Posts by spearstuff

  • Lake Report and a PB

    The next day I traded my underwater camera for Alex's speargun and set out to find a record fish of my own. I searched high and low, but the big carp must have known I was coming because I never saw anything close to Alex's monster carp.
    That day Brandon went on an all out carp shooting spree bringing in 12 carp from just one dive. Here's the pick of the pile with my fish added in.




    I lucked out with my last fish of the day. As I was pulling my carp from the surface, just a tenth of a mile from shore, I look to my left and see a nice sized carp swimming parallel with me. Luckily I still had my gun loaded so I turned to my side and knocked him off. The fish just went wild and swam all over the place, zipping back and forth on my reel line. I didn't want to lose him so I played it slow. Pulling in the line when I could and letting him take it when he swam with all his might. Eventually I pulled him in close enough to grab. Grabbing the gills usually pisses these off and they bolt away before you can get a firm grip. So I've come up with the solution of sticking a finger in their mouth and holding on to their face. After giving that a try he calmed down and I quickly strung him up. He seemed big, but when I got to shore he beat out all my other carp at 16lbs (that's him on my right side).


    Can't wait to get back out there and look for another monster carp.

  • A Lobster Story

    Quote from seaweed

    With all the fun you had with it I thought you were going to keep it as a pet.


    I was contemplating donating him to someplace with a big enough saltwater tank, preferably a non aquarium setting. Then I could come by and see him whenever I want, or at least for a while until he died from some mishap with the tank.


    But for me, that would have put a lot of unknown variables into making a complete lobster mount. And making a lobster mount was a goal of mine.


    So I chose to eat him and save the shell for mounting. That last pic I posted is the finished mount.



    Mike[/QUOTE]


    Quote from Marco

    HAHAHA! The lobster is beautiful, but frying it and mixing with beans....


    Why don't you just steam it and eat it with garloc butter and lemon? Easier and much better ;)


    Because I was mounting the shell and didn't want to cook the shell. That last pic I posted is the finished mount. I've tried steaming lobster meat out of the shell before and it ended up sapping the sweetness out of the meat in the process. So steaming was out of the question.

  • A Lobster Story

    I wish my cooking was as exciting as my diving, but I just fried the lobster meat in a pan, with a dash of spices and olive oil. Wrapped upn in a tortilla with beans, rice, salsa,and lemon juice.


    But man as I'm writing this I could really go for another lobster burrito right now! I'm freakin hungry!


    Oh and I moved my post so the lurkers can't see it. Not that it has any valuable info or anything. I just don't like lurkers.

  • A Lobster Story


    The story....
    Just got back from a road trip and had some time to kill. So I grabbed my freediving gear and headed out for a quick late night solo lobster dive.


    Tonight was going to be interesting. For I had brought along a slightly fresh, strongly pungent halibut carcass. I've heard tell of spearos using dead fish as bait to lure out lobsters unwilling to leave their holes. Tonight was the night to test this rumor out for myself.


    Down on the beach it was cold and dark with no moon in site. The waves still pounding against the sand. Only I stood to greet them on that desolate shoreline. Pushing through the whitewash I noted the visibility was slim, eight feet at most. If I had not visited this site before in the day I might have abandoned the dive then and there. But with the landscape forming in my mental view I was glad I knew where I was going. A short swim out to the first reef and a few wide circles later brought me to the reef I was looking for.


    With a calm last breath I arched my body forward and pushed into the world below. The bottom opened before my eyes and I examined my surroundings for signs of life. Right away one bug eyed me while sitting under a ledge, another spent his time crawling over some weeds, while others moved about the reef in their own fashion. The bugs got me excited. Unfortunately they were all a bit too small and not large enough to take home, legally that is. Even so I was getting exited! Anytime you start to see lobsters it's a good sign of more to come. Though I didn't need a limit. I was out for just one big, a big one. And I knew exactly where he hung out.


    During the day this bug stuck to a hole hidden far below under a ledge and in a rocky outcropping. You couldn't see it unless you were looking at it horizontally from the seafloor, which made finding him hard. Still I thought I'd give it try tonight. Although after half a dozen excursions into the murk I reached my limit of frustration. That hole was just too hard to find. I recounted that, "He's got to be only around 4lbs, not worth the trouble." Fortunately I knew of one more spot to try that held an even bigger lobster. One that was well worth the trouble.


    For almost a year now I've known of him... and his lair. Each time I peered into this bug's abode I saw him sitting there at the farthest reaches of his cave. Since the first time I'd laid eyes on him in January he was always staring back at me, practically taunting me with his enormous size. His cave was large, at least large enough for me to swim inside, but it narrowed halfway, barring me from entering any further. In that narrowed expanse, in a space almost too small to fit in, sat that oversized crustacean. All I could do was watch him. But today I wasn't planning on simply watching. As I looked back at the halibut carcass in tow I knew I would finally lure him out. This time he was going to be mine! I mean, how could he resist this succulent feast I was bringing him? He'd be drawn to it like a dog to table scraps. With this in mind I continued on to the next reef, keeping my eye out for the special cave that held the bug I was after.

