quite a library of GPS points, enough to let many spots rest for six months or more.

Gents, I just fell into an incredibly good situation. My buddy, Valente, is the one putting the vast majority of fish in the boat. I just tag along and all my fish go into the cooler. We've been diving together long enough that we work very well together. Every day is a treat, and a lot of hard work keeping up with a 28 year old... But we have a good time together and he makes a pretty decent living. Plus, I'm out of my wife's hair.:laughing:

Dan, landing the AP was pretty straightforward. It was a rare day where I was first in the water while Valente drove the boat. It was the first dive of the day, and we were planning to work a big shipwreck about seven miles from shore; it sits at about 80' and can hold big schools of permit, barracuda, horse-eye jack and cuberas. Occasionally there will be smaller schools of AP and some wahoo. The current is usually light and I started my dive to around 60' about 150' before the wreck. I was just cruising mid-water, looking forward to the wreck, when three APs came to me. I just picked out the biggest and shot him right behind the gills. I swam to the surface while letting my line out of my weight belt; there wasn't much of a fight. However, he was swimming a little, but on his side. It was like pulling up a door mat until he finally wore out. Valente really noticed the size while pulling it into the boat. We decided not to clean it until checking on the record. Glad for that!

I finally took a couple of photos off my camera from last week, this might help keep you motivated! It was a decent day for groupers with a few muttons hanging around. Valente speared the black grouper at 120'. We don't normally use buoys, but decided to on this dive. He was concerned that if he shot something that he would not be able to keep it out of any structure, etc.. and we wouldn't be able to recover it. I waited at the buoy and started fighting whatever was down there when I felt a tug on the line. Valente was able to swim to the surface while I landed his fish. Worked pretty slick...

Here ya go...

Well, I do have the current WR for the African Pompano at 55 lbs... And I do always have my eye out for more, hehehe... However, Valente shot a 60 pounder but declined to submit it because I have it. Good friends!! I like the IUSA and think that it's definitely helped our sport.

November has been pretty crappy here, just up the coast from you, Hank. Haven't been out in a week due to the wind, but when we've been out there seem to be quite a few fish around. Valente just shot a porgy he's submitting for the new IUSA WR. Funny thing is that we don't target them, but he wanted something to bring back for lunch... Bigger ones were around.

For my area, shallow water diving would be shorediving... Going against the current is a non-starter for me. I'm lucky to be able to walk down the island from my house and hunt my way home with the current. I can cover 1.5 miles in a leisurely two hours, drifting through fishy areas and swimming with the current in areas that haven't shown many fish. I use a reel on my gun (no float) and attach about a 30" piece of wire at the butt to use as a stringer. I swim with the fish I shoot under my belly. If I have more than about 20 lbs I swim to shore and walk home. For us, it's fishiest where the reef meets the sandy bottom. Snappers out over the sand, groupers under the ledges and in depressions, mackerel, barracuda and triggers mid-water, and we even get the occasional African pompano, cobia, permit and jacks. Slapping the water actually works good for me, attracting curious fish. I don't do it near any of my honey holes, but it does attract both reef fish and game fish. Shooting fish often attracts other fish, and dropping one to the bottom that you've just dispatched can keep nearby fish interested. Being properly weighted is paramount and I always make sure that I have enough weight to lie on the bottom without struggling against the surge, so maybe I'm a little heavier than boat/deeper diving. Lastly, I'll bang the pistol grip of my gun on the bottom a few times to make noise and this will bring fish in. So, I'm finding that making noise works to help the fish find me even though my area gets a fair amount of pressure.

Nice hog! Did you have your video running?

Nice pics, great fish! Captured from a GoPro?

Hank, what to look for would be great to know. Until we get another, just have to keep fishing. It's been decent around here lately, hehehe...

Well, the fish was sold through the co-op yesterday, not a big deal. We'll continue to see where this goes but imagine that it might take a while. Luckily, it's been quite fishy lately and we're bringing in a good amount of black grouper, mutton snapper, cuberas, and amberjack.

Got this reply form Sheri... "To summarize, the process to identify a hybrid can be quite complex. There is an outside chance that one of Dr. Steele's colleagues will take the time to try and identify it. But I have to warn you, even if he agrees to do it, it still may not be "identifiable". In any case, if his colleague does agree, we would ask you to mail a frozen sample of tissue."

Here is his quote to her: "DNA is probably the only reliable way of figuring out what it is, but that relies on enough of the DNA work having already been done on possible parent species. I'm not sure if that work has been done or not."

So, we will continue to keep everyone posted on the results. And Hank, we appreciate what you're doing to figure this thing out!:thumbsup2:

Don't know for sure but the IUSA biologist, Mark Steele, is going to review the photos. We followed all protocols to submit a record - certified scale, measurements, etc. With luck, Valente may end up with his third record.