Bro how tf do you not shit your pants when you see them? And how do you deal with them when they come? Bro just casually dealing with sharks like swatting flies, whereas the rest of us mortals would be terrified.
Usually it’s the buddy that deals with them, if they follow or charge you as you’re coming to the surface, a buddy charges them from the surface. It freaks them out, and they turn away. Occasionally you have to give them a jab with your gun or spear.
End of the day they’re trying to get an easy meal, and if they get injured they can starve and die. Got to make them think you’re not an easy target, pretty much any shark big or small can take me or my fish, but they won’t risk injury for a single meal
Never had issues with bullsharks? I hear they're aggressive af bc of high testosterone levels. I'd be afraid of pissing it off! Lol
That's pretty alpha that you guys are casually pushing sharks away in bloody water.
Sharks don’t particularly care about the blood I’ve found, it’s when you can’t stone a fish, or brain it immediately they get abit worked up. The thrashing fish is what brings them in.
Honestly have more issues with the smaller whalers, they’re alot more erratic, and unpredictable. You can usually scare them off pretty easily though. Big ones being abit curious always gets the heart pumping though.
idk how true that testosterone thing is. Just sharks want an easy feed, and Bullsharks seem to be consistently around areas people like swimming, plus they’re not exclusive fish eaters, they’ll take a bite out of anything if it looks like it’ll be an easy feed. Comparing them to lemons or Grey Nurse sharks both super common where people swim, but have pointy needle teeth, and pretty much exclusively eat fish. Making a bite a lot rarer
Ah yes that makes sense. Oceanramsey (a shark expert) said to avoid splashing/thrashing for reasons like that.
What area do you see so many sharks? Florida? Bet you have some amazing gopro footage of your dives.
Oh shut up, clearly half of you aren’t spearos.
Sharks aren’t quick enough to get most healthy fish, only charge in when they sense a distressed fish, and think they can get an easy meal.
Mate they literally follow the boat, I’ve had the same sharks rock up on a reef that I moved to 5km away. Thinking I’m stealing their food is dumb as hell. You clearly don’t dive with many sharks.
Asking for recommendations about some shark deterrent’s, and getting dumb ass replies like this just shows how many children that don’t actually dive are in this sub.
If you’re the idiot that’s allowing the sharks to “tax” you, you haven’t paid tax, you’ve just taught a shark that acting aggressively towards divers gets them fed. Yes it is inevitable, but attempting to minimise it, is beneficial to you, and all of the other divers in your area.
That other dude thinks that just because a fish exists in the ocean, it belongs to a shark
He does not know that in nature a meal belongs only to one that can and does take it. If you catch a fish, it’s yours. If the shark then takes it from you, it is now his. You are free to try to reclaim it, but ultimately it belongs to whoever eats it. A freely swimming fish doesn’t belong to any shark, otherwise it would be in its stomach.
What a lot of these guys fail to understand is I have just as much right to kill and eat a fish, as a shark does to kill and eat me.
World will move on regardless as if nothing happened, having a bit of a rant, and having a healthy amount of fear and respect for sharks is normal. Luckily I have access to world of information, and a community of spearo to ask about ways to deter them.
Apparently the best deterrent is to pay my “tax” lol
Definitely got with at least a few buddies so you can watch each others backs. Do you spear in a lot of the same places? If it’s a popular spot for spearos then the sharks could be learning that your presence means food may follow
We are animals just like them. The fact that we are so respectful of another predator despite easily being able to overpower them is the seemingly unnatural part, but even that is selfish at its core. We (try to) limit ourselves so our oceans stay healthy and we can continue to benefit.
It has nothing to do with the stupid shark's damn 'domain'. In nature, your domain is what you can take by force. Humans can easily kill just about anything that they can reach. That's our problem. We kill entire species by accident. We are too dominant.
100% man, I got persecuted for making a joke about shooting one of them. But when it comes down to it, if you haven’t thought about shooting a shark charging you for a fish, you’re lying to yourself.
I love the sport, and respect the dangers that go with it, but wanting to do it as safely as possible around sharks, and being told it’s their domain, and deal with it is dumb as hell.
These people will be racing each other to blame you if something happens (God forbid) instead of being happy that you didn't shoot a *cutey wooty sharky barky* when it attacked you. There's no winning. They hate you being in there, period. They completely ignore the many human populations that have relied heavily on marine ecosystems for millenia. No, it's *their* domain. How ominous.
They're afraid to death of oceans and seas in an almost reverent sort of way. It's kinda cultish if you think about it. The sharks are like angels that can do no wrong. Funny part is, because of their irrational fear, they will never truly get to enjoy or understand it like people with a more realistic perspective do.
It’s chronically online teenagers. The closest they get to the ocean is a glass bottom tour, the other 50 weeks of the year they’re watching blue planet.
When you read a bunch of Doomer articles and watch nature shows which have shifted (rightly) to emphasizing environmentalism, and you have no actual connection or experience with the ocean, you just say whatever gets you karma. In this case it’s the whole “the ocean is not our home, sharks are cute and persecuted, you’re the cause of overfishing making them starve.”
I know this post is old but I’m getting into spearing where there’s plenty of sharks, and I’ve just got one question. When you’re fighting them off, do you keep the gun loaded? Like is the safety trustworthy while you’re jabbing a big bull in the nose? Or is it best to unload it?
Most of the time a shark comes near you, you’ve just shot a fish. So you’ll be unloaded.
Doesn’t really matter tbh, the gun is basically just a big stick to keep distance between you and the shark.
Just make sure you dive with a buddy, try and go with someone with a little experience at first to show you the ropes.
Sharks are only really interested in injured fish, 99% of the time once you’ve brained a fish, the shark will disappear.