    A short swim over and I arrived at the next reef. Locating a particular hole on an entire reef, especially at night, takes time and luck. Your frame of reference is limited to only your single beam of light instead of a panoramic view of the reef. Half a dozen dives of searching brought more familiarity yet I still couldn't find the hole. Knowing I was in the general area I dove down to the bottom and almost did a double take when I saw the massive bug just sitting under the lip of his lair! The big guy spotted me right away and consciously backed into his hole but I wasn't about to let him get away! I dove in after him, headfirst into his narrow home. The small cave was shaped like an L so when the bug backed into the hole his tail bumped into the corner wall. Clawing up the wall he began twisting his tail to the back of the hole, but by mid twist I reached him! Dropping my light I threw both hands forward aiming for his carapace (the thickest part of his body). Pinning him against the rocky wall I quickly tried to wrestle him out of his hole. The giant bug flicked his oversized tail two solid times trying his best to escape my grasp, but I pulled him in close, flipped him around, and hugged him tight against my body.


    As soon as he had something to wrap his big legs around he gave up the fight. Sandwiched between my hand and chest he knew he was stuck. His strategy switched to squeezing me as tight as possible with his meaty legs and sharp pointy claws. It was the first time a lobster managed to pinch me through my 5mm wetsuit. Meanwhile I was almost out of breath! Kicking out of the hole with the lobster I felt my lungs screaming for a refill.


    Splashing through the surface I breathed in that sweet salty air. As my nerves calmed I glanced down at the now tranquil beast wrapped around my stomach. Bobbing there in the turbulent water I thought, "Wow that was pretty easy". Still wondering how everything had worked out so perfectly I began to swim away from the rocks. I made my way to the deeper water and out of nowhere something yanks me back hard! Shit! It jolted me to a dead stop. Gone were my dream like thoughts of wonder as I looked back to find my floatline is as tight as miser's fist against my weighbelt. I look up and watch the line disappear into the darkness as it points to the rocky outcropping I had just triumphantly emerged from. Guess this wasn't going to be a piece of cake after all.


    If you can visualize it, my weight belt has a 50ft floatline tied to it that in turn is attached to a boogie board. On the boogie board is my lobster bag, where I store any bugs I catch, as well as the halibut carcass tied on top. Pulling the rope again it responded in turn with an abstinent refusal to budge even an inch. Yep I wasn't going anywhere.


    "Well," I though, "that's what I get for towing this floating barge around everywhere I go." Stuff like this happens every now and then so I wasn't too surprised at the situation I was in. Although it was a strange feeling knowing I was completely safe floating there away from the rocks with bug in hand. But in a few moments I would have to put myself back into the precarious swell and waves that surrounded the rocky outcropping . There was no avoiding it. Looking down at the large bug clutching my side I just shook my head, smiled, and moved forward with my resolve. There was a high chance my floatline was snagged deep below on an underlying rock ledge. Holding the lobster and untangling the rope below would not be easy. Not an impossible task, just somewhat difficult.


    But by the time I reached the rocks I found out that luck was on my side. My boogie board had just wrapped around an above water rock. So swimming around the rock with the floatline in hand I was free again!


    Once in a calm area away from the rocks I opened up my lobster bag on top of my board. Lifting up the huge bug I tried shoving him in the bag, but he just wouldn't let go of my dive light. I thought, "Hell he can have it! I've got more than enough lobster with just you.". So I happily bagged both light and bug. Which then gave the bag an interesting blue glow from the LED light shining through the fabric. Now without a light to use it was time to head home.


    Pushing my board back to shore a tinge of fear began its crawl through my emptied mind. Eating it's way through my morale while I continued gazing ahead into the dark expanse. My bag swaying on top of the board, casting it's eerie blue glow across the random chop below. I moved alone in the frigid water. All was silent. Randomly the sudden and unnerving crash of waves sounded nearby. I felt odd. But more than that I felt afraid. Afraid of an unknown threat that waited for me somewhere out there. I was alone and encapsulated by the darkness. In silence I continued for the next 10 minutes.


    The first clear view of land returned my spirits and with each kick forward I felt a little safer. By the time I reached the shore my childish fears had disappeared. And as I crawled myself up the beach, pushing my board past the waves, past the wet send, and up to the dry sand it brought with it a renewing sense of excitement. Poking the bag on the sand and watching it curl in response I smiled once more. After almost a year of trying I finally did what I thought I'd never do.


    I caught him.






