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Florida East Coast Spearfishing Let's talk here about spearing on Florida's Atlantic coast. Reports and other issues about this region belong here.

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Old 08-03-2012, 10:04 AM   #61
Biminibill
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

As I have stated before, people with their GPSs have created this problem by diving the hell out of popular wrecks, repeating the act of spearing fish in front of jewfish hundreds, if not thousands of times. Jewfish running up and grabbing a fish from you is a learned behavior, just like the fish in your aquarium run up to the glass to be fed when you approach. So you teach the fish to try to take your catch and then blame them for it. If you don't like the monster you've made then stop diving the wrecks they live on, throw your GPS away or better yet stop spearfishing and take up knitting. Wimps...
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Old 08-03-2012, 10:10 AM   #62
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

This is true Bim
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Old 08-03-2012, 10:11 AM   #63
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Originally Posted by SpearMax View Post
What is the scientific basis of your statement above?

Can you cite any scientific research?

Just playing devil's advocate.
Is this is what you consider to be the "gospel" on GG "science"!?!?!

http://www.bio.fsu.edu/coleman_lab/goliath_grouper.php

Having gone throught the entire page, I want to vomit. Science + Bias+ Agenda = BULL$#IT It's very hard to take much of what they say seriously whether their methods were sound or not. Hard to tell since they were too busy talking down on recreational fishermen to even address their methods and reasoning. Even back when I was getting my Masters in Marine Science, they had a bit of an unfavorable reputation...I can see that more than likely has not changed.

Unfortunately, it looks like my Alma Mater may have a chance to study them locally here soon. They have taken a foot hold in our area (SE NC) and it is not difficult to see the effect they have on a small wreck over a relatively short period of time.
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Old 08-03-2012, 11:16 AM   #64
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Originally Posted by primalpete View Post
I can show you the scars on my arm from when a medium GG swallowed my entire arm while trying to eat my fish. Lucky it didnt cause more serious damage. If you think they are harmless to scuba divers try spearfishing on a certain wreck in marathon. Those things are freaking dangerous. Like a trained dog. I would not recommend spearfishing there without taking them into account.
I know that wreck all to well , had a dive buddy get his leg swallowed up to his
groin , dummy had a black grouper on a stringer attached next to him.
It was wild watching a 6' 5" man beating a 600lb plus jew on the head.
I still love that wreck , can hold big blacks ,specially out in the rubble.
Great Job Gerry on the helping the Jew.
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Old 08-03-2012, 11:42 AM   #65
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Approximately how many?

Is it 50% of a typical freedivers catch or a lesser percentage?

Is it year-round or primarily in the summer breeding season?
Tony:

I think this is an "interesting" topic to follow.. We will hear that GG are a very significant problem to freedive spearfisherman in certain areas and they are also a significant issue to hook and line fisherman who target popular wrecks where the GG have learned the game.

I'm not advocating that they should be eliminated because of the nuisance they represent, but on the other hand, it may not be productive to categorize them as simply "gentle giants" which is the term I think that was used in the TV clip. Don't underestimate the animosity that has developed toward the growing population.

It is my understanding that evidence has been presented to indicate that abundance has declined recently and the presumed cause is specifically from "disgruntled" fisherman.

There may be some prevailing misconceptions about their typical diet (within the fishing community) but it would be ridiculous to ignore the fact that they do present a significant "nuisance" to certain fisherman in certain areas due to their opportunistic feeding habits.

I'm not sure of the precentage of the fish they steal from me.. much less than 50% but on the other hand, if they are stimulated into the feeding mode, then we often give up and leave the location and go to another spot...So even when they don't take fish, they can be an annoyance.

At other times, I may choose NOT to pull the trigger if I feel the GG is too close to a potential target and I think the probability of a pretzeled shaft is not worth pulling the trigger on a particular fish.

Last edited by jfjf; 08-03-2012 at 11:58 AM.
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Old 08-03-2012, 11:50 AM   #66
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

Don't forget, you are entering their environment , not the other way around. So, who is the real nuisance here??????
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Old 08-03-2012, 11:52 AM   #67
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Originally Posted by Biminibill View Post
As I have stated before, people with their GPSs have created this problem by diving the hell out of popular wrecks, repeating the act of spearing fish in front of jewfish hundreds, if not thousands of times. Jewfish running up and grabbing a fish from you is a learned behavior, just like the fish in your aquarium run up to the glass to be fed when you approach. So you teach the fish to try to take your catch and then blame them for it. If you don't like the monster you've made then stop diving the wrecks they live on, throw your GPS away or better yet stop spearfishing and take up knitting. Wimps...
Of course Bill, those are valid concerns, but some people may decide that a simple solution to this "created problem" is to engage in a piscine re-training program, since it is pretty well documented that these fish are capable of learned behavior.

Not that I support shooting jewfish or harming them in anyway.

