Summer Spearfishing

I've been spearfishing for the last 10 years and each summer sees me out on the water as often as possible. Usually that means weeks on end of diving multiple times per week over the Christmas holidays and basically every weekend between October and April. The last 2 years has been very different, having moved from the north of Auckland down to Palmy. I've been getting a hell of a lot more hunting but the diving itch hasn't really been scratched.

This summer holiday has been the worst on record in terms of dive days - only managing five days in the water. What it has lacked in quantity was somewhat made up for in the quality of diving and the company. I introduced SWMBO to spearfishing three years ago and she has steadily improved to the point where she is fully autonomous in the water and doesn't need her hand held (even in deep water with lots of current she is more than capable). This year she had three goals - Snapper, Kingfish and a Cray. We managed to tick off two of the three and added Boarfish to the list as well (a typically deep and hard to find fish, little known to line fishos and prized by spearos).

I will add some photos at some point and make this thread worthwhile but words are all you get for now as I smashed my phone yesterday and the bloody insurance company say there is a 10 day turn-around to get it assessed and replaced.

Are there any other spearos on here? I know of a couple but I'm sure there are more lurking around in deep dark corners...

Saw the pics on Facebook man. Looked like a ripper couple of dives. Everywhere seems to be fishing pretty well, my last few dives have been at some of the most appeared spots in the country and still turned up some ripper results.

Was the boarie round the heads or at the hen? Have only dived the heads area in winter

Another spearo here - been spearfishing Wellington / Kapiti for the last 25 years. Due to the terrible summers on the water over the last few years, I found myself hunting more and more.
Fingers crossed this year is a goodie for in the water action.

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Saw the pics on Facebook man. Looked like a ripper couple of dives. Everywhere seems to be fishing pretty well, my last few dives have been at some of the most appeared spots in the country and still turned up some ripper results.

Was the boarie round the heads or at the hen? Have only dived the heads area in winter

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We shot four in two days between us (two each). Send me a message on FB and I'll show you exactly where if you want - It's not a secret spot but one of those "if you know you know, and if you don't you don't need to" kind of places. It is not hard to find and gets dived a bit, the key is getting the when and how right. Happy to share dive spots with friends and forumites.

Weather has been shit down here been a dry December for me

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Originally Posted by longrange308

Weather has been shit down here been a dry December for me

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What's the Canterbury spearing like? Mainly bugs, slugs and butters I assume?

Kings are about, mokes and trumpeters also

Hoping to get out for a dive tomorrow and then finish with a spearing episode. The Son is a keen spearo and his gear makes mine antiquated by some margin. My gun is an old Bazooka. More of a cannon really."

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Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Hoping to get out for a dive tomorrow and then finish with a spearing episode. The Son is a keen spearo and his gear makes mine antiquated by some margin. My gun is an old Bazooka. More of a cannon really."

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Cool. Where abouts?

Be a little careful with spearing after SCUBA diving as you will still be off-gassing from your dive. Shouldn't be too much of an issue if you are diving conservatively in both methods but the rule of thumb is to freedive before SCUBA if you have a choice. That way you don't have dissolved gasses in your blood causing problems with all the rapid ups and downs. I used to do it frequently - Go for a cray dive on SCUBA then go spearfishing, worst issue I had was with a massive build up of CO2 causing migraine type headaches. (I'm a shocker for skip breathing on SCUBA and back then didn't have a good handle on freedive recovery time)

30plus years in the commercial diving industries. Shallow water blackouts from co2 reduction is very real hazard. I have a holiday property in the Coromandel Cooks Beach if you know it.Tommorow hopefully the Mercs.

Beautiful part of the world.

As for being careful I need not preach to the choir.
Good luck.

You are correct about the safety margins, and I wish most were as careful as you,sadly this is not so.

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What are boar fish like to eat or don’t you bother?

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Originally Posted by Shootm

What are boar fish like to eat or don’t you bother?

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The best eating fish in NZ imho. I would walk over women and children to eat boarfish

Impressive

Awesomeness.
I flop around like some kind of retarded seal in calm waters with little current.
Was in an epic freedive/spearfishing spot for Newyears and actually had the weather for me to get in and do you think I could find my mask and snorkel, not in my dive bag.[emoji36] others got some bloody nice crays and paua and moki.
@stingray is a fish.

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Can boars be found south of cook stait?

Man iv never seen a boar fish , well done , what do they eat ?

@longrange308 According to the internet they can be found all round NZ but the furthest south I have heard of them being shot is at Kapiti (this summer). @Boaraxa They eat small crustaceans and invertebrates that they root-up in the sand with their pig like snout. That's the main reason line fishos don't catch them often, although I have seen a video of a guy catching one on a softbait and freaking out coz he had no idea what it was.

Sweet il keep my eyes peeled ��
Jd is on my hit list this year