Underwater fishing

Representation of fishing with tridents.

Monument to Croatia

It is a type of fishing similar to hunting, in fact the fisherman looks for the prey to catch it, where on the contrary in other fishing gear deception is sought. Perhaps this was one of the first types of fishing, together with the collection of shells, crustaceans and cephalopods on the shores and coasts of the seas.

Fishing modality that is carried out by immersion in apnea and hunting the fish through the use of a harpoon or underwater rifle. Different techniques are used depending on the characteristics of the area where it is fished or the fish sought.

Types of fishing

Underwater fisherman shows plain catch before taking her to the regulatory buoy.

Waiting

This technique is based on going as unnoticed as possible and remaining still waiting for some curious fish to come within a distance where it is easy to hit a target. There are several variants waiting:

1. To the predator: the fisherman usually sits on the seabed in a semi-visible way, seeking to activate the curiosity of predators like gold, lubine or denton. Rashing the rock or dropping bubbles are usually good techniques. However, the fisherman must be kept from making sudden movements and must prevent the predator from considering it dangerous.
2. The step: it is to recognize a zone of passage of the prey. The fisherman will be placed as mimetic as possible to prevent the fish from seeing him. It is of vital importance to approach that place from a place where the fish does not see us.
3. Surface: the previous techniques are limited by the fisherman's apnea time. On the surface this limitation does not exist, however it is very difficult to place in a place where the fish does not recognize the fisherman and flee.
4. In the spider: extreme fishing type made in high seas. In this fishing the fisherman catches a lastre tied to a buoy or boat and drops to the bottom. The length of the rope tied to the ballast limits the depth and the fisherman stops between 5 and 40 meters, to remain still face down in that position. Marine pelagic predators will be thrown at that "cebo" they have placed, when the fisherman will shoot them. It is often used against medregals, tuna or other pelagic.

Since the distance to the prey in this type of fishing is long, long spearguns are often used to allow more range.

Stalking Fishing

It is also called Indian fishing, it is a technique that is based on short waits combining it with short movements along the bottom taking advantage of its relief, getting closer to where the fish are. Stealth, mimicry and the aquaticity of the fisherman are of vital importance in this type of fishing, so as not to alert possible prey.

It differs from the previous technique because instead of betting and waiting, in this one, we stealthily stalk the fish until the distance is good to make the shot.

To the fall

As its name indicates, this technique is based on going on the surface and once you have spotted a possible catch, dropping in descending until you are within reach of the fish.

This descent must be carried out as stealthily as possible since it is essential to achieve a certain surprise to prevent the piece from getting scared and fleeing, preventing us from making an accurate shot.

Hole fishing

The search for the fish in its hiding place to capture it is what this style is based on. The success will depend a lot on the experience in knowing how to select and look for the most suitable cavities in which we can find a prey.

It will also depend a lot on the water conditions. If the sea is very rough and there is a lot of current, it will not make it easier for us to approach the cavities easily, preventing an easy position for catching the fish.

If there is a swell, the fish takes the opportunity to feed by coming out of its hiding place and it will be more difficult to find it hidden.

In contrast to waiting fishing, shorter spearguns are used for greater maneuverability.

Normally in this method you get catches such as grouper, bream, some snapper, conger eels...

In a couple

Pair fishing is more of a safety technique than a fishing style. The risks involved in this sport can be minimized if a person watches our ascent.

The most common accident is syncope that usually occurs in the last meters of the ascent, leaving the fisherman unconscious. If you fish alone, death is irremediable. But when fishing in pairs, it can be a mere scare.

Thus, fishing in pairs is defined by interspersing the dives between both members, so that while one fishes, the other recovers for the next dive.

However, there are special techniques for fishing in pairs, such as attacking a stone from two angles at the same time, so that if the prey sees one of the fishermen on one side, it will try to flee on the other, in which the partner is waiting.

To the foam

It is one that is carried out at a shallow depth, close to the coast, using the cover offered by the foam to hide from prey. The capture is done from the bottom up, first descending, being separated from the coast, and from this position we look for the breaking of the waves, places where the fish are looking for food. The foam prevents the fish from seeing our descent and the attack is made from below, which is the angle of least visibility for the fish. Its complexity is based on the difficult visibility and the possible existing current in the fishing zone, also considering that we attack the prey in full motion.

Deep Fishing

Deep fishing is that practiced at great depth, usually below 25 - 30 meters. At these depths, important technical and safety considerations come into play that largely determine the type of fishing. In addition, as we reach deeper levels, the fish is more trusting, due to the limited number of people who are able to access those depths. Among its disadvantages is the limited number of dives, due to waiting times to avoid decompression problems.

