If you have direct cable, check out the following link that will take you to
an actual underwater clip of the world record Striper on spear being taken.
What I am hearing is that this fish was taken about 2 weeks ago off Block
Island and was 60.5 lbs. Looks to be in 20-30' of water. No way to tell
the actual size. ( forwarded from another forum )

http://www.renepotvin.com/peteworldrecord.wmv

sol...

Not trying to stir anything up but is that legal?? Nice fish...

Geez, let me see ... get a speargun, shoot a striper, oh and call it fishing.

Where is the sport in this?

It's like being at the arcade at the mall on one of the games they have there, only you shoot sharks ... not ferocious and deadly stripers.

Real sporting of the guy to give the striper a fighting chance, guess we're all doing it the wrong way guys.

I think I'll take my chances and enjoy the fight the right way (rod & reel) when and if I ever get into something that big.

This guy should be great at the local turkey farm for Thanksgiving, he can pick his turkey the same way he picked the striper.

Real sporting ...not! :mad: :lossinit:

Teaser, how is this any different from hunting deer, bear, turkey, or any other animal one would hunt and shoot shoot? Have you ever been out there in a wetsuit diving? My guess is that you ahve not after your assisnine response.

Anyway, congrats to the hunter/fisherman.

I'm with Tlap on this one.

Which fish "suffers" more the speared one or the one hooked on rod/reel?

Which deer "suffers" more the one shot with a wooden/aluminum shaft or a 30/06 round to the skull?

Sorry teaser but you need to re-evaluate the way you view nature,fishing and definitely about the food you consume.Simply put you got it way wrong.

gonna have to agree with tlap and bw on this one. notice, he was not SCUBA diving, he was free diving... SCUBA would definately be a little unfair to the fish, but still, no different than hunting deer, IMO.

_Z_

Not trying to stir anything up but is that legal?? Nice fish...

afaik, yes it is completely legal in RI, illegal MA, not sure about CT.

_Z_

Teaser, how is this any different from hunting deer, bear, turkey, or any other animal one would hunt and shoot shoot? Have you ever been out there in a wetsuit diving? My guess is that you ahve not after your assisnine response.

Anyway, congrats to the hunter/fisherman.


To answer you're question, yes I have been out there in a wet suit, I dive alot off Cuttyhunk.

I do not hunt nor do I have any interest in it, I never found it all that exilerating to kill an animal that I am not going to eat.

And before you say or think it I'm not a tree hugger or a member of P.E.T.A.

I fish for enjoyment not profit, I don't knock anyone who does it for a living nor do I take aim at guides for hunting, everyone has to make a living.

I just stated my "opinion" which I believe I am entitled to as everyone else, so before you get heated as it seems so easy to do on this site lately, whether you agree or not it doesn't matter to me, it was meant as that ... just my opinion on the subject.

Man, 60lbs is massive. Most of the bass in that school looked around the same size too..... :fishslap:
Id be scared to do that there tho, in deep water like that with a huge fish towing and spinning behind me :err:
Nice fish neway u look at it!!

"I think I'll take my chance and enjoy the fight the right way(rod&reel)"............

Why is rod/reel the "right way"?

If you think spearing and bringing in a big fish is even slightly easy.........

that school was enormous :D really nice looking fish

I think T-Lap and I and a few others discussed this subject awhile back.....I must agree with T-Lap as it is just as sporting as fishing rod and reel imo....its not my way but I can relate with someone who chooses this as their sport just as hunting is not for me but I find it fascinating and do understand how folks enjoy the sport. Man must put food on the table....this is just one more way to do so.....as long as it is done correctly and the fish is consumed I have no issue with it.

Teaser is also entitled to his opinion though perhaps a bit hair triggered with it I understand where he is coming from.

That fish just curled up and died the moment it was shot, no fight, just instantaneous death.

Well congrads to the spear fisher, I think I'll stick with rod and reel.

That fish just curled up and died the moment it was shot, no fight, just instantaneous death.

Well congrads to the spear fisher, I think I'll stick with rod and reel.

I think that is the skill of it. If you shoot it wrong you are dragged all over on a single breath of air. and he is deep. look how long it takes him to swim up to take a breath.

I think a lot of the 'sport' is just having the physical ability to swim down there, tolerate the pressure, hold your breath that long, and still get off a good shot. I bet that 95% of us aren't in any shape to do that right now and I bet 75% of us never could do that.

