anybody go spearfishing?

psychopic · 29 July 2008, 22:42

Hi all, was thinking of giving spearfishing a go, just wondering if anybody could share their thoughts / experiences on the "sport". Based in christchurch (dorset) so if anybody goes spearfishing in the area would be good to know of any hot-spots....

Mollers · 29 July 2008, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopic

Hi all, was thinking of giving spearfishing a go, just wondering if anybody could share their thoughts / experiences on the "sport". Based in christchurch (dorset) so if anybody goes spearfishing in the area would be good to know of any hot-spots....

Da' Bill.

Chris · 30 July 2008, 07:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopic

Hi all, was thinking of giving spearfishing a go, just wondering if anybody could share their thoughts / experiences on the "sport". Based in christchurch (dorset) so if anybody goes spearfishing in the area would be good to know of any hot-spots....

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall does, you must know him being from Dorset..

PeterM · 30 July 2008, 08:24

No personal experiance , but I was sat just off mudeford a few weeks ago & guy was all suited upiin full black wetsuit / fins etc ( something like you would see in an old bond film) and went spear fishing along the old line of ricks just to the south of the entrance to the run. I didn't see what he caught , but when I've been out there with a mask & snorkel you get a decent sized mullet you can almost just grab. Apart from that no idea - bext of luck

BassBoy · 30 July 2008, 09:45

There are a couple of French guys on here that are v keen spear fishers. Maybe they will be along soon. They have posted some great vid clips. Try a search on fishing.

As far as local spear fishing spots go (I'm in Poole) don't really know, but have seen the odd bod at Peveril Ledge. You could try any of the headlands in the area, but risk being mown down by a nutter in a RHIB!!!!!

Seriously though, don't forget your A Flag as this bit of our coast gets really busy. There were several hundred boats in Studland and Swanage bays on Sunday. Looked like a floating holiday camp.

Happy hunting.

P.S. get yourself a steel helmet!

Lewy · 30 July 2008, 12:48

forget the spear fishing...........just hire yourself a copter for the day!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1CkI0yu9ME4

Downhilldai · 30 July 2008, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

...when I've been out there with a mask & snorkel you get a decent sized mullet you can almost just grab....

Don't need a mask & snorkel for mullet. Hugh Jardon shoots them from the pontoon

bedajim · 30 July 2008, 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Don't need a mask & snorkel for mullet. Hugh Jardon shoots them from the pontoon

I always take a packet of boiled sweets to help with the "dry throat" feeling you sometimes get

memo · 30 July 2008, 14:51

I really don't want to distract attention from forum pages but, we're running a very big spearfishing community at the Medfish pages. Give it a go

I am sure you will find some local information wherever you want to go!

MarkWildey · 30 July 2008, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopic

Hi all, was thinking of giving spearfishing a go, just wondering if anybody could share their thoughts / experiences on the "sport". Based in christchurch (dorset) so if anybody goes spearfishing in the area would be good to know of any hot-spots....

You've got a nice spot to fish off Hengistbury Head. Three options

1) Stay in close to the groyne and watch for Grey Mullet as they go in and out of the rocks. Had a nice 5-7ib one a few years back. There's some sandy ground just off the groyne so there might be some flat fish as well.

2) Swim off about 200m onto the mussel beds and look for Bass as they cruise between the rocks. Some friends of mine had a huge catch of Bass their a few years ago.

3) Swim further out to where there are big flat slabs of rock, 40-50ft, and look under them for Lobsters

We used to park at Mudeford and swim across the entrance, invariably when it was flooding in or out which was quite exciting and walk up to the head, fish there and drift down. A friend of mine did this one night on springs and was swept down to Highcliffe and had to walk back

Also if you swim off the beach, slightly west of Hengistbury Head, where the car park is there are some man made reefs ( take some finding ) and have seen Bass round them as well.

Cheers

Mark

the bandit · 30 July 2008, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkWildey

You've got a nice spot to fish off Hengistbury Head. Three options

1) Stay in close to the groyne and watch for Grey Mullet as they go in and out of the rocks. Had a nice 5-7ib one a few years back. There's some sandy ground just off the groyne so there might be some flat fish as well.

2) Swim off about 200m onto the mussel beds and look for Bass as they cruise between the rocks. Some friends of mine had a huge catch of Bass their a few years ago.

3) Swim further out to where there are big flat slabs of rock, 40-50ft, and look under them for Lobsters

We used to park at Mudeford and swim across the entrance, invariably when it was flooding in or out which was quite exciting and walk up to the head, fish there and drift down. A friend of mine did this one night on springs and was swept down to Highcliffe and had to walk back

Also if you swim off the beach, slightly west of Hengistbury Head, where the car park is there are some man made reefs ( take some finding ) and have seen Bass round them as well.

Cheers

Mark

This forum is about boats not the olympic swim champs.

liam2009 · 31 March 2010, 23:00

yer i am in the same kind of situation i live in poole and i tryed sandbanks last weekend with my drysuit as it is still pritty cold but i am gunna be useing a 6m wetsuit, but i am just wondering if there is club or something as i would like to meet up with other spear hunters.
also i was thinking about goign to the training banks in studland as i have rib but i do not know what you guys would think. and the kinda depth i am looking at to get a nice size fish to eat.
if you could email me back please i would be much appreciative.
wildliam@hotmail.co.uk

cheers liam

m chappelow · 01 April 2010, 17:13

I had a speargun in the 70s when i first started diving ,,never shot any fish ,,vizibility was always too bad in our area ,, had more chance in spearing myself ,,me mother bent it in half in the end when me mate shot it through the kitchen door one day ,,

Mike Bradshaw · 01 April 2010, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopic

Hi all, was thinking of giving spearfishing a go, just wondering if anybody could share their thoughts / experiences on the "sport". Based in christchurch (dorset) so if anybody goes spearfishing in the area would be good to know of any hot-spots....

Try www.underwaterfishing.co.uk or Google London International Club.
Have fun.