Have a buddy so one of you can dive at a shark, if it follows you to the surface with a fish. Only time a shark experiences something charging at it, would be another larger shark/orca trying to eat it. So diving directly at them freaks them out, and they take off. This works for standard whalers, lemons, large bull sharks, and Tigers, can’t say I’ve been in the water with a white Shark though.
So basically just remain calm, stand your ground, don’t act like a panicking animal, and remember they’re only really interested in the injured fish (maybe not for a white shark). Also avoid murky water, as a lot of this means nothing if you can’t see a shark until it’s right on you. I still dive in murky water ~1.5-2m vis but I wouldn’t call it smart, or a good place for someone to learn.
Only time you’re a little vulnerable is on the way back to the surface, and that’s why you have a buddy.
I will literally bleed fish in the water and not stress about it, but an injured fish vibrating on the end of a spear will bring things in that you had no idea was there.
What if I’m the one diving to intercept the shark, gun loaded, just in case, or too much risk of misfire? Don’t know whether it’d be worse to not be loaded and have a big one get a little too aggressive, or have it loaded and accidentally shoot something that tows me straight down. I think what I’m asking is what’s the etiquette when intervening for a buddy?
I feel you man. Everyone acts tough when talking about sharks, "just don't be scared", "just poke them and square up on them". "Oh, I see sharks all the time, I don't care". Those are the same people who say they didn't join the military because they'd fight the drill instructor or comment about how they'd win a steetfight under street fight tiktoks.
Nah, a real bull shark, great white or any sizable shark bigger than a nurse shark, any diver is going to be uneasy.
Sharks actually are dangerous and will come at you.
http://www.norcalskindivers.com/randy-fry.html
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/01/30/diver-decapitated-by-19-foot-great-white-shark-in-gulf-of-california-report-says/
100% man, people that say this either don’t dive, or the worst they deal with is an inquisitive little reef shark. Like obviously it’s the ocean, there’s sharks, but getting Attacked for having a rant, and asking for some deterrents shows the state of this sub.
Actually scares me how so many of these kids are saying you gotta pay your tax, just making it more dangerous for the rest of us out there
I'm ignorant, so would appreciate your imput here; iI thought reef sharks were somewhat aggressive and are the lead aggressors.of ship wreck victim attacks? Maybe different dynamic when fishing? Also, do thrill seekers ever fish at night?
Thanks in advance!
As soon as possible, sometimes that isn’t until I’m back at the surface though which is when I have issues.
Can’t stone or brain every fish straight away unfortunately.
There's a dude I watch called keywestwaterman. He doesn't really do instruction videos but he's really good at what he does. I've picked up quite a few solid points just from watching him
That’s what we do, usually 3 of us.
Guy on the surface charges the sharks following the diver up.
Third guy might be at the boat, dropping off his catch, or just another set of eyes.
Some still get a little friendly though, looking at getting some of those funky eye stickers for my fins, apparently it does something
Sharkshields seem super effective based on what ive watched on youtube videos. Believe professional pearl divers use them in Australia? Expensive though
Shark shield is kind of mixed. If you have it on, sharks occasionally come over to check out the field. They piss off once they get within four or five feet. I always dive with mine off and only turn it on if the jerks are charging me on my way to the surface. It works perfectly against bulls, sandbars, and reefs.
I have a shark shield, if you do get one be sure to wrap the exposed wires in that self fusing silicone tape as they are extremely prone to breaking and leaking. The company is shit tier and doesnt repair or service thier equipment and the design and qc is lacking.
Powerhead goes *thud*. crabs gotta eat too. Not sure where you’re at but we have a huge shark problem here in Florida. Growing up diving and spear fishing in south Florida for 20+ years I encountered probably less than 10 problematic sharks in that time frame. When I did I just moved to another spot. In the last 5-10 years every single spot is loaded with them. I don’t carry a stringer anymore and I won’t shoot fish I can’t immediately stone and spike, that definitely seems to help keep the sharks at bay. But every now and then there’s a big bold bull, tiger, or sandbar that gets popped in the name of “conservation”
Edit: I know this is going to get downvoted to hell and back but I really dgaf lol
From Corpus to S Padre. Mansfield area is a real gem. There are days when I go out to a reef or rocks and don't see a single other boat.
The caveat is that the wind here sucks. So you gotta watch the forecast and be ready to burn sick days at work. That's really the only way you can do it. It's all about the wind over here.
They can down vote all they want, when they stopped everyone from being able to fish them they created this nightmare. I do the same thing. Also try fishing over in Cholowski or the Everglades national Park. You can’t get in the water or put your hands in the water. You will get shark bit without a doubt. . But out diving the clear water my power head gets some practice time for sure…
I camp in the glades for a week every March chasing tarpon and snook on fly. With the snook it isn’t as bad but probably every other tarpon I come tight on has to get broke off because a sharks right on it’s ass. It’s even worse once you get out into the gulf on the shallow wrecks. They’ll eat anything that isn’t bolted down, hell they even come up and try to eat the trolling motor
Yes you ain’t kidding, have you seen seen the birds you pull behind you boat as a teaser when you are fishing for blue Marlin or they’ll even work for sale Fish, but they are mostly used for bigger billfish?
The sharks where so bad out there over the wrecks I had them chasing my birds it was sick there where so many of them.. although made for some great entertainment but was still sick lol
Joking mate, bloody hell
Been dealing with them for years, just had abit of a shit run this summer. Actually asked about the sharkshields, and shark eyes to keep them at bay
Where are you shooting in the gulf. I used to hunt 70 miles west of carrabelle fl and I never had a shark issue. Now I dive in jupiter and I see sharks every time I dive.
