SpearBlog

The adventure begins well before we leave….

Craig Clasen called me a few months back and said simply…

”We need another Indo…”

My response was so beyond my MO that I think it initially pissed him off more than it surprised him.
‘I can’t man, I need to work, I need to study for this test, I don’t have enough money, etc etc.’

Well it took all of 2 minutes of hearing the tone in his voice to know that he needed the trip as badly as I would as soon as I finished this test.

First: time frame.

When and for how long..
We decided on a three week window that didn’t exactly coincide with the moons I would usually want but it was all we could manage and we moved on to the next step.

What do we want to hunt?
Dogtooth Tuna, huge ones, Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Bluefins, Giant Trevally,
We built the list of usuals and narrowed it down and as usual it fell to Dogtooth tuna.
By far our favorite, most challenging, toughest, and rewarding fish that a Spearfisherman can pursue.
I always claim that a 100 lb Dogtooth tied tail to tail with a 200 lb Yellowfin Tuna will drown the YFT every time. Later this week I’ll take a good picture of their tail and show you just where they get their power but suffice to say they are incredible to hunt.

Where?
This is the hard part… I looked at my notes and surfed the internet and decided on three different areas that had great potential. Indonesia fell out because the time of year was off we figured the vis and currents would probably piss us off more than anything.
We want clear water
We want somewhere we feel hasn’t reached its full potential
We want somewhere we don’t have to worry about diptheria and Malaria and tetnis and all the other nasties.
We want something new.
We decided on an area of Micronesia that I’d found working about ten years ago that I had only been able to dive twice and had been blown away by the potential. When we were diving at the time our bluewater skills and knowledge of how to work an area properly were still in their infancy.

‘Craig this spot is the one in the world that I feel I’ve only scratched the surface. The sharks are off the chart with 10-50 Bronze Whalers enjoying feeding frenzies on half the fish and and way more BIG Tiger sharks than I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. But there are Marlin, Good Dogtooth Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Big Trevally, Uku, Groupers, Napolean Wrasse the size of a car and water so clear you get sea sick in the blue because there is no point of reference.’
‘and we can hunt these cool as hell little mountain deer if we get really bored and need to be humbled by some little furry beasts’

“Sounds perfect. Lets do it.”

Dates set my first call was to Troy Williams, aka Lone Fin who is based in the center of Micronesia. “I’m in.” Before I had even finished the first sentence I could hear the wheels turning and the preparations stepped up with a man on the inside. Troy started coordinating and coming up with ideas and networking. Within a week we had 2 boats on two different islands and free places to stay on exotic shores with no bustling traffic, Starbucks, Alarm Clocks or need for clothing much more than a pair of boardshorts.

With the boat set and plan in motion I made one more call to complete the crew.
Knowing his penchant for antagonizing Tiger Sharks on the North shore and the fact that I still think he is going to try and shoot me this week to get me back for snaking him on a 280 lb Yellowfin Tuna a few years back, including Mark Healey in the mix will definitely keep it interesting.

LAst minute add on was GR Tarr who had relieved himself of work woes and decided to come on the 3 week adventure….

I might have to step up my game to keep up with that crew.