Last edited by jfjf; 08-03-2012 at 10:43 PM.
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Old 08-03-2012, 12:06 PM   #68
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Is this is what you consider to be the "gospel" on GG "science"!?!?!

http://www.bio.fsu.edu/coleman_lab/goliath_grouper.php

Having gone throught the entire page, I want to vomit. Science + Bias+ Agenda = BULL$#IT It's very hard to take much of what they say seriously whether their methods were sound or not. Hard to tell since they were too busy talking down on recreational fishermen to even address their methods and reasoning. Even back when I was getting my Masters in Marine Science, they had a bit of an unfavorable reputation...I can see that more than likely has not changed.

Unfortunately, it looks like my Alma Mater may have a chance to study them locally here soon. They have taken a foot hold in our area (SE NC) and it is not difficult to see the effect they have on a small wreck over a relatively short period of time.
Why is that "unfortunate"?

I think it is great that the species is beginning to re-establish its former range.

What effects have you seen on a small wreck?
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Old 08-03-2012, 12:20 PM   #69
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

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Why is that "unfortunate"?

I think it is great that the species is beginning to re-establish its former range.

What effects have you seen on a small wreck?
It is unfortunate because I have seen what (I assume) their presence has done to some small wrecks. Diving and fishing pressure has not increased on these wrecks; however, the amount of life seen on them has decreased drastically. This occurred the two seasons following the arrival of several 200#+ GG to the area. Not the most scientific approach, but it is personal experience of myself and the few guys that shoot on these small wrecks. I am open a METOC based explanation, but would be very surprised if that accounted for the changes as other wrecks in the area where we have not seen GGs appear unchanged.
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Old 08-03-2012, 07:13 PM   #70
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Question Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattedhead View Post
Is this is what you consider to be the "gospel" on GG "science"!?!?!

http://www.bio.fsu.edu/coleman_lab/goliath_grouper.php

Having gone throught the entire page, I want to vomit. Science + Bias+ Agenda = BULL$#IT It's very hard to take much of what they say seriously whether their methods were sound or not. Hard to tell since they were too busy talking down on recreational fishermen to even address their methods and reasoning. Even back when I was getting my Masters in Marine Science, they had a bit of an unfavorable reputation...I can see that more than likely has not changed.

Unfortunately, it looks like my Alma Mater may have a chance to study them locally here soon. They have taken a foot hold in our area (SE NC) and it is not difficult to see the effect they have on a small wreck over a relatively short period of time.
Argumentum ad Hominem?

http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/person.html
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Old 08-03-2012, 09:12 PM   #71
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

I'm not sure what gives people the opinion that jewfish are afraid of bubbles. I dive the gulf here in the keys all the time and i can assure you they are not. I freedive and scuba and i fear them more freediving just b/c if u get wrapped up somehow there is no stopping a big one from taking you down with him. While scuba diving i've lost many big mango's to them, had them try to eat a 41lb cubera and have had to rip a few cobia out of their mouths. I have joked about shooting them with a flopperless shaft but i could never actually do it. Even after hook and lining them up and the lazy bastards can't get off the surface in 80 ft i deflate them and let them live as much as i'd like to let them float off.
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Old 08-03-2012, 09:33 PM   #72
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

This asshole said it
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Most of the time on scuba they will leave you be.
MOST of the time. Not all the time. I had a jew the other day sit with me on the bottom for over a minuet(on scuba) he came up and hung out for a while. Didn't do anything just laid there. I have also had them steal or come close aggressively with the intent on taking my catch as well. They are about on the same level of sharks and barracuda, they just dont do as much damage to your body..Not saying they wont cut you up, but cmon sharks and cuda have teeth designed for slicing flesh. Ive heard a bunch of stories of GG sucking in arms and legs over the years, taking your catch is almost an every day thing around here. Whether or not it also takes your spear is another thing...
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Old 08-04-2012, 12:04 AM   #73
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

Just curious? Could you legaly harvest a Jew outside of state waters then grill up some goliath steaks on the boat?...
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Old 08-04-2012, 12:24 AM   #74
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

oh, soo much wrong with that question lol.
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Old 08-04-2012, 12:41 AM   #75
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Re: Spearing Jew Fish...Again

As much as i hate Jewfish, and i'm sure many others hate them as much as i do, it does not justify killing them off to be able to land a couple more fish. They do not eat all the lobster off of spots, they don't eat all the grouper and snapper.. They are a nuisance, if they take up a good lobster spot the lobsters simply don't take residence there. Maybe one gets eaten along the way, but they don't impact lobster or snapper populations at all. I have dove a ton of shrimp boat wrecks that are no larger than a living room, and there will be between 10-30 jewfish. Along with them are healthy schools of mangos from juvenile to 10 pounds. But they do follow you around and try and eat everything you shoot. I even had a 200lber following me on a murky day within 1 foot of my fins and i thought he was going to go for it..
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