Free Divers/Spearfisherman

[Huck BB62]

I've talked to the deep hunters. Unless the prey is small, the gun is lanyarded off to a towed bouy. Shoot the fish, get back up topside, pull gun up when the fish tires out. Unless you stone a big fish, it doesn't matter how shallow the water is, you can get in trouble quickly. Heck, I whacked a big sheepshead once under a ledge. Well, he whacked me back! He pulled so hard that he smacked my head against the ledge and knocked my mask off. Yeah, I got 'im!

[deeper]

When hunting at depth for snapper ,grouper,in wrecks ect.. usually I will use a gun with a reel . after shooting the fish I pull it so it is clear then head for the surface with the gun letting out line fast enough to move qiuckly but not let the fish reenter the struckture. A bouy is for open water for Big fish like tuna to tire them out. after shooting you swim to the surface letting the cord slip through your hands till you reach the surface then let him drag you - What a ride!!!

[toleary]

Be real careful. We just lost a pretty good diver out here to shallow water blackout. It's real important to have a one up- one down system if you are going to any significant depth.

The up guy has to see the down guy breathe before they descend, too. A lot of SWB cases actually make it to the surface, black out there, sink and drown.

Tom O