Examples of special techniques of deep fishing are the descent with two rifles to capture two pieces in the same dive.

Practice the activity

Equipment

The basic equipment for spearfishing consists of a mask with or without a tube and the spearfishing weapon: usually a speargun.

A spearfisher who wants to optimize his dives will also need a pair of fins, a wetsuit, a weight (lead belts, harness, ankle weights), a knife or dagger, and a buoy with a flag of dive to signal their presence. Likewise, to complete the equipment and resist large prey, you must have a harpoon as well as a reel. To correctly calibrate the ballast, there is a very simple rule: 1 kg of lead per 10 kg of body weight. This rule applies to a 7 mm suit and an average depth between 8 and 10 meters. For a 5mm suit, 1kg of lead must be replaced by 800g of lead. The deeper you go, the less ballast you will need.

Under certain conditions, specific equipment may be used. To reach a fishing area far from the shore (and be able to carry more equipment), the practitioner can use a motor boat (inflatable boat for example) or a human-powered boat (sea kayak) or a spearfishing plate. A waterproof flashlight allows you to explore the caves efficiently; although its use is prohibited in many countries, such as night spearfishing in general. A watch (with stopwatch and depth gauge) or a dive computer, allows you to check the time and depth of the dive.

Weapons and Tools

To catch a fish, the most common weapon is a rubber band speargun, with a stock and trigger. He has a relatively short range, between 2 to 5 meters approximately. Likewise, there is the pneumatic rifle, the use of which is prohibited in some countries, and the pole spear: a long rod with an elastic band, which is placed around the hand or wrist of the spearfisherman. It is generally used in some countries that prohibit rifles (Bahamas).

The harpoon is a long rod (arrow) with a metal point at the end. The so-called "Hawaiian" or "Tahitian" straight point, usually made of stainless steel or galvanized with a diameter of 6 to 7 mm, is equipped with a movable fin that can be raised to prevent the fish from being released. The multiple point can have from three (trident) to five "teeth"; It is used for example for fragile fish or to prevent the harpoon from castling. For large fish, the rod may be attached to a reel (in turn attached to the speargun or belt); and for very large fish (tuna, marlin...), the tip can be removable. In addition, the rod will not be attached to a reel but to a "buoyancy line" which is a strong rope attached to a "bungee shock cord" and one or more inflatable or rigid buoys (sometimes capable of withstanding submersions of up to 100 meters).

Current legal framework

Spain

As a summary, we will say that there is state legislation that applies to external waters and that each Autonomous Community has its own legislation for internal waters. However, there are certain common points that we can highlight:

• It is called underwater fishing to all sport fishing in which it is necessary to dive to collect the piece. I mean, taking an octopus with the hand is underwater fishing.
• A submarine recreational fishing license is required to be taken out in some Autonomous Community under penalty. This license, although issued for that Community, is valid for all Spain (La Orden Ministerial 5160 de 26/2/99 (es la Orden que regula la Pesca maritime de recreo, BOE 3/3/99), in its additional provision 2.a). In order to obtain the license, which lasts between one year and four years, it is necessary to obtain a medical certificate which is performed by any doctor entitled with which the certificate lasts 1 year (in some communities Galicia) and usually 2 in the rest, so that in these communities the certificate lasts 2 years it is necessary to do the medical examination with a doctor specializing in barometric chambers.
• Depending on the community, minors cannot fish.
• There are catch quotas according to the autonomous communities. For example, in Catalonia, you cannot fish more than 6 kg a day, excluding the largest of the pieces. That is, fishing two pieces one of 10 kg and another of 4 kg is legal. Fishing two pieces of 9 kg each is illegal.
• As a fishing weapon only rifles can be used whose force of thrust has been made by the fisherman. In this way, no compressed air rifles are allowed, powered by boats (type Pelletier), or chemically operated (powder).
• The use of a signaling buoy is mandatory, which should be red or orange with the alpha flag waving (blue and white), not red with a white cross strip that is an international that was invented Denzel James, recognized worldwide but not legal in Spain.
• You can't fish within the bathing area (such as beaches) in summertime.
• It can only be fished between the exit and the sunset of the Sun and currently in some communities such as Galicia is prohibited fishing that does not develop between the months of May and October, and the rest of the year on weekends and on local, provincial and national holidays.
• The sale of fish is forbidden. In championships the captures are donated to non-profit centers.
• In many communities in Spain, underwater fishing is undervalued and even persecuted by many detractors who think that a man with a harpoon can catch another from a boat with nets. This point of view is supported by the media and certain individuals by echoing "hazañas" made by illegals that squid the sea by collecting forbidden species, such as seafood and by far exceeding quotas.