Yesterday I was moved to tears by the most incredible fish i have ever seen in my life.
Diving in Indonesia is one of the most frustrating and difficult projects I have ever embarked on and without an amazing amount of patience, stamina and skill there is no way that you can be successful in a diving environment such as this.
Starting the day we jumped in to a mere 4 knots of current and drifted for 4 hours landed two Dogtooth tuna 40 and 100 lbs which are both excellent fish in any locale.
Taking a break during the day we went and visited a deserted beach on a faraway shore and as we explored teh little spit of sand and the surrounding countryside Craig and I gave thanks for such a beautiful and unspoiled place on earth that we were able to enjoy.
With the two fish in the boat and our time expired we decided to head back to the mainland 2 hours away. Something in me felt wrong though and I persuaded the boat driver to stay another hour ($15 more) so that we could dive in the ever increasing current for one last shot.
With a rain squall coming hard on us and the visibility darkening we decided on one last drift. Craig had just broken one blade on his fin and told me, “This is the last drift, make it count, I’ll ride shotgun and bring the second gun so you can shoot your fish twice…”
5 minutes later i was relaxed and diving down through the warm surface layer to the cooler water below relishing the change in temperature that these type of Tuna love so much. At 50 feet i stopped kicking and glided down to find a school of dogtooth tuna surrounding me from 15 to 120 lbs. Patiently i glided deeper and caught sight of the black back of a slightly bigger one on the bottom at 90 feet. Passing the other smaller tuna the big fish turned slightly just as i reached the end of my float line and i squeezed the trigger.
Thunk!
The fish immediately shook his gills and then made two circles on the bottom banging the shaft against the coral in an attempt to break free of the object now lodged in his after half.
As the great fish strained for deep water i pushed hard for sunlight and grabbed my passing floats on the surface just in time to tell Craig, ” I shot a TOAD!!!!”
Nervous the the fish would pull out i fought him as gingerly as possible and within a few minutes we had him in sight. As he neared the surface I could see he was hurt bad but there was no way i was going to lose this fish and I grabbed my 115 Omer America with a reel from Craig, cocked it, dove and approached him. At 12 feet my lungs were screaming for air at the exertion of the last few minutes and I prayed that my shaking hands would aim true.. whoosh! The fish went stiff and i surfaced pulling the ever growing fish to me.
Oh my god. Oh my god.
I can’t wrap my arms around him! I have never screamed so loud in my life. The rocky cliffs a mile distant reverberated with the sound of my voice and then mingled with that of Craigs and the boat driver.
With a raging 10 kt current approaching I handed the tail of the fish to the boat driver and jumped in the boat to relieve him but even with Craig and I pulling we could not budge the fish from the water. Trailing the fish to calm waters the three of us pulled the beast into the boat and then there was complete silence.
Looking at the 6 ft long fish at my feet my mind shut down and I was flooded with emotion at what I had before me. Never in my life could i have imagined this possible. Craig and I stared in utter silent disbelief.
Dogtooth Tuna. What I have always preached as the most challenging and difficult fish in the world to land. Diving 30 miles from civilization in 6-10 kts of current. The whitewater rafting we had done the week before doesn’t even compare to the whirlpools and down currents and 5 ft standing waves we encounter every drift here.
I can’t describe to you how incredible this day is and how meaningful it is to me. Of all the fish in the world this is the one record i have coveted the most.
200.6 lbs. 6 feet long and 4.5 feet in girth.
I am the luckiest man alive.
Cameron

Trying to get people to come diving with you can be hard enough,  but trying to get them come back for a second time can be even harder.   When you add angry Kangaroos, Great White Sharks, boats that don’t float and cars that should be sunk it can be next to impossible.  So went my buddy Brad Thornbrough and I’s trip to the East Coast of Australia this year and despite these minor annoyances we managed to have the time of our lives and spear some great fish along the way.

After celebrating my birthday for a few days longer than we should have, we headed North from Sydney in my newly purchased  1984 Toyota Corona Station wagon  wondering if the bargain price of $1100 AUD was a hint that the reliability of our chariot could be in question.   Only a week earlier I had been invited down to dive a reef a few hours south of Sydney that rose from a few hundred feet to within 80 and held hoards of baitfish, Yellowtail Kingfish (California Yellowtail) and what I was really after, Black Marlin.  As we drove I told Brad of my trepidation at getting into the 60 degree water and then  within seconds watching as my dive partner dives down and shoots a 20 lb. Kingie.  As he’s stringing the fish I’m looking down into the dark green water and see a gigantic shape materialize from directly below and feel my heart sink at the realization that this is it, I’ve been in this cold ass water 5 minutes and here comes what we fear the most,  a Great White Shark, what was I thinking!     Just as I am preparing to scream like a little girl the entire form comes into view and the Largest Sea Lion ever zooms in and latches its jaws onto the fish.  Without a second thought the Aussie dives down and pokes the beast in the neck only to have the 1000 lb. animal turn, bare its 3 inch teeth and scream at him underwater. OK it’s yours.

A few hours later everyone except me had seen Marlin and been unable to get shots off and now they all wanted to leave to go hunt Yellowtail.  I urged them to make one more drift and within minutes of returning to the water a 400+ lb. marlin comes in to look at the Flasher and I dive to intercept him.  As I come to within 10 feet I pull the trigger and watch as the shaft penetrates through his broad shoulders and the fish shudders before taking off with me in tow.  15 minutes and a half a mile later another marlin is swimming  back and forth behind the wounded one and cuts the 400 lb. mono before turning and charging straight at my chest, stopping and turning so close I can almost reach out and touch him before disappearing into the depths with his comrade.  Not my day.

