spear fhishing

[hardr004]

do you know how to make a spear for fishing?

Do you have any pics to show different designs?

[_scorpio_]

http://www.selljersey.co.uk/im/image7_5.jpg
those designs work well, but so do just a sharpened stick with a barb cut into it.
there was also a 4 spiked thing that looked really good and im yet to find it.
just do a google search for making a fishing spear.

[Corso]

4 spiked thing is called a frog gig - not sure of the legality of using one in the UK - cant seem to get them so I'm guessing there's issues

[_scorpio_]

well, i doubt people would be so happy if they were selling them on the streets lol! its easy enough to make one though.

[Inusuit]

http://www.selljersey.co.uk/im/image7_5.jpg
those designs work well, but so do just a sharpened stick with a barb cut into it.
there was also a 4 spiked thing that looked really good and im yet to find it.
just do a google search for making a fishing spear.

Have you tried the sharpened stick thing? My first time bow fishing (hunting bow set up with a line, reel, and harpoon type arrowhead), I lost my arrow and tried to use a sharpened wooden one with a notch barb. I hit a large carp dead on broadside from about 10 feet and the wooden arrow bounced back over my head. Maybe works on smaller, softer fish.

[_scorpio_]

no, just from what i have seen. how sharpened was it? it seems surprising it didn't wound it at all, but i suppose they are very tough. also when using it as a spear in your hand you would have a lot more power.
how about a crossbow with a reel attached and the line tied to the bolt?

[Inusuit]

Scorpio, it was as sharp as I could get it with a good knife. OTH, it was probably a cedar shaft. A harder wood sharpened and then fire hardened would no doubt work better.

My shot may have wounded the carp. He took off like a scalded cat so I have no idea if he was hurt at all. I've never used a cross bow, but I see no reason it wouldn't work. The purpose-built arrows we used with our hunting recurves were heavy, solid fiberglass with barbed points that either unscrewed or reversed to take the fish off the arrow. It was great fun. The problem was disposing of a lot of dead carp.

[Longstrider]

Just as a word of caution. I'm certain that spear fishing in fresh water is against the law in the UK.

I know that in many US states the carp is regarded as a pest fish, in fact there are places where it is illegal to return a caught carp to the water alive, but you get spotted spearing carp in the UK and not only will you very quickly find yourself dealing with the Law, you'll probably do so whilst being treated for the injuries incurred when the local anglers 'arrested' you.

[phill_ue]

Crack on in tidal waters though.

[_scorpio_]

i can only see it working at sea on flatfish and rays etc. while wading or possibly off a boat but i dont see how you could be accurate because things like mackerel are so fast and things like cod and pollack live far too deep.
it seems a shame that the carp that were caught weren't eaten.

[kimbo]

I've always wanted to have a go at this as well but never been sure of the legality of it either.

[Satyr]

I know of an old guy who used to use a garden fork to spear dabs in the estuaries up near Aberdovey. Just used to wade out with a basket and said fork.

[_scorpio_]

lol! i had that idea yesterday when gardening but i thought it would be too heavy to use. it wouldn't work on non-flatfish species though would it?

[mabster]

Wading for flatties is certainly effective. Back in the day folk up here would either wade or drift on a boat in the shallows witha viewing box in the water to see where the flatties were.
Flounder and Turbot were the order of the day.

However if you're swimming you can't go wrong with a proper speargun. Coalfish, pollack and doggies abound.

In regards to a survival situation the sea requires a wetsuit for any length of time especially in the winter.
Spearfishing is illegal in any inland/freshwater waters within the uk.

[MI5_Dog]

JI know that in many US states the carp is regarded as a pest fish, in fact there are places where it is illegal to return a caught carp to the water alive

Much the same in Australia where the carp is considered a feral pest and you may not return them to the water once caught.

http://www.feral.org.au/content/species/carp.cfm

[Chinkapin]

Yes, they are considered a "rough" (read non-game) fish here. In some areas they grow very large. Since they are a scavenger fish, that reduced their desirability considerably. Although the Catfish, which is a scavenger as well is still considered desirable. The main complaint against the Carp here in the states is that it is filled with lots of little individual bones that make it a pain to eat.

I have known some people who pressure cook them and swear by them, but most anglers will not consider taking one home.

How do you clean them and how do you prepare them?

[gowersponger]

i make mine with a hazel stick with two forkd sharp points on the end havent had no luck yet

[Chinkapin]

I have speared some fish using the frog gig that was mentioned in one of the posts above. Two observations that are critically important: Fish can accelerate from zero to gone in the blink of an eye -- take that into consideration when you make your move. The other thing; when you look at a fish setting motionless in the water, remember that little thing called "refraction." Due to the bending of the light when it strikes the water, the fish is not where he appears to be. The best aimed shot will be a complete miss, unless you understand this.

If I remember my 8th grade science correctly, the angle of refraction is dependent upon the location of you, the sun, and the fish. Perhaps someone on the site can give a more detailed explanation of this phenomena.

[Bravo4]

"Light" moves a little slower through water than air. Water slow, aim low.


This link may be of possible interest:
http://www.old-picture.com/hunting-f...-index-001.htm
Spear tips in the water, not launched from shore as above.

[chuckle]

According to this guy i saw on tele the best way to spear fish is to free fall from an aeroplane land on the fish stunning it then bite its head off and eat the guts, cant for the life of me remember his name. Mear grylls i think.

[NinjaTadpole]

I have read that back in 19oatcake people used to use burning torches to attract fish at night, spearing them when they came to investigate the light above the water.

[pinerevolver]

What speices of UK Fish would be in shallow waters ? For spear fishing

[Opal]

I've had carp (on rod and line) in 8" of water and plenty of trout in next to nothing in rivers.....spear fishing here is a big no no. You have to have a licence to fish with a rod, can you see them giving you one for a spear?

[Chinkapin]

You have to have a license to fish with a rod here as well. I think the difference is that we have (in most, if not all, states) a category of fish called "rough" or "non-game" fish. This includes such fish as carp, suckers, redhorse, shad, etc. These fish are not protected as they are considered a nuisance. Since they are "non-game" they are outside of almost all protection. Therefore, spearing these fish is legal. Generally no license is required for anything that is listed as non-game.

Do you have no "nuisance" or "rough" fish that fall outside of your game laws?

After carp were introduced to the U.S. from Europe, they proliferated in many rivers and to a great extent pushed other, more desirable fish out. American anglers tend to hate them, although there are a handful of people that like them. Personally, I find them too "bony" to bother with.

[Ph34r]

I seem to remember that when bear grylls did survival in vietnam, he used this design idea:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5713465_make...r-grylls_.html

This is out of bamboo, but I imagine that you could follow the same idea with other flexible woods.

[ScotchDave]

You have to have a license to fish with a rod here as well. I think the difference is that we have (in most, if not all, states) a category of fish called "rough" or "non-game" fish. This includes such fish as carp, suckers, redhorse, shad, etc. These fish are not protected as they are considered a nuisance. Since they are "non-game" they are outside of almost all protection. Therefore, spearing these fish is legal. Generally no license is required for anything that is listed as non-game.

Do you have no "nuisance" or "rough" fish that fall outside of your game laws?

After carp were introduced to the U.S. from Europe, they proliferated in many rivers and to a great extent pushed other, more desirable fish out. American anglers tend to hate them, although there are a handful of people that like them. Personally, I find them too "bony" to bother with.

American Crayfish are a real problem right now in the UK, would you like them back?

[Chinkapin]

Not particularly, but I will trade you all of our clams that got into the Great Lakes from Euopean waters for our crayfish back. These clams have no natural enemies here and reproduce madly and clog up our water inlets, etc.

Also the English starling has pushed most of the song birds aside and been a major pest for many many years.

Looks like that water highway that brought you our crayfish and our "tree rats" brought us some lovelies as well. LOL. I expect there will be lots more of this in the future, sadly.

[Gavmar]

Here you go,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-1-2-FISH-SPE...item414be8fca4

[pango]

Just as a word of caution. I'm certain that spear fishing in fresh water is against the law in the UK.

I know that in many US states the carp is regarded as a pest fish, in fact there are places where it is illegal to return a caught carp to the water alive, but you get spotted spearing carp in the UK and not only will you very quickly find yourself dealing with the Law, you'll probably do so whilst being treated for the injuries incurred when the local anglers 'arrested' you.

... and don't even be seen carrying a spear around any of the Scottish salmon rivers, as this would be seen as clear evidence of intent to use it.

As children, we used to fish for flounders in the river estuary at low water with a garden fork, or failing that a barbed stick. I'm not so sure I'd chance my luck on that these days though as there's always some goody-two-shoes with the moral high ground and a mobile phone!

I also remember an incident involving the local Bobby asking us what we'd been up to and three 10 year old boys covered from head to foot in salmon scales replying in unison, "Nuthin!"

[Outdoor_Guy]

Crayfish.. the bane of my life when fishing a reservoir in Hertfordshire! Agreed! Are they tasty? In regards to making a spear there are many designs. You can make the whole experience a lot easier by making the end of the spear forked (multiple prongs). Also if you can create some sort of barb on the forks it goes a long way to holding the fish as when you speak them, they will obviously flap and a lot of the time will come free if there is no barbs.. If you need any help let me know... Ta.