anybody go spearfishing?

[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....

[Mollers]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

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

[Downhilldai]

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]

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]

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]

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