  • So Hey I'm a New Member

    Quote from Marco

    Nice vids and pics! How do you prepare those squids? Forgive my ignorance, but I've heard that they have ana ammonia taste.


    Here's how you cut them initially


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8_JgzAKdE&feature=related


    Then I cut a thin layer off the top and bottom of the squid (the meat will be whiter and softer an 1/8th of an inch down)


    Then you can soak the squid fillets in buttermilk for a couple hours (to soften it up), but I can't tell if it really makes a difference.


    Next step is to pound the squid and flatten it to half it's original size. I like to pound it even further, till it's the consistency of snot, which after frying makes it hardens enough to grab, while still being very tender.


    Next egg, flower, and bread it. Then fry it up in the pan. Put some hot spices or chili peppers in the mix to give it a little kick.


    The ammonia taste is unavoidable (it has a bit of a lemon flavor mixed with salt), but cut the pieces into bite sized pieces and dip it in cocktail sauce and the cocktail sauce overpowers the ammonia flavor. The cocktail sauce is the most important ingredient. Prepared this way I really enjoy Humboldt squid. Also put in a tortilla (+beans and rice) with a little cocktail sauce it really tastes great. The squid just melts in your mouth.

  • Hello

    <img src= " class="smiley" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x" height="23" width="23" loading="eager" data-tooltip="biggrin" aria-label="biggrin"> Too funny!


    Quote from Dan

    but then he lost his arms and legs..


    Welcome Griffin. Don't worry about your age online. It's your words that matter. But as for learning to freedive, I'm betting you'll soon be hopelessly addicted just like the rest of us.

  • Giving away spearfishing locations

    Well there's going to be even less spots to go to after the MLPA closures are passed in California. Saying the name of a city could denote as small as a 1-2 mile stretch of shoreline to fish from. I know if I was the dictator of all, I'd probably ban naming cities and reefs from the internet as it pertained to dive reports.


    But however it turns out I'm sure this place will be a lot better than the other forums. When they say, "Go to this spot the fish are thick." I cringe a little every time I read a thread like that, since it took me years to figure out I needed to go to those spots.

  • So Hey I'm a New Member

    Quote from ladvr

    Welcome Daniel. Great pics.


    Thanks Mike. You know that duffel bag you gave me? I still use it everywhere. It's really come in handy. Also I had some spare time last dive and was able to pull this off the beach.



    Quote from LunkerBuster

    welcome daniel..some very nice pics...nice looking pooch too


    I wish he was still around he was my all time favorite dog.



    Quote from Dan

    Really nice pics. Welcome Daniel.


    The intros are getting hard to beat :)


    Thanks for having me Dan. And thanks for your avatar pic :toast:


    Quote from attan

    those r some big squids!!


    I know! I was really amazed when I found out I could catch them just 5 miles away from my house (as the crow flies). Here's two videos I made from the two squid trips I made this year.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLhwS2jiwIE


    http://vimeo.com/11612828

  • Introduction

    Hey Steve after I saw your fish report I knew I had to join this forum. One of these days we need to go on another dive together, look for some halibut. I've only shot one so they're still a mystery to me.

  • Ascendv6 is here

    Hey Darren hope to fish with you again soon. And we need to figure out another cookout party. I've got some fillets and octopus in my freezer that I want to cook up~

  • So Hey I'm a New Member


    click on image


    I just found this website and thought I'd join since I noticed a lot of familiar faces.


    My name's Daniel Burke. I live in Orange County and I normally spearfish at least once every two weeks. If conditions are good and I have the time I'll try and dive every other day. It took 3-4 years of spearfishing and buying gear, but I'm now very comfortable swimming and diving in the ocean, night or day. Shorediving and cheap road trips are my favorite! Baja, Colorado River, Lake Mead, and Northern California are the few trips I would jump at the occasion to go on. Although I'm highly selective on where and when I'll dive on boats because it costs too much. But I'd pay to go to the Coronados Islands again any day.


    Lobster, wsb, abalone, and carp are some of my favorite things to hunt. It's the hunting and searching that I love. Not knowing what will be around the next corner. The feeling that I'm actually in the wild and not some artificial game preserve. Sharing the moment with friends and eating the spoils after a long day's dive.


    I've also started to enter carp spearfishing competitions with Alex Stover. Tons of fun and there's another competition this October near Bullhead City Arizona, just across the river from Laughlin at "The Dive Shack". Last time we shot 40+ carp each on the river. But I'll need to find someone to compete with come October since my partner is going to be busy at Grad school during the competition.


    Also if the swell report says it's favorable I'm going to enter the Gat-Ku competition in San Diego. I'm hoping to spear a wsb with a polespear, which will be quite the challenge since the largest thing I've speared is a calico.


    I think it's great that this site tries to keep things a little more private. I'll probably post my reports here from now on. I'm really interested to see how this sight turns out.











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