Back in the boat I beg to make another drift but now no one wants to get back in the water because they tell me as I was fighting the marlin the 2.5 ft dorsal fin of a Great White was accompanying me in my quest to land the marlin.  Thanks for looking out for me guys.

So with that story in mind Brad and I arrive at my friends place in a small town a few hours up the coast and hitch his dilapidated old Land Cruiser to an equally gorgeous14 ft tinnie.  As we’re bouncing along the road enroute to the beach my Aussie friend is telling us that this boat tends to sink so just pull it up on the rocks if she starts to go.  Great.  After beach launching the boat we dodge surfers and punch out through the head high waves and head to a rocky headland a few miles distant.  This being Brads first time wearing a wetsuit and having just heard my story on the drive up, it takes a few minutes in the water before he is comfortable amongst the kelp and dirty water.  One of the most prized fish in Australia is a Mulloway or Jewfish which are very similar to our White Sea bass on the West Coast of the US but with slightly different habits. These fish generally are found alone or in schools around structure in all depths of water but have a strange affinity for fissures and holes in the rocks(much like Ulua holes) except right in the  breaking seas against the rocks.  Because few spearo’s desire to get smashed on the rocks, the fish in these “Jewie holes” are usually pretty safe.  We searched a few empty holes and then I swam to the farthest point  of the headland and made a dive following the rocks to their termination in the sand.  As I cruised the edge at 40 feet I made out a dark shape far out in the sand and swam over to find an enormous stingray with no less than 20 cobia swimming around him. As the fish swirled above the ray I picked out the largest at the back of the school and released the shaft hitting him mid-body. As I reached the surface I yelled for help as the float line I had intended to use for 25 feet of water amongst the rocks came tight in my hands and I held on to the beer can size float as it took me in tow.  With a  second shot to the brain we took the 65lb fish to the boat and headed off  to catch our limit of lobsters before calling it a day.

After hearing stories of large Yellowtail and marlin in an area to the north we headed north to meet another of our friends Doug and Dan Hanning  who had trailered his boat from Brisbane.  Now with a more reliable boat we were able to venture further and our first stop was a FAD buoy to see if we could land a few Dolphin(Mahi-Mahi) or hopefully a Marlin.  With nothing happening there we came inshore to a deep reef loaded with bait to find nothing but lots of very interested bullsharks in the 10 ft range.  (We were told that evening by the boat fishing beside us that they ended up catching 5 marlin during the course of the day so we should have stayed.) We braved them for and hour before giving up and exploring the many rocky headlands and small islands in search of Jewies and Kingfish.  Reaching a small headland with some current we drift 20 feet from the rocks in 40-60 feet of water and Brad and I both see a school of fish we have never seen.  “Jewies!!!  Shoot them!” I yell and dive to the massive school shooting the closest one I see. Stoned!  Reaching the surface I yell that I have stoned one and begin hauling him in.  Within a few seconds though the line goes limp and up through the foam comes an empty shaft.  Arghhh.  I reload quickly and dive again laying in wait in a fissure as the spooked school rushes past me and fire as another 45lb one comes through.  This time the shaft has penetrated fully and I realize the power of these gorgeous fish.  In the boat we figure my first shot hit the fish in the spine paralyzing him and with the current and foamy water he either came back to life or drifted away before we could find him. On our next drift we found a good area and while chumming and using the flasher, began to bring some fish in.  Watching from the surface, I see Brad dive down and intercept a pair of large yellowtail shooting the closest one and landing him after a vigorous fight.  A few minutes later and a trio of cobia arrive and he again dives to 50 ft and repeats the scenario landing another 1^st species for the second time in less than an hour.   Over the next few hours we see dozens more cobia and some Yellowtail kingfish and end the incredible day with a pair of Cobia and yellowtail as well as my first Australian Jewfish.