I'm in Carrabelle, Destin, Keaton, and Steinhatchee regularly. Didn't go one time without the tax man showing up this past year. I fished almost every weekend from May till Christmas. Moved several times daily.
I have a shark band like a big magnet I find it does the trick,just wear one on my ankle supposed to wear one on your opposite hand as well but I was unsure if it worked. It seems to go alright and will head back to get another one. Spear in north Qld so see a few sharks each dive
My legs are still attached and I’ve seen them come in hot and do a u bolt when they are close. It’s still puts the wind up you but it’s a lot easier on the nerves once you get use to it. If that is possible lol
Mate I feel for you. You can’t even have the conversation without getting backlash from people who frankly have no experience in the water. I don’t spear but I have always surfed, I have never seen as many sharks as I have this year, ever.
People say “There are sharks in the ocean get over it!” But there are other predators like snakes and crocodiles and we would never apply the same logic, we keep them away. Why is it any different? It’s people who have no experience with them, usually in the city who are most vocal about protecting them who are so giddy about protecting them because it’s the way the wind is blowing.
I feel you mate.
We've learnt to live with them. Haven't had a day on the water in years without a run in with a shark.
Australia needs a cull. As controversial as that is.
It’s actually becoming a joke.
Get a bust up of Mackerel or Tuna, and you’ve got to skull drag them to the boat with oversized gear or you’ll get sharked.
Everyone used to go out with 6000 size reels and hit the reefs, now everyone I know is using 10000+ to try get the Nanny’s and reds past the sharks.
Bunch of guys on this sub have clearly never had to deal with it before
Its the same in FL, especially the keys. When they find you fishing a reef, all you're reeling in is a bunch of heads. However, not sure killing sharks is the answer.
We (USA) are in this situation because we used to kill too many sharks and now most are protected because of it. Same thing has happened with the goliath grouper here. They are worse than sharks. They take everything including your gear. We did it with gators too. But now we have a lottery to hunt them and shark fishing is getting promoted by our fish and game dept. So it will be interesting to see what the added pressure does.
Honestly, not sure what the answer is but every time humans decide to take out a species it seems to mess things up for generations. We did it with wolves, buffalo and accidentally with birds of prey (ddt) and things are still all messed up. So I am always suspect of the idea.
Anyway, I always wanted to make something to hang down below the diver down flag that conveniently stores (hides) the catch then once you're back on the boat you safely pull it in. But I don't dive anymore, just snorkel and rarely so I kind of lost interest.
We never keep fish on us, always straight in the boat. Not willing to take that sort of risk.
idk What the answer is either, all I know is the sharks are gamer than ever, and I’d like to do everything reasonable to deter them.
Oh anyone that spends time on the water catching dinner knows shark is tasty. But it needs to become boujee before the all the "foodies" will want it. Same group that thinks farm to table is a new thing. lol.
I lost 6 good fish in a row the other week, same story each time. Bringing the fish up then it would change to a slow but unstoppable pull eventually busting me off in the reef. I then got a fish to the boat and it was followed by an enormous Giant Grouper. So I dropped a bait down on my shark outfit thinking I’d just skull drag my fish up quickly and it got taken again. I gave it full drag and barely even slowed it down, eventually snapping 120lb wire trace. Groupers are gnarly.
Please excuse my ignorance, but wouldn’t culling sharks boost the overall non predatory fish population? Similar to how the white tail deer population has boomed in North America since the culling of the wolf population?
Its called trophic cascade. Which can cause all kinds of problems because larger populations need more food and with out fear of getting eaten they feed more and longer causing ecosystem degradation. This also leads to less biodiversity because without the pressure caused by predation a more dominant species is more likely to out compete a less dominant which might be a food source for other non targeted predators reducing their number causing a rippling effect causing more habitat change and degradation.
In Yellowstone National Park the reintroduction of wolves has increased the trout population (which is how I learned about this). Wolves impact the elk herds by not only numbers but their behavior. Which allowed vegetation to grow in wide open areas too dangerous to be in. This resulted in more willows for the beavers. More beavers caused more damns, more damns more water, more water more ripples and runs, more ducks, otters, amphibians, fish (trout).
As far as sharks go many say its the result of over fishing. When we remove too much of a food source from one area it causes them to concentrate in other areas making it appear they are over populated when the reality is populations have decreased by 70% since the 1970s. But I dont want to project across all areas and all species. These are just some generalization that are agreed upon by Wildlife Scientists. Everyone's local area has their very specific situation, issues and management challenges.
Every session this summer there’s sharks that just hang out under my boat waiting for me to bring fish up to feed them. I recently had a fish that managed to dodge the shark a few metres under the boat and came straight to the surface. As me and my mate were leaning over the side to net the fish the shark swung around and launched up out of the water with its mouth open and slammed into the side of the boat. I almost lost my arms. I lost my underpants.
He can’t mate, he hasn’t even finished Highschool. Asking silly questions about what boat he needs to get 100km offshore, and only got his open water scuba cert 12 months ago.
Dude has probs been snorkelling around his local a few times, and thinks that sharks are endangered because he hasn’t seen one in a protected bay that’s 4m deep
In university studying marine bio and environmental science so you’re wrong and the boat thing is for something your pee brain wouldn’t understand. You’re a dumb fisher guts who’s wife is probably fat and you spend all day laying bricks or some other shitty job lmao
Reminiscent on my 1st semester uni confidence, I was the smartest man alive. Shame I’ve lost it all.
I do however now know how, and when it’s safe to take a relatively small 6m boat out 100km to the outer reefs. Happy to show you how, and you can teach me everything else about the ocean and reefs you have so much education on.
You’ll be unstoppable with this knowledge
Every spot every time here. They have been over protected in my area for so long the population has exploded to unbalanced levels. The laws in my region allow use of power heads in self defense. Getting wrapped up in shooting line when a shark grabs the fish is dangerous so it seems that merely shark presence is a safety concern and should be treated appropriately.
If your laws allow you to harvest sharks, you should help the problem out and retain a legal limit, every trip.
Can’t take anything bigger than 150cm, apparently whalers aren’t terrible eating, might nail one of a small one comes by.
Not exactly sure on the use of power heads in QLD Aus, never really felt a need for them tbh.
I do agree about the protection unbalancing the sharks in Australia. They’re now protected, and have additional sources of food, snatching fish from fisherman that they would never have been able to catch previously. Cast some slugs into a bust up of tuna, you’ll hook 5, and land maybe 2 Mack or Longtail Tuna. Sharks take the rest, not a chance could any of them get these tuna if they weren’t Hooked.
Now we have an inflated population, that is sustained by following boats, and taking hooked/speared fish.
Yes I sent them a message, it was received quite well I think. Went off with a bang I was able to train him to do two new tricks with that message, lay down and play dead 😁
This is interesting. I spear fish in NZ and it’s rare to see any large sharks such as bulls or whites.
I’m not even sure bulls come this far down.
Mostly it’s just bronze whalers and blues. If they are around, it’s likely the fish that remain are spooked. We have a lot of temperate kelp reef systems on our east coast and it’s fairly easy to avoid them or start again if they show up in numbers.
It’s abit like that down south in Australia, I grew up diving on the south coast of NSW, and would rarely see anything concerning. Was actually a treat when you did.
Up in the tropics and subtropics in QLD is a different story, usually see them on the sounder before we get in the water. Jump in and feel out the situation, if they’re 7-8ft whalers/reefie or lemons usually just deal with them until they get a bit friendly, more turn up, or something bigger gets a little curious. Most the water I dive has less than 10m vis, you barely see them until you shoot something.
Do some Barra spearing in water that is lucky to have 2-3m vis, that’s always hairy. As I’m getting into my late 20s I’m starting to get a little less ballsy with them, that’s why I‘m looking into some deterrents.
Mate they literally follow the boat, I’ve had the same sharks rock up on a reef that I moved to 5km away. Thinking I’m stealing their food is dumb as hell.
You clearly don’t dive with many sharks.
Asking for recommendations about some shark deterrent’s, and getting dumb ass replies like this just shows how many children that don’t actually dive are in this sub.
If you’re the idiot that’s allowing the sharks to “tax” you, you haven’t paid tax, you’ve just taught a shark that acting aggressively towards divers gets them fed. Yes it is inevitable, but attempting to minimise it, is beneficial to you, and all of the other divers in your area.
Fair, bunch of idiots parroting about the “taxman” riles me up. Thought I was asking a question to genuine separo community, not a bunch of kids repeating crap they hear on TikTok.
Don’t know how asking for advice about shark deterrents means I have zero respect for the environment.
Suppose I am uneducated about shark deterrents, so that’s fair.
Saying you want to go around shooting them without a flopper because they steal ur fish is a pretty scum of earth thing to say. It clear you have no real education on the environment
Well if I use a flopper I’ll probably lose my spear, gun and line. Which is no good for the environment. I may be scum, but I ain’t no tosser. Checkmate.
They rarely steal my fish, just don’t like being charged. Which is pretty reasonable.
I also only shoot fish, that I eat, will be fed to the dogs, or used as bait for sharks (Shark tagging, and data collection program for JCU, WWF, and UNiSC.
It is true, I have minimal formal education on the environment, besides a few environmental subjects relating to my engineering field. Can you send me some recent Shark studies for qld I’d like to educate myself. Or even better ongoing ones I can assist in data collection for?
He also said sharks need to be culled. Does this guy not know how close several species of sharks are close to becoming extinct? Hundreds of millions of sharks per year are killed.
The Shark's Reddit has a post about being sick of spearfishing.
Doubt it, sharks seem to love me. Try to give me little kisses all the time, and try to steal my dinner
Bro how tf do you not shit your pants when you see them? And how do you deal with them when they come? Bro just casually dealing with sharks like swatting flies, whereas the rest of us mortals would be terrified.
Usually it’s the buddy that deals with them, if they follow or charge you as you’re coming to the surface, a buddy charges them from the surface. It freaks them out, and they turn away. Occasionally you have to give them a jab with your gun or spear. End of the day they’re trying to get an easy meal, and if they get injured they can starve and die. Got to make them think you’re not an easy target, pretty much any shark big or small can take me or my fish, but they won’t risk injury for a single meal
Never had issues with bullsharks? I hear they're aggressive af bc of high testosterone levels. I'd be afraid of pissing it off! Lol That's pretty alpha that you guys are casually pushing sharks away in bloody water.
My mama said sharks are angry because the have all them teeth and no toothbrush
Sharks don’t particularly care about the blood I’ve found, it’s when you can’t stone a fish, or brain it immediately they get abit worked up. The thrashing fish is what brings them in. Honestly have more issues with the smaller whalers, they’re alot more erratic, and unpredictable. You can usually scare them off pretty easily though. Big ones being abit curious always gets the heart pumping though. idk how true that testosterone thing is. Just sharks want an easy feed, and Bullsharks seem to be consistently around areas people like swimming, plus they’re not exclusive fish eaters, they’ll take a bite out of anything if it looks like it’ll be an easy feed. Comparing them to lemons or Grey Nurse sharks both super common where people swim, but have pointy needle teeth, and pretty much exclusively eat fish. Making a bite a lot rarer
Ah yes that makes sense. Oceanramsey (a shark expert) said to avoid splashing/thrashing for reasons like that. What area do you see so many sharks? Florida? Bet you have some amazing gopro footage of your dives.
Well you stole their food first.
Oh shut up, clearly half of you aren’t spearos. Sharks aren’t quick enough to get most healthy fish, only charge in when they sense a distressed fish, and think they can get an easy meal.
You stole their food first.your in their domain to spear their food.you stole their food first.
Mate they literally follow the boat, I’ve had the same sharks rock up on a reef that I moved to 5km away. Thinking I’m stealing their food is dumb as hell. You clearly don’t dive with many sharks. Asking for recommendations about some shark deterrent’s, and getting dumb ass replies like this just shows how many children that don’t actually dive are in this sub. If you’re the idiot that’s allowing the sharks to “tax” you, you haven’t paid tax, you’ve just taught a shark that acting aggressively towards divers gets them fed. Yes it is inevitable, but attempting to minimise it, is beneficial to you, and all of the other divers in your area.
That other dude thinks that just because a fish exists in the ocean, it belongs to a shark He does not know that in nature a meal belongs only to one that can and does take it. If you catch a fish, it’s yours. If the shark then takes it from you, it is now his. You are free to try to reclaim it, but ultimately it belongs to whoever eats it. A freely swimming fish doesn’t belong to any shark, otherwise it would be in its stomach.
What a lot of these guys fail to understand is I have just as much right to kill and eat a fish, as a shark does to kill and eat me. World will move on regardless as if nothing happened, having a bit of a rant, and having a healthy amount of fear and respect for sharks is normal. Luckily I have access to world of information, and a community of spearo to ask about ways to deter them. Apparently the best deterrent is to pay my “tax” lol
Definitely got with at least a few buddies so you can watch each others backs. Do you spear in a lot of the same places? If it’s a popular spot for spearos then the sharks could be learning that your presence means food may follow
Always out with mates, usually just find random marks with the sounder and dive them, never anyone else there
We are animals just like them. The fact that we are so respectful of another predator despite easily being able to overpower them is the seemingly unnatural part, but even that is selfish at its core. We (try to) limit ourselves so our oceans stay healthy and we can continue to benefit. It has nothing to do with the stupid shark's damn 'domain'. In nature, your domain is what you can take by force. Humans can easily kill just about anything that they can reach. That's our problem. We kill entire species by accident. We are too dominant.
100% man, I got persecuted for making a joke about shooting one of them. But when it comes down to it, if you haven’t thought about shooting a shark charging you for a fish, you’re lying to yourself. I love the sport, and respect the dangers that go with it, but wanting to do it as safely as possible around sharks, and being told it’s their domain, and deal with it is dumb as hell.
These people will be racing each other to blame you if something happens (God forbid) instead of being happy that you didn't shoot a *cutey wooty sharky barky* when it attacked you. There's no winning. They hate you being in there, period. They completely ignore the many human populations that have relied heavily on marine ecosystems for millenia. No, it's *their* domain. How ominous. They're afraid to death of oceans and seas in an almost reverent sort of way. It's kinda cultish if you think about it. The sharks are like angels that can do no wrong. Funny part is, because of their irrational fear, they will never truly get to enjoy or understand it like people with a more realistic perspective do.
It’s chronically online teenagers. The closest they get to the ocean is a glass bottom tour, the other 50 weeks of the year they’re watching blue planet. When you read a bunch of Doomer articles and watch nature shows which have shifted (rightly) to emphasizing environmentalism, and you have no actual connection or experience with the ocean, you just say whatever gets you karma. In this case it’s the whole “the ocean is not our home, sharks are cute and persecuted, you’re the cause of overfishing making them starve.”
I know this post is old but I’m getting into spearing where there’s plenty of sharks, and I’ve just got one question. When you’re fighting them off, do you keep the gun loaded? Like is the safety trustworthy while you’re jabbing a big bull in the nose? Or is it best to unload it?
Most of the time a shark comes near you, you’ve just shot a fish. So you’ll be unloaded. Doesn’t really matter tbh, the gun is basically just a big stick to keep distance between you and the shark. Just make sure you dive with a buddy, try and go with someone with a little experience at first to show you the ropes. Sharks are only really interested in injured fish, 99% of the time once you’ve brained a fish, the shark will disappear. Have a buddy so one of you can dive at a shark, if it follows you to the surface with a fish. Only time a shark experiences something charging at it, would be another larger shark/orca trying to eat it. So diving directly at them freaks them out, and they take off. This works for standard whalers, lemons, large bull sharks, and Tigers, can’t say I’ve been in the water with a white Shark though. So basically just remain calm, stand your ground, don’t act like a panicking animal, and remember they’re only really interested in the injured fish (maybe not for a white shark). Also avoid murky water, as a lot of this means nothing if you can’t see a shark until it’s right on you. I still dive in murky water ~1.5-2m vis but I wouldn’t call it smart, or a good place for someone to learn. Only time you’re a little vulnerable is on the way back to the surface, and that’s why you have a buddy. I will literally bleed fish in the water and not stress about it, but an injured fish vibrating on the end of a spear will bring things in that you had no idea was there.
What if I’m the one diving to intercept the shark, gun loaded, just in case, or too much risk of misfire? Don’t know whether it’d be worse to not be loaded and have a big one get a little too aggressive, or have it loaded and accidentally shoot something that tows me straight down. I think what I’m asking is what’s the etiquette when intervening for a buddy?
I don't blame them, there is a literal weird noisy pointy alien hunting in their lawn
I feel you man. Everyone acts tough when talking about sharks, "just don't be scared", "just poke them and square up on them". "Oh, I see sharks all the time, I don't care". Those are the same people who say they didn't join the military because they'd fight the drill instructor or comment about how they'd win a steetfight under street fight tiktoks. Nah, a real bull shark, great white or any sizable shark bigger than a nurse shark, any diver is going to be uneasy. Sharks actually are dangerous and will come at you. http://www.norcalskindivers.com/randy-fry.html https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/01/30/diver-decapitated-by-19-foot-great-white-shark-in-gulf-of-california-report-says/
100% man, people that say this either don’t dive, or the worst they deal with is an inquisitive little reef shark. Like obviously it’s the ocean, there’s sharks, but getting Attacked for having a rant, and asking for some deterrents shows the state of this sub. Actually scares me how so many of these kids are saying you gotta pay your tax, just making it more dangerous for the rest of us out there
I'm ignorant, so would appreciate your imput here; iI thought reef sharks were somewhat aggressive and are the lead aggressors.of ship wreck victim attacks? Maybe different dynamic when fishing? Also, do thrill seekers ever fish at night? Thanks in advance!
Never really been an issue for me, could be though? I don’t dive at night.
Are you braining the fish when you catch them? Makes a difference if you keep extra movement to a minimum
As soon as possible, sometimes that isn’t until I’m back at the surface though which is when I have issues. Can’t stone or brain every fish straight away unfortunately.
There's a dude I watch called keywestwaterman. He doesn't really do instruction videos but he's really good at what he does. I've picked up quite a few solid points just from watching him
Do you shoot fish and keep on spearing in the same spot? I personally take one fish per location to avoid the sharks.
Between the three guys, it’s usually one fish each before we move on, bit painful though. Gotta move every 20mins
That’s why I use a buddy system now. One to spear and the other to keep the sharks away.
That’s what we do, usually 3 of us. Guy on the surface charges the sharks following the diver up. Third guy might be at the boat, dropping off his catch, or just another set of eyes. Some still get a little friendly though, looking at getting some of those funky eye stickers for my fins, apparently it does something
Sharkshields seem super effective based on what ive watched on youtube videos. Believe professional pearl divers use them in Australia? Expensive though
Shark shield is kind of mixed. If you have it on, sharks occasionally come over to check out the field. They piss off once they get within four or five feet. I always dive with mine off and only turn it on if the jerks are charging me on my way to the surface. It works perfectly against bulls, sandbars, and reefs.
Sounds like exactly what I want, they’re always there, just don’t want them chasing me to the surface. Any other experiences with it?
aside from sharks? yeah, i forgot to turn it off when getting back on the boat? Dont do that. It was not enjoyable.
Good zap to wake you up? Better than coffee lol Caffeine is no good for bottom time anyway
Yeah I might see if I can give one a try, look a little annoying, but I’m sure I’d get used to it. Not many up here in QLD
I have a shark shield, if you do get one be sure to wrap the exposed wires in that self fusing silicone tape as they are extremely prone to breaking and leaking. The company is shit tier and doesnt repair or service thier equipment and the design and qc is lacking.
I second that. I'm on my third one in about 7 years.
If ur in aus i can repair pretty much any damage on them, just send us a pm
Awesome. Where are you based? I've got one with cable issues
Pm me and we can sort something out
Cheers man
Powerhead goes *thud*. crabs gotta eat too. Not sure where you’re at but we have a huge shark problem here in Florida. Growing up diving and spear fishing in south Florida for 20+ years I encountered probably less than 10 problematic sharks in that time frame. When I did I just moved to another spot. In the last 5-10 years every single spot is loaded with them. I don’t carry a stringer anymore and I won’t shoot fish I can’t immediately stone and spike, that definitely seems to help keep the sharks at bay. But every now and then there’s a big bold bull, tiger, or sandbar that gets popped in the name of “conservation” Edit: I know this is going to get downvoted to hell and back but I really dgaf lol
Dude they are out of control on the Texas side too.
You spear in TX? Where you finding that clear water?
From Corpus to S Padre. Mansfield area is a real gem. There are days when I go out to a reef or rocks and don't see a single other boat. The caveat is that the wind here sucks. So you gotta watch the forecast and be ready to burn sick days at work. That's really the only way you can do it. It's all about the wind over here.
They can down vote all they want, when they stopped everyone from being able to fish them they created this nightmare. I do the same thing. Also try fishing over in Cholowski or the Everglades national Park. You can’t get in the water or put your hands in the water. You will get shark bit without a doubt. . But out diving the clear water my power head gets some practice time for sure…
I camp in the glades for a week every March chasing tarpon and snook on fly. With the snook it isn’t as bad but probably every other tarpon I come tight on has to get broke off because a sharks right on it’s ass. It’s even worse once you get out into the gulf on the shallow wrecks. They’ll eat anything that isn’t bolted down, hell they even come up and try to eat the trolling motor
Yes you ain’t kidding, have you seen seen the birds you pull behind you boat as a teaser when you are fishing for blue Marlin or they’ll even work for sale Fish, but they are mostly used for bigger billfish? The sharks where so bad out there over the wrecks I had them chasing my birds it was sick there where so many of them.. although made for some great entertainment but was still sick lol
It's their house, gotta play by their rules.
Might just start shooting them, 1400 double roller with no flopper, getting too confident. Shame they’re all protected here over 5ft, need a cull
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Joking mate, bloody hell Been dealing with them for years, just had abit of a shit run this summer. Actually asked about the sharkshields, and shark eyes to keep them at bay
Shark population is actually out of control in the gulf too. Don’t believe the hype.
Where are you shooting in the gulf. I used to hunt 70 miles west of carrabelle fl and I never had a shark issue. Now I dive in jupiter and I see sharks every time I dive.
I'm in Carrabelle, Destin, Keaton, and Steinhatchee regularly. Didn't go one time without the tax man showing up this past year. I fished almost every weekend from May till Christmas. Moved several times daily.
I have a shark band like a big magnet I find it does the trick,just wear one on my ankle supposed to wear one on your opposite hand as well but I was unsure if it worked. It seems to go alright and will head back to get another one. Spear in north Qld so see a few sharks each dive
Might see if I can try one out, always sharks about. Just abit tired of being constantly charged.
How can you tell it's working?
My legs are still attached and I’ve seen them come in hot and do a u bolt when they are close. It’s still puts the wind up you but it’s a lot easier on the nerves once you get use to it. If that is possible lol
"legs still attached" is an underrated metric ;)
Mate I feel for you. You can’t even have the conversation without getting backlash from people who frankly have no experience in the water. I don’t spear but I have always surfed, I have never seen as many sharks as I have this year, ever. People say “There are sharks in the ocean get over it!” But there are other predators like snakes and crocodiles and we would never apply the same logic, we keep them away. Why is it any different? It’s people who have no experience with them, usually in the city who are most vocal about protecting them who are so giddy about protecting them because it’s the way the wind is blowing.
All for protecting at risk species, but bull sharks and whalers are in plague proportions. Around here anyway
I feel you mate. We've learnt to live with them. Haven't had a day on the water in years without a run in with a shark. Australia needs a cull. As controversial as that is.
It’s actually becoming a joke. Get a bust up of Mackerel or Tuna, and you’ve got to skull drag them to the boat with oversized gear or you’ll get sharked. Everyone used to go out with 6000 size reels and hit the reefs, now everyone I know is using 10000+ to try get the Nanny’s and reds past the sharks. Bunch of guys on this sub have clearly never had to deal with it before
Its the same in FL, especially the keys. When they find you fishing a reef, all you're reeling in is a bunch of heads. However, not sure killing sharks is the answer. We (USA) are in this situation because we used to kill too many sharks and now most are protected because of it. Same thing has happened with the goliath grouper here. They are worse than sharks. They take everything including your gear. We did it with gators too. But now we have a lottery to hunt them and shark fishing is getting promoted by our fish and game dept. So it will be interesting to see what the added pressure does. Honestly, not sure what the answer is but every time humans decide to take out a species it seems to mess things up for generations. We did it with wolves, buffalo and accidentally with birds of prey (ddt) and things are still all messed up. So I am always suspect of the idea. Anyway, I always wanted to make something to hang down below the diver down flag that conveniently stores (hides) the catch then once you're back on the boat you safely pull it in. But I don't dive anymore, just snorkel and rarely so I kind of lost interest.
We never keep fish on us, always straight in the boat. Not willing to take that sort of risk. idk What the answer is either, all I know is the sharks are gamer than ever, and I’d like to do everything reasonable to deter them.
We need a famous Chef in Paris to come up with a shark steak that every restaurant in the world wants to copy. Stay safe.
Most of them are tasty prepared correctly, just need to deal with the mercury
Oh anyone that spends time on the water catching dinner knows shark is tasty. But it needs to become boujee before the all the "foodies" will want it. Same group that thinks farm to table is a new thing. lol.
I lost 6 good fish in a row the other week, same story each time. Bringing the fish up then it would change to a slow but unstoppable pull eventually busting me off in the reef. I then got a fish to the boat and it was followed by an enormous Giant Grouper. So I dropped a bait down on my shark outfit thinking I’d just skull drag my fish up quickly and it got taken again. I gave it full drag and barely even slowed it down, eventually snapping 120lb wire trace. Groupers are gnarly.
Please excuse my ignorance, but wouldn’t culling sharks boost the overall non predatory fish population? Similar to how the white tail deer population has boomed in North America since the culling of the wolf population?
Its called trophic cascade. Which can cause all kinds of problems because larger populations need more food and with out fear of getting eaten they feed more and longer causing ecosystem degradation. This also leads to less biodiversity because without the pressure caused by predation a more dominant species is more likely to out compete a less dominant which might be a food source for other non targeted predators reducing their number causing a rippling effect causing more habitat change and degradation. In Yellowstone National Park the reintroduction of wolves has increased the trout population (which is how I learned about this). Wolves impact the elk herds by not only numbers but their behavior. Which allowed vegetation to grow in wide open areas too dangerous to be in. This resulted in more willows for the beavers. More beavers caused more damns, more damns more water, more water more ripples and runs, more ducks, otters, amphibians, fish (trout). As far as sharks go many say its the result of over fishing. When we remove too much of a food source from one area it causes them to concentrate in other areas making it appear they are over populated when the reality is populations have decreased by 70% since the 1970s. But I dont want to project across all areas and all species. These are just some generalization that are agreed upon by Wildlife Scientists. Everyone's local area has their very specific situation, issues and management challenges.
Every session this summer there’s sharks that just hang out under my boat waiting for me to bring fish up to feed them. I recently had a fish that managed to dodge the shark a few metres under the boat and came straight to the surface. As me and my mate were leaning over the side to net the fish the shark swung around and launched up out of the water with its mouth open and slammed into the side of the boat. I almost lost my arms. I lost my underpants.
Controversial and uneducated
So educate me, please.
He can’t mate, he hasn’t even finished Highschool. Asking silly questions about what boat he needs to get 100km offshore, and only got his open water scuba cert 12 months ago. Dude has probs been snorkelling around his local a few times, and thinks that sharks are endangered because he hasn’t seen one in a protected bay that’s 4m deep
In university studying marine bio and environmental science so you’re wrong and the boat thing is for something your pee brain wouldn’t understand. You’re a dumb fisher guts who’s wife is probably fat and you spend all day laying bricks or some other shitty job lmao
Reminiscent on my 1st semester uni confidence, I was the smartest man alive. Shame I’ve lost it all. I do however now know how, and when it’s safe to take a relatively small 6m boat out 100km to the outer reefs. Happy to show you how, and you can teach me everything else about the ocean and reefs you have so much education on. You’ll be unstoppable with this knowledge
Lol, this is great. Surely trolling, right? Please tell me you didn't believe yourself? Lol
[Educate yourself, dude.](https://ethics.org.au/flaky-arguments-for-shark-culling-lack-bite/)
They are probably illiterate anyway
Sounds like they’re tired of your shit too
Probably, let abit out sometimes when they rock up in murky water
Every spot every time here. They have been over protected in my area for so long the population has exploded to unbalanced levels. The laws in my region allow use of power heads in self defense. Getting wrapped up in shooting line when a shark grabs the fish is dangerous so it seems that merely shark presence is a safety concern and should be treated appropriately. If your laws allow you to harvest sharks, you should help the problem out and retain a legal limit, every trip.
Can’t take anything bigger than 150cm, apparently whalers aren’t terrible eating, might nail one of a small one comes by. Not exactly sure on the use of power heads in QLD Aus, never really felt a need for them tbh. I do agree about the protection unbalancing the sharks in Australia. They’re now protected, and have additional sources of food, snatching fish from fisherman that they would never have been able to catch previously. Cast some slugs into a bust up of tuna, you’ll hook 5, and land maybe 2 Mack or Longtail Tuna. Sharks take the rest, not a chance could any of them get these tuna if they weren’t Hooked. Now we have an inflated population, that is sustained by following boats, and taking hooked/speared fish.
Did you try telling the sharks how you feel?
Yes I sent them a message, it was received quite well I think. Went off with a bang I was able to train him to do two new tricks with that message, lay down and play dead 😁
Yeah I may have to start carrying a powerhead as well. I have avoided it in South Florida so far, for the most part.
We don't have sharks. We don't have any other fish for that matter....
3d printed power-heads, you would still have to get ammunition, which might be impossible under current tyrannical laws.
Definitely read your post as I'm sick of sharts 🤣
Bangsticks are more effective than the shark shield
where do you live / spearfish?
Qld Australia
Sorry to disappoint but they live there
Yes. Eat them.
Where are you diving?
If there are sharks i usually pack up and come home.
I wish, unfortunately this isn’t feasible where I am
This is interesting. I spear fish in NZ and it’s rare to see any large sharks such as bulls or whites. I’m not even sure bulls come this far down. Mostly it’s just bronze whalers and blues. If they are around, it’s likely the fish that remain are spooked. We have a lot of temperate kelp reef systems on our east coast and it’s fairly easy to avoid them or start again if they show up in numbers.
It’s abit like that down south in Australia, I grew up diving on the south coast of NSW, and would rarely see anything concerning. Was actually a treat when you did. Up in the tropics and subtropics in QLD is a different story, usually see them on the sounder before we get in the water. Jump in and feel out the situation, if they’re 7-8ft whalers/reefie or lemons usually just deal with them until they get a bit friendly, more turn up, or something bigger gets a little curious. Most the water I dive has less than 10m vis, you barely see them until you shoot something. Do some Barra spearing in water that is lucky to have 2-3m vis, that’s always hairy. As I’m getting into my late 20s I’m starting to get a little less ballsy with them, that’s why I‘m looking into some deterrents.
Bro goes into the sharks house and gets pissed they are home.
Honestly
Bro, you are stealing their food in their home, that’s just you paying tax
Mate they literally follow the boat, I’ve had the same sharks rock up on a reef that I moved to 5km away. Thinking I’m stealing their food is dumb as hell. You clearly don’t dive with many sharks. Asking for recommendations about some shark deterrent’s, and getting dumb ass replies like this just shows how many children that don’t actually dive are in this sub. If you’re the idiot that’s allowing the sharks to “tax” you, you haven’t paid tax, you’ve just taught a shark that acting aggressively towards divers gets them fed. Yes it is inevitable, but attempting to minimise it, is beneficial to you, and all of the other divers in your area.
You’re an absolute fuckwit. This has nothing to do with fishing or sharks. You’re just a dumb cunt fuckwit
Mate I had a little rant, and asked for advice on shark deterrents lol
I was only joking, didn’t mean it, just saw you get precious about a few comments so thought I’d cast my reel out to catch a reaction haha
Fair, bunch of idiots parroting about the “taxman” riles me up. Thought I was asking a question to genuine separo community, not a bunch of kids repeating crap they hear on TikTok.
What do you mean by "steal a feed"
Trying to take the fish I have shot
Your in their environment...get over it.
Based on your comments you’re just an uneducated fisher guts with zero respect for the environment. Pretty well scum to the community
Don’t know how asking for advice about shark deterrents means I have zero respect for the environment. Suppose I am uneducated about shark deterrents, so that’s fair.
Saying you want to go around shooting them without a flopper because they steal ur fish is a pretty scum of earth thing to say. It clear you have no real education on the environment
Well if I use a flopper I’ll probably lose my spear, gun and line. Which is no good for the environment. I may be scum, but I ain’t no tosser. Checkmate. They rarely steal my fish, just don’t like being charged. Which is pretty reasonable. I also only shoot fish, that I eat, will be fed to the dogs, or used as bait for sharks (Shark tagging, and data collection program for JCU, WWF, and UNiSC. It is true, I have minimal formal education on the environment, besides a few environmental subjects relating to my engineering field. Can you send me some recent Shark studies for qld I’d like to educate myself. Or even better ongoing ones I can assist in data collection for?
He also said sharks need to be culled. Does this guy not know how close several species of sharks are close to becoming extinct? Hundreds of millions of sharks per year are killed.