I speak for experience. I used to swim competitively for many years and used to free dive to catch crawfish. Now it's sad that I get winded from sprinting to catch the bus!

That was cool!!

Nice shot as well!

Did I notice he was diving without a tank?

It would be even easier with a tank full of air waiting for a fish to swim by, seems kinda tough without a tank as you can only stay down for so long.

It would have been even better to see him with the fish on shore.

breath hold spearfishing is very sporting.that guy put a lot of days on the water to get that fish.anybody that think its like shooting fish in a barrel need to try it some time.good for him!

but as far as tanks go... I've talked to a numer of spearfishers/hunters. If you use a tank the fish are GONE. At least that's what I've been told

I didn't intend to start an argument, nor advocate spear fishing. I posted that link because I was encouraged by the size of all of those stripers, only a couple of weeks ago, just off Block Island. And it is a cool perspective.

If we talk advantage -- fish vs. man...wouldn't the fish have the advantage if the man is underwater with no tank...when we get to breath and fight (fishing from the surface) then it is more equal fight.

sol...

Spearing aint my cup of tea; but thats a nice fish either way...
to each his own; a dead bass is a dead bass, and while I'd prefer that 60 to have ended up on my line, it's still caught... props to him on a good clean shot, right in the spine, quick death....

It was a nice fish and that was certainly a school Id like to toss some plugs at but I have trouble believing that was the actual 60. Didnt seem to have the girth one expects of any fish over 50 and didnt seem all that long in comparison to the spear itself, tho I know those guns come in different lengths. Tough to know for sure without any firm reference point to judge size.

I've never seen a 60#er in person, probably never will, but I was thinking the same as Vermonter. Maybe the belly/girth doesn't sag as much as I thought it would is because water is supporting it? Whatever, fish is a beauty and it died quick. Give the guy credit for getting down to them, when I was a kid I busted my eardrum and now I can't dive more than ~10 ft. I can see how some disaprove, but I think it it falls under ethical hunting.

i used to spearfish alot in highschool so let me stop some misinformation right now.. 1st a fish under water looks smaller than it does out of the water... 2nd, you get to chose what fish you kill for dinner, while a rod and reel guy has to cull until he gets something he can legaly keep. 3rdly, there is no catch and release.. you go out and shoot a fish or 2 then you are done. Fourthly and most importantly, if you think that is not sporting, i would like to see someone stand on the high tide line, hold their breath.. run down to the water, cast, reel, hook a fish, land it, then drag it back to the high tide line...... all while holding your breath.

To say spearfishing is damaging to the stocks or that it is going to catch all 'our' 5o 's and 6o's is ludacris. Rod and reel and especially fly fishermen are the real problem and the real murders of the striped bass. I counted 4 dead schoolies float by me and clammer in a half hour period why guys up current were catching them.. :hs:

Careful nebe;
fly fishing aint all bad, I dont think we should generalize; ultra light tackle is what does the damage, especially in warm water when the mortaolity rate is already high....

80% of the guys that i see flyfish are using ultra light gear.

sorry i broke my silence :fishslap:

Almost 36 hours....not bad! :bgi:

Careful nebe;
fly fishing aint all bad, I dont think we should generalize; ultra light tackle is what does the damage, especially in warm water when the mortaolity rate is already high....

Agree... Getting a fish in quick and turned around fast on crimped barbs is better for the fish than sporting it with ultra-light gear - fly or spin...

As for Spearfishing - seems sporting to me. As for ethical or not? Well, it's legal...

Sol - I don't think this was a hijack or start of a fight but I can see how this would be a contentious issue.... THanks for the link...

Almost 36 hours....not bad! :bgi:

had to add my ten cents..

see ya :cheers:

I was agreeing that fly is usually light tackle; but wanted to say all ultra light, not just fly... this applies to guys releasing lots of big fish on 15lb spin gear on live eels; and doing it daily as a charter captain.....

Hard to believe that is a 60# fish. It looked very thin with no gut but there is nothing in the video to give it perspective.

flyfishing LOL look around at all the guys not using circle hooks and going for the gusto as they rip the insides / gills out of a short while setting the hook only to watch as they "relaease the floater" Ive seen this so many times its beyond a joke.
Ive flyfished for several years and never had a floater I use a 9wt or 10wt . I use circles bait fishing and never had a floater.
As for spearfishing, even If a guy runs into the surf next to me during a blitz standing and spears a legal fish with a harpoon thats ok as long as hes going to eat it .[hmmm harpoon ...] :devil2:

RIROCKHOUND is defending FLY FISHING??? :hee:

Smoke 'em while you can boys and girls, the world she be ending soon :bshake:

-spence

had to add my ten cents..

see ya :cheers:
Nebe, you Liar, you can't leave...U love the torture.. :doh:

Not defending, Spence, relax..
and yeah Pops there is a very high mortality on gut hooked fish... set the hook quickly etc.. etc..

My point is how many of those fish didnt float but died later? :huh: I dont know either, but I have seen mortality rates for stripers reported as low as 3% and as high as 25%; 8% is the consensus average... I always feel better releasing a small fish caught on heavy tackle then one caught on lighter tackle; my 0.02,

fly fishing is being grouped with ultra light?
who's smoking what here?

we ain't using no f'ing 2 weight dry fly stream gear out there kids.

Wasnt there a pic recently of one of our SB.com members on here holding a 12" schoolie by its gills just to get a cute picture and show off? Now to me thats more damaging to fish. I fly fish on occasion and get fish in as quick as i can and make sure to revive them before i let them go. Whats more damaging, me fly fishing and releaseing my fish safely or some googan holding a 12" schoolie by the gills to show off? Just my two cents.

Its Showtime...

:lurk:

Nebe secretly owns a few fly rods he just wont admit it :hidin:

haha fly fishing is not more damaging you're showing your ignorance. As soon as you pluck those 3 inch fish outta the water you did damage. I dont care if you're out there with a 1g spinning setup, or a beer can and pink mono. Once that lil fish pops its head out the water and you touch it (stressing the fish) you've done your damage. The fish you saw float by are what is called mortality, unfortunately.. It happens.

I play by my rules and stick to 'em. Notice I was'nt there for the dink fest and wont be, larger are still around..

Today's dink is tomorrow's trophy. Show some respect for the species.

:thanks:

Freediving and shooting fish takes a lot of dedication and patience.

I think that be even discussing this online you guys are promoting the sport and hurting the species :lasso:

-spence

Today's dink is tomorrow's trophy. Show some respect for the species.

Stop fishing then.

Would someone kindly show me where in the R.I. law that fishing in this manner is legal. I don't doubt those who say it is, well maybe just a little, but I'd really like to know. These guys that go skishing could have a mask, a mouthpiece, a spear, and multi task while there floating around.

One wrong turn and this post could go south real quick.

One wrong turn and this post could go south real quick.

Yes - lets keep this as discussion, not a flame war please...

Thanks,

John

LOL..... 3 Pages and still going.....

sol...

its very legal ive ben check by buy game wardens when spearfishing

[To say spearfishing is damaging to the stocks or that it is going to catch all 'our' 5o 's and 6o's is ludacris. Rod and reel and especially fly fishermen are the real problem and the real murders of the striped bass. I counted 4 dead schoolies float by me and clammer in a half hour period why guys up current were catching them.. :hs:[/QUOTE]


Eben,

As far as Fly fishing goes I think that was a very un-educated and fairly ignorant statement. Have you ever tried it? I have subdued bass up to 30 lbs fairly quickly on my set-up. I have released all but one fish this year, and take the time to make sure they all swim away. Fly line rates between 30 and 50 lb test and I rarley go lighter than 30lbs on a leader, sometimes up to 50. Fly rods have more backbone than you think. It is all in your skill fighting fish.You really want to challenge yourself? Take a flyrod into the surf. 60 t0 80 foot distance max. Doesn't get any tougher IMHO. Don't knock it cause it's not your thing. I also like to throw plugs and eels. The flyrod is just another tool, and like any tool you have to know how to use it.

Your totally right, my case of using fly fishing as an example was toatly wrong. RI rockhound has it right by saying light tackle is theone to blame for high mortality.
I do flyfish. not for stripers but for redfish and specs in texas twice a year. its a blast:D
We are all to blame for mortality..
sorry if i offended anyone :hee: .

:bl: :bl: Your totally right, my case of using fly fishing as an example was toatly wrong. RI rockhound has it right by saying light tackle is theone to blame for high mortality.
I do flyfish. not for stripers but for redfish and specs in texas twice a year. its a blast:D
We are all to blame for mortality..
sorry if i offended anyone :hee: .


Glad to here it Eben. It takes a big man to admit he might have been a little hasty. If you do fish with a fly rod and like it, and you are not using it for stripers you are doing yourself a great injustice. There is nothing like a good size striper on the fly, and they take them readily. The fly rod is the perfect tool for fishing current and we all know how much stripes love current. Shoot me a pm and I will send you some killer RI striper flies that you will never see in a shop, and man do they catch. I have hundreds. Worst case you can always use some of them as teasers. Some will be wayyy to big for a teaser though.

Nice Bass

felt kinda bad when he shot it though

Snorkling with a weight belt is tough... to each his own.

It is legal in RI and not in MA. It has been that way for years (can't cite the RI law but found this...http://www.picassoamerica.com/picasso_open_rh.php)
I think it is a sport and I wish it was allowed in MA. As long as he only takes legal fish and agrees to a rec limits I don't have a problem with it. There are not too many guys that can do that.

Didn't look like a world record but it is hard to tell. Have you got a link to other photos?

BTW FishEye was (and still is) quite the free diver, I think he nationally competed some years back....He is from RI.

BTW FishEye was (and still is) quite the free diver, I think he nationally competed some years back....He is from RI.


45 pounder he got back in 1979

20 lb. test line +25lb bass=light tackle.

spearing a stripedbass is legal in RI. think in NH too.

spearfisherman get my respect. it is extremely hard work, dangerous, and friggen cold.

Websight for anyone interested in Striper hunting techniques-

http://www.freediver.net/freedivelist/faqstuff/faq_stripers.html

I think spear fishing for striped bass is like bow hunting for deer
it takes alot of skill to shot a fish and kill it. I know guys that shot
deer with arrows and had to chase them for miles before they
dropped it is a sport. IMO.

nice job.
thats a sport in my book any day.

i for one don't swim in the salt. i know whats out there :skulz:

spearfishing is legal in RI and NH.i do spear fishing while scuba diving for blackfish,bluefish and fluke in MA. i have only speard a couple stripers free diving in RI got some around 20lbs.the really cool thing about spear fishing is that you can choose how big a striper your going to spear. i also do scuba diving and scout out my fishing spots by day and write down notes on structure on my dive slate.

Sandman asked for a pic, here it is.
Not so sure I like it, looks like they get them every time ? Sure hope not!

Maybe they should have a slot limit for this type of fishing, or for the whole east coast for stripers? Shore or in the water.
VB

i used to spearfish alot in highschool so let me stop some misinformation right now.. 1st a fish under water looks smaller than it does out of the water... 2nd, you get to chose what fish you kill for dinner, while a rod and reel guy has to cull until he gets something he can legaly keep. 3rdly, there is no catch and release.. you go out and shoot a fish or 2 then you are done. Fourthly and most importantly, if you think that is not sporting, i would like to see someone stand on the high tide line, hold their breath.. run down to the water, cast, reel, hook a fish, land it, then drag it back to the high tide line...... all while holding your breath.

To say spearfishing is damaging to the stocks or that it is going to catch all 'our' 5o 's and 6o's is ludacris. Rod and reel and especially fly fishermen are the real problem and the real murders of the striped bass. I counted 4 dead schoolies float by me and clammer in a half hour period why guys up current were catching them.. :hs:
how nice putting down fly guys like myself. i like to see you fool stripers when there feeding on 4 inch sandeels. also how can a schoolie be more hurt by a single barbless fly than a mouth full of two sets of tremble hooks :rocketem: . as for you guys putting down spear fishing you try aiming under water while holding your breath.i urge you to try all types of striper fishing- fly fishing,spear fishing,surf casting,troll from a boat.

Again .... forwarded from another forum......

(Here is the fish out of water, to gauge the weight. Sure is a cow, eh?

World Record 60.49 lb BI October 05)

sorry I had to resize the immage.

sol...

Dang! Thats a big one.

Looks like a boat fish to me :rocketem:

Slob for sure. Anyone that thinks free diving isn't a sport should try it and they will quickly change their mind. I'm pretty sure he paid his dues for that fish. Try watching and hold ur breath for the entire vid just sitting there!

I don't question the "sport" aspect of spearfishing, I do sometimes question the efficiency with which it removes larger breeding class fish.

I just NEVER see a spear fisher holding a 15 to 20# dinner fish. A friend of mine used to spear fish every day and sell them commercially. He never came out of the water without a fish over 30#'s. Maybe he was just unbelievably good, I don't know.

Are there any regular spear fisherman here? And if so what do you really take from the water and how often?

nice job.
thats a sport in my book any day.

i for one don't swim in the salt. i know whats out there :skulz:

I agree on both counts. I don't like going above my knees in the salt. I've seen what swims out there too. :behead:

That was sweet.

Only way it could have been better is if he used a hawaiian sling. Spearguns can make it too easy.

Like a well-executed shot in billiards, it looks so very easy...then you go and try to accomplish that same three bank shot and all of sudden it’s a lot more difficult than it looks. The new breed of freediving spearos (including veterans that are 60-73 years old) are taking the sport to a whole other level.

The guys and gals that are competing and blue water hunting these days are serious athletes that put their lives (quite literally) on the line each time they make a dive. Some divers can work at depths over 100 feet and many local divers work 50 and 60 feet in places like the SW Ledge at Block and the rips off Watch Hill and Race Rock. Most anglers wouldn’t want to fall in the water there, never mind diving down 50 feet in current that wants to rip your mask off, in visibility that’s sometimes measured in inches not feet, and where the rocks are festooned with super braid and wire line. Pete “The Greek” who shot the record bass, is a good friend of an old teammate of mine, John Warnock, and he said Pete works hard at shooting only quality fish and pursues them with the same attention to detail that any savvy angler would. It’s all about reading the water, understanding the tides, knowing your boat, having the right equipment and knowing your capabilities. Is this a sport? You bet it is.

many local divers work 50 and 60 feet in places like the SW Ledge at Block and the rips off Watch Hill and Race Rock. Most anglers wouldn’t want to fall in the water there
Thats what i was thinking about when i saw that clip, u do alot of diving in these places Fisheye, have you ever had any close encounter of the shark kind? That part at the end of the clip when he was swimming up and dragging that bass to the boat, i wouldnt wanna look behind me.....:eek5: :err:

Thats what i was thinking about when i saw that clip, u do alot of diving in these places Fisheye, have you ever had any close encounter of the shark kind? That part at the end of the clip when he was swimming up and dragging that bass to the boat, i wouldnt wanna look behind me.....:eek5: :err:

from my experience scuba diving when you intitially go in the water thats when your a little scared of your surroundings, after your down for a few minutes you become more comfortable. I have never been real scared underwater and the only sharks I saw were of the dog fish variety. Granted I wasn't free diving like that guy.

People think its crazy to go out in the water and claim they never would meanwhile you see them dodge several cars on boylston street everyday when they go to lunch. Pick your poison. I would rathe be eaten by a shark than killed by some cab driver who doesn't speak english

I don't question the "sport" aspect of spearfishing, I do sometimes question the efficiency with which it removes larger breeding class fish.

I just NEVER see a spear fisher holding a 15 to 20# dinner fish. A friend of mine used to spear fish every day and sell them commercially. He never came out of the water without a fish over 30#'s. Maybe he was just unbelievably good, I don't know.

Are there any regular spear fisherman here? And if so what do you really take from the water and how often?

I agree with Pete's take. I have no problem with the sport - its like hunting. I have a problem with the ease of taking the biggest fish by this method in a time when I think its pretty clear that we have a big fish deficiency compared to years past.

Its like comparing deer hunting to the hunting of any threatened species. They are both hunting & therefore sports - but hunting deer with a huge population is obviously widely accepted while hunting, say wolves or whatever threatened species, it prohibited.

I don't think spearfishing is really going to contribute to the depletion of big fish. I mean, how many guys are out here doing this? It seems like quite the hardcore sport. I can see spearfishing in the nice warm waters of the florida keys or Hawaii, but to put on a wetsuit and go after stripers in 55 degree water seems a little extreme.

I go fishing from the beach hoping I will be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. I am thinking these guys float around a reef or some other structure till the fish finder goes crazy, jump in, pick out a cow and blast it in the frigging head. Swim to the surface and fire up the grill. Maybe I am just jealous.