The next few days the weather turned bad and after camping for 3 days with Red Backed spiders who were also sick of being in the rain we decided we had to get in the water no matter what.  Now boatless, we were still determined to dive the area we had found a few days prior and set out to make it happen.  The spot has  good diving, but it is in the middle of a national park, so we had to hike in. From the carpark on the hill we could see the beach far below and were relieved that only the first 20 minutes of the 2 mile hike was uphill. The downward slope ended at a  100 ft cliff and after carefully making our way down we were at the waters edge.  All this with mask, fins, wetsuit, weightbelt,, and speargun. The .25 mile swim in a 6-8 foot swell was refreshing after the long walk and the fish were there.  Brad found the school and we dove simultaneously both shooting and landing 40 lb. fish. Most Australians have never even seen or had the chance to shoot a Jewfish so we were both pretty stoked. What we did not consider, however, is that we now had to climb back out of the water, up the cliff, and up through 2 miles of national forest to get to our car, all while carrying our dive gear and each with a 40 pound sea bass. Of course this all coincides with the first clearing of the clouds in a week and the heat damn near killed us both. Probably the most exhausting thing I have done in several years. Over all, the entire mission took 5 hours and Brad almost had to leave me for dead on the climb back.  We both swore never to do it again but they were by far the most well earned fish of both of our lives.

Having secured our first Jewies with the utmost of difficulty, they now seemed to be everywhere we looked.  Some days we would see a few dozen and our Australian friends started coming to visit us to put them on fish.  One of the most memorable days in the water found Brad and I diving with Brett Craik and Dan Hanning some friends of ours who are top spearfisherman and land some of the best fish in the Brisbane area every year.  Having never shot jew fish, they were excited to come down and dive with us after hearing our tall tales. From years of diving for lobsters and fish that hole up in Florida and the Bahamas, Brad and I had quickly figured out that the best Jewies were right up in the holes and crevices in the rocks and you had to really commit to getting in there to shoot one.    This day Brad used only a Hawaiian sling and the boys watched as he out shot them 3 to 1.  At one point a good sized jewfish was making a run for it out in the sand and Brad dove and shot him at a distance of 15 feet while the boys looked on in disbelief.  I doubt that there are many people in the world who can claim shooting a White sea bass with a  Hawaiian sling, much less 3 in one day.  Incredible.

What was not so incredible however was our luck with vehicles.  One reason we got to know the areas we were so well is because we were stuck there.  Driving on one of the backroads from an evening surf session a giant kangaroo committed suicide and demolished the front of our beloved Corona.  From there it was down hill, or uphill I should say since the car died every time we tried to go up one.  Don’t speed in Australia, you will get a ticket.  We were stopped and the Officer laughed at us after looking at our car.  With 2 weeks of offroading the muffler was broken, front left side demolished, dirt everywhere, taillights out, damn Kanga!  Not to mention I was 30 over the speed limit.  20 miles further down the road the car died for good and we were forced to upgrade to a 1972 Toyota LiteAce which we burned the motor up on in less than 30 minutes and were stuck once again.

One of the wonderful things about diving in Australia is the accessibility of many of the good areas.  Up until this point every fish we had shot had been within a quarter mile of land and most within 50 feet of the rocks. Because of this is, its easy for local and visiting spearfisherman to get plenty of good diving in without having to use a boat.   A number of boats up and down the coast run reasonably priced charters however and it is worth it to get offshore and shoot some of the less frequented reefs and rocks.

My favorite area on the whole coast is just off of Brisbane in Queensland where the range of fish species from the North and South meet.  This area has coral reefs but at the same time holds normally cold water fish such as Yellowtail Kingfish and Blue Groper.  So it was with much enthusiasm that Brad and I ventured out to North Stradbroke Island for three days to dive and video as much as possible in the 100+ ft visibility.  After partying well into the night in downtown Brisbane we woke up early to take the Ferry across to Straddie and shortly thereafter met Steve Mckinnon just as he was launching his 25 ft RIB boat into the clear calm surf.  Our first stop was a reef 25 miles North off of Moreton Island that holds good bottom fish as well as Marlin, Wahoo and other Pelagics.  Upon entering the water on our first drift we found 5 kts of current but lots of fish and we got into a good rhythm of chumming and drifting and then doing it all over again.  On each successive drift we tried to cover a new area and each time were rewarded with Rainbow Runners, Cod, trout, Surgeonfish, Emperors and one of my favorites, jobfish (uku).  Shooting one jobfish at 80 ft, I looked over to see a 100 lb. cod rise off the bottom to investigate.  He was too deep however and Brad bottomed out his float line trying to reach him against the strong current.   We ended the day seeing a single Yellowfin tuna that never offered a shot in only 60 ft of water and headed in with a fishbox full of reef species.  That night the Aussie hospitality continued and we spent the night with our Captain as if we had been friends for years. Over a big dinner of fresh Jobfish, sautéed calamari and Victoria Bitter Beer we planned our bluewater attack for the next morning on a FAD buoy 6miles offshore.

The morning found us confronting 6 ft seas but with such a  short run out we made it there with little effort. Brad and I made the first drift on the buoy and were immediately surrounded by a school of 50 Mahi mahi.  We let them swim through once trying to find the largest ones and on their return I watch as Brad shoots a 10lb one with his Killer B Pole spear before I take a shot on one of my own.   Over the next hour we videoed and drifted with Brad taking a fish down with his Pole spear every time.  With a dozen fish in the box to 20 lbs. we head in to the protection of the inner reefs just a few hundred yards offshore that consistently hold a group of Manta Rays and Leopard Sharks.  Within seconds of entering the water we find the first Ray with a 10 ft wingspan floating in the current and he is shortly joined by 2,3, and then 4 others.  As incredible as it is to see these animals in the water we were more interested in the cobia that frequently accompany them.  After a half hour of searching for cobia we give up and lay our slings and guns on the bottom and take to hanging with the locals.  I dive to 40 feet and lay on the bottom next to an 8 ft Leopard Shark petting him on the head for a full minute before instinctively looking up as the sky grows dark and a Manta all but lays down on top of me. With Brad videoing  from above I turn and run my hands along the underside of the giant as he pushes me to the bottom.  Incredible.  We switch off with the camera for awhile alternately riding the Mantas and Sharks before we see what are undoubtedly World Record Spangled Emperors(much like a Mutton Snapper on the East Coast of the US) attracted to our commotion in the sand.   Hastily I grab my Rabitech from the boat and swim against the current to reach them again. Enroute I pass the Manta Rays and am surprised to see a trio of Cobia with them.  I dive and shoot the largest one who takes off straight down in front of the 1000 lb. Ray who in turn powers off as I hold on to the gun quickly breaking the 400lb shooting line.  I follow the 30lb cobia and with a Pole spear now in hand make the dive to 45ft and  shoot him down through the top of the head.  I think Brad almost drown laughing at me on my way to the surface as the fish beat me senseless before I was able to get a breath and dispatch him with my knife.  We finished the day diving an awash reef that was full of Painted Crayfish and Lobsters with Brad leading the charge into to white wash to retrieve the majority of our limit despite  the unfriendly conditions with 5 ft breaking waves.

There are so many things that I love about Australia making it such a great destination for Spearfisherman that I can’t list them all here.  Being able to hunt 5lb coral Trout and then look over to see a 400 lb Marlin or a 200lb Cod swim by just makes me shiver with anticipation each time I get in the water.  You never know what you are going to see.  The people up and down the coast love the ocean and as long as you are respectful will be more than happy to help you out in any way they can.  If you offer to return the hospitality, mean it.  Australians give very whole heartedly and don’t mince words, after you’ve visited with them and part ways telling them to come visit you can be sure they will.  Unlike us they travel a lot and you can expect to see them again.  Saying that, I need to buy a huge house as I owe a few dozen people for the incredible diving,  borrowed equipment, cars, comfortable beds,  nights on the town and most of all the memories.  Of course, after receiving an email from Brett this week of his 300lb Black Marlin, who would ever want to leave Australia in the first place?

With four days to go and only one shaft on my 110Euro left, I thought hard about releasing the shaft on the 125 lb Dogtooth Tuna that was approaching from the depths.  Was the 75 ft piece of line I scavenged off the beach going to hold?  Would the two gas can floats keep him from taking me over the drop?  How is it possible that I own thousands of dollars of equipment from the best companies in the world and yet I find myself one shot away from ending my entire spearing trip because I have no more gear.

Planning.

I’ve learned many lessons diving and traveling the world and most of them have been through trial and error.  Every trip can be epic, you just have to make sure you give yourself every opportunity to make it so and understand along the way not every thing is going to go your way. Whether you’re traveling  alone or with family, to a remote island or a big time tourist destination, there is always potential for getting some spearfishing in.  Don’t think that just because you aren’t on a planned spearing trip that you can’t get in the water, every trip is a dive trip as far as I’m concerned and you just need to make the most of what you have in front of you.

As soon as I decide on a new place that I am going  I try to find out four things; who, what, when and where.

Who has been there and when.

What kind of fish are there and when.

Where exactly do I need to be when I am there.

In recent years the use of Spearboard.com, Deeperblue.net, Spearfishing.com.au, and HSD’s online forums has acted as a buddy network throughout the world and showed just how much of a brotherhood the Spearing world is.   Ask if anyone has ever been to the area or somewhere close and gather any information you can from them.  The difference between talking to someone that has speared there or some flunkie in a cubicle in Tennesee who is trying to sell you a vacation package is huge.  Whether they spent 10 years diving the place or 2 days any information they can give you will get you ahead of the game and make your trip all the more fantastic.

As soon as I have gathered as much second hand knowledge as possible, I look at a nautical chart of the area and also try to find out what type of fish are in that part of the world.  I spend hours and hours pouring over charts and fishing magazines trying to piece together whatever information I can to plan a trip and make sure that I don’t get stuck trying to dive a Reef one mile north of a river mouth in the Monsoon season.  Drop-offs,  headlands that end in deep water, river mouths, coral reefs and pinnacles are the most prominent and productive features to look for.   Knowing the currents for the area, as basic as knowing which direction they set(direction they flow) and what the tide difference is can make or break your trip.  Some common sense goes a long way in traveling so when you are going to be diving in an area that has 15-18 ft tides and there is an estuary or river nearby you can bank on the fact that anywhere from 1-20 miles offshore during that time of the month is going to have reduced visibility and knowing whether to be north or south of there can make all the difference in the world.

Ok so you know where you want to go and what you are shooting.  Now what do you bring?  Will I really need a wetsuit in Indonesia in July?  That’s summer isn’t it?  I know they have huge Giant Trevally(Ulua) there and that’s  what I really want to target, so I think I’ll just skip the little gun.

As a rule, always bring two guns and extra shafts for both.  You are already having to bring something that is oversized and ungainly so the extra 15 lbs of weight isn’t going to matter much and you will thank yourself when you aren’t stuck shooting 3 lb Mu in 10 ft of water with your bluewater gun.   Bring your normal dive gear that you would for diving at home and bring a wetsuit that will accommodate the conditions you will be experiencing.  I take a 2 piece 3 mil Riffe Cryptic suit with me at all times so that when the water is too warm I can just wear half of the suit and a pair of shorts or the bottom and a long sleeve rash guard if there are lots of Jellyfish in the water.  This cuts down on having to bring 3 different wetsuits.

Lets forget gear for now. Everyone has their own opinion anyways and you can show up looking like a Hana Pa’a store with 300 lbs of gear or get away with the bare minimum and still have the time of your life.  We’ll delve into all that another time.

Now that you are there, where are the fish?  A good place to start is to go down to the docks or to the beach where the local fisherman come in every day and look to see what everyone has caught.  Look for fish that are going to be in the area of the types that you are wanting to hunt and strike up a conversation with the fisherman. Give him a hand pulling his boat up on the beach or just be friendly and talk to him as much as possible and try to learn what you can about where and how he caught his fish and determine from there your next plan of action. Fisherman the world round speak the same language. In saying that, whether you are in a foreign country or not there is a good chance the fish names are different than the one commonly used in your home waters.    Cod, Grouper, Cabrillo, Rockfish,  and Coca are all names for a very similar type of bottom fish that is found throughout the world.

Pick up key words like boat, Rock, Reef, Bait, Grouper, Shark,  Tuna, etc. Understanding people isn’t so much about the words they speak as it is understanding and interpreting their body language.  Use pictures, drawings, hand movements and whatever you can to make each other understood.   Find out what types of fish sell for what amount of money and get an idea of what he might make on an average day.   Also make sure of what fish you can and can’t shoot in each locale.  In some places, species that carry Ciguatera poisoning can change from one side of the island to the other and a lack of local knowledge could punish you for months on end if you accidentally mess this up.

So all the fishing right now is offshore and your plans for shooting Roosterfish and Cuberas in the Shallows has been crushed because the River has flooded out and the idea of 3 ft vis and 10 ft Crocodiles doesn’t sound too appealing.  Charter boats can be great but $1000 a day to dive by myself is ridiculous and the Scuba Boats aren’t going to be too stoked on me slaying all the pretty little reef fish in front of the Tourons(Tourist-Morons).    Back to your fisherman.  With the information you have already gathered come down to the beach this time with a plan.  Ask them if it would be possible to accompany them on their boat for a day and offer to pay the equivalent of a good days catch plus 10-20%, whatever you feel comfortable with.  In some locales this can be as little as $5 a day and the offer of double or triple that can win you a friend for life.  Bring pictures of fish you have caught in the past and make sure that it is clear that you are going to be diving.   Yes, they will think you are crazy and no matter where you go everyone always says there are sharks.  A good rule of thumb; Taste the water, does it taste salty?  Then it has sharks in it.

