South Padre Island Report

[one shot]

We were in South Padre Island from the 19th to the 24th. I was in town to complete my master diving training. The first day there spent the majority of the day in the classroom, people Coming into the dive shop buying spear fishing equipment with great reports of good visibility and fish on the jetty. It soon became hard to focus on any textbooks. Living in Minnesota my spear fishing opportunities are very limited, so I was able to convince my instructor to let me out of class early for a free diving trip to the jetty. The reports were true, there were mangrove snappers everywhere with blue water and 25 foot visibility. They were pretty jumpy because they had been hunted all day. Since I got out there in the late afternoon the tide had started moving and the wind picked up a little bit, this change eliminated most of the boat traffic and the other divers. The fish also settled down much to their dismay. I was diving in approximately 15 to 25 feet of water I did not haul a weight built with me and was hard to stay down. It was a free shafting fiesta! the guy that was diving with me had an old school 3 bandgun with the line attached. He seriously questioned my free shafting method, until he saw the efficiency with which I was putting fish on the stringer. The largest one was a little over 18 inches.

With the stringer full of fish, the sun already almost set, and jellyfish all over the water, my partner swam over and I could tell that it was time to go. Visibility at this time was down to six to 8 feet and I had a serious rash from the jellyfish. But my mind and body were experiencing the spear fishing euphoria that had been building from months and months of reading about these stories in seeing the pictures on spear board. So I replied to my partner just two more and then we'll go I dove down and speared one, it seemed the big ones were coming out of the cracks at dusk I went back up for air and went down to retrieve my prize, I could not find it anywhere. My partner came over to help me look but to no avail. it was now dark the sun had set. It was then I realized the full consequences of my poor choice. We had to swim over to the rocks encrusted with sea urchins and try to make it out of the water with the surf throwing us up against the rocks. I am still feeling the ache of several urchin spines. Without thinking and in a somewhat state of panic I took the heavy laden stringer of fish and heaved it up on the rocks much to my dismay it rolled off the back side of the rock down into the jetty valuable lesson learned

The next day we dove the Texas water park was not able to spear because of three to 5 foot visibility on the bottom and I did not have my line with. Completed all my required dives. Was able to return to the jetty for some more free diving in spear fishing but it was not near as good as that first day. Attached are a couple of pictures of my girlfriