A thread about fishing.....just for the halibut.....

theramrod

Nep status
Nov 14, 2014
605
821
93
N Cackalaki
Have a group of really good friends who range from Wilmington NC to the Outer Banks NC who meet every year at one of the river systems in the middle for a kayak fishing camping trip. Been doing it since 2012 and had our trip this past weekend. Absolutely ideal weather with high around 70 and low around 50 each night w/ minimal wind. Fishing was slow, yet steady with decent trout caught by everyone.
 

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Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
2,130
113
Vancouver Island
Lots of spawning activities in the local small creeks these days as the Coho are showing up after each good rainfall. This rather tattered looking one was holding yesterday at the mouth of the West Branch of Haig-Brown's Kingfisher Creek, one I have been involved with for 22 years now. He was gone this morning and there were two new pairs spawning a half mile upstream, one of which could have been him. They are incredible fish and blow my mind as to the places they can get to. A couple of years ago, during a spawned salmon survey, we recovered a carcass with a PIT tag on it. Upon analysis it turned out that fish had entered the Campbell River and then went up the Quinsam River where it was captured at the hatchery and had the tag attached and then released. It then swam down the Quinsam to the Campbell then down the Campbell to the mouth of Kingfisher Creek then went up the creek about a half mile to the spawning gravel in behind the old abandoned house off Quinsam Rd. Unreal, but there it was.

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Threw this in just for fun. Me, in 1972 with a couple of wild summer-run Steelhead from the Gold River, back when you could still fish for and kill wild fish. Closed to fishing nowadays. 48 years later. Sad.

SteelheadGold72.jpg


Take care.
 

afoaf

Duke status
Jun 25, 2008
49,204
22,752
113
how does one start spearfishing?

I'm not trying to buy a camo suit and crazy gear right out of the gate (for once)
 

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Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
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I got a polespear for "fun" about 6++ years ago and it's never gotten wet. I use a modified Omer Caymun Camu 110 (warhead style slip tip and no wishbone bands) and surf suit more than anything for shore dives. It's accurate as hell.
 

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,260
19,084
113
Jacksonville Beach
how does one start spearfishing?

I'm not trying to buy a camo suit and crazy gear right out of the gate (for once)
See if you like snorkelling, see if you see anything legal to shoot. If you can get shots set up in your mind, you're probably ready.

Be turbo careful about size limits and closed zones/seasons. California has all sorts of closures in places that are easy to access because they'd get shot out (or whatever the excuse is but sh!t can get shot out in a hurry).

Also if you can ask a local who isn't localizing you about the shark situation. Sharks love freshly speared fish. If 6-8' whites are eating halibut during the halibut spearing season, and you have a long swim in from ye olde Dominator, you might get dominated for your catch.
 

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,146
16,167
113
West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
There is a place I snorkel about 10 minutes from my parent's house in Florida where I could shoot all the sheepshead I could ever want. Seems too easy and they are more fun on a hook and line. Sheepshead are inquisitive and don't seem to have much fear of you in the water. If you take a handful of sand and disperse it above your head in the water they will come right to you.

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Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
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I've passed on every single west coast sheepshead (including giant ones at Cortes bank) I've ever seen but those look pretty bomb.
For a pole spear, I'd have fun doing it this way - check the viz at a beach area from a pier or bluff and if it's top to bottom, swim out near where guys are shore fishing, only a few yards out and shoot the heck out of surf perch, and then and fry them up at the beach picnic/bbq areas. If you're lucky you might see a school of corbina, or a halibut to take home.
 

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,146
16,167
113
West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
I've passed on every single west coast sheepshead (including giant ones at Cortes bank) I've ever seen but those look pretty bomb.
For a pole spear, I'd have fun doing it this way - check the viz at a beach area from a pier or bluff and if it's top to bottom, swim out near where guys are shore fishing, only a few yards out and shoot the heck out of surf perch, and then and fry them up at the beach picnic/bbq areas. If you're lucky you might see a school of corbina, or a halibut to take home.
The typical sheepshead in Florida is like this one.

 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,721
15,939
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Been a tough spring so far for me, a few short bass. The river system I live on is going through a massive fishkill(bunker) and I am not into fishing the crowded spots where the fish are.
 

b.r.

Phil Edwards status
Dec 19, 2003
5,921
3,033
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Leucadia
www.youtube.com
yellow.jpgda point1.jpgda point 2.jpg

a few summers back, my buddy asked me to go fishing, on the way out there were some boats at the point but then the wind blew and apparently everybody left. on the way back in my buddy says go get some and for an hour I had it to myself from the outside notch to the inside sand cove, a set came every 5 minutes or so, as soon as I got back out another one would arrive, my buddy was cleaning the fish but shot 2 photos with his phone. an epic day in the life.