9 times out of 10 a fisherman will go straight to his normal fishing spot and start fishing or go to a place that he has seen people dive in the past.  He will fish, and continue to fish until you make it worth his while to follow you around.  Whether I want to or not my first few dives I always shoot the first 3 food fish I see.  That is $$ in his pocket and food on his table and now you have his attention.  You had better believe he’ll start keeping the boat close when you ask and as long as you keep him satisfied you can pursue the fish you are really after.

Establish some basic signals and rules with boat driver and try to work with them so that you don’t make them feel uncomfortable about you’re being in the water.  Pick me up and pick me up NOW are the most important ones.  Also as far as safety goes tell someone ashore where you are going and when you will be back and leave a name and number of a family member to contact if you aren’t back in the set amount of time.   This may seem morbid but it can mean the difference in drifting 2 or 200 miles offshore before someone finds you.

What you see is what you get when you go feral so bring what you are going to need when you show up at the boat the next morning.  If you want food, bring it, water, bring it, first aid kit, you get the idea.  From experience I can say that there have been a few times drifting with a broken motor in a dugout canoe that I would have paid a mint for a jug of fresh water.  Don’t get in over your head but also don’t overlook some simple necessities that could save you later.  My worst case scenario is having an accident and having to reduce bleeding very quickly when medical help can be hours and sometimes even days away.  If  you ever find yourself in a situation like this get yourself to the biggest or nicest hotel around as they have the best access to competent doctors and also the highest chances of an English speaking person there as well.

Keep a journal while you are there and make mental notes of what worked when,  what types of bait seemed to hold the better fish,  Rocks that were more productive than others, Tides, currents, times of day,  Landmarks and other position indicators that can help you find your way back in the future.  It was 12 months before I was able to get back to that spot with the huge Doggies and with the notes from my journal I was able to hit the spot dead on at the right tide and capitalize the second time around.  I’d like to think that I remember every rock I have ever seen and every fish I have ever shot but memories fade with time and having exact notes can mean the difference between 4 days of scouting and 4 days of hunting.  Make a list while you are still there of gear that will need on your return as well as notes on people and fish’s names,  the prices you paid for different things and anything else that you think will help you in the future.

You better believe I took that shot.  The fish turned broadside at 12 feet and I hit him high in the shoulder. And no,  just like the other 2 I had already lost that week the fish took my entire rig down so deep that all I could see was my gas can floats at 120 feet and knew that he was wrapped up in the rocks far below that feeding yet another pack of hungry sharks.  My boat driver just smiled and turned the Outrigger  Canoe towards the island shaking  his head, “Terlalu Besar! Terlalu Besar!”  Too big!  Too big!

Whether you catch anything or not I can promise you that an adventure planned from the ground up outside of your local haunt will give you memories for a lifetime and a much better respect for the conveniences of diving at home.  Any trip is a good one when you are diving and exploring new places.  It never ceases to amaze me that a certain species of fish will act completely different in three oceans and the excitement comes in finding the 3 different ways to hunt that same fish.  Plan a spearfishing trip to the next headland, the next island or halfway across the globe and enjoy the diversity that our oceans have to offer us.

Cam’s Feral Spearfishing Gear list

130cm Riffe Euro gun rigged with 400lb mono and breakaway rig with 2-10 extra shafts

110 Riffe Euro gun, 2 shafts rigged for a reel and 2 shafts straight to gun/buoy

Reel rigged with 500lb Kevlar or spectra

2 Riffe 2Atm floats

50’, 25’, 10’ bungey’s

75 ft float line(Armor Spectra from Riffe is the smallest and strongest)

mask, fins, snorkel, booties, gloves, dive knife, fillet knife, wetsuit, rashguard

leatherman tool for minor repairs and sharpening spears

gun bag and fin bag

Underwater video/camera  (no one believes you unless you video it)

Extra Mono and Crimps and rubbers

IUSA WR application, Official Scale and measuring tape.  Curse the day you need this and don’t have it.

First Aid Kit

Whistle

Extras: Mosquito net, spray, spark plugs to give as gifts to boat drivers, Hat, sunglasses, wife/girlfriend,  Wasabi,  2 x Gallon Ziploc Bags for stowing wallet/camera and also a select piece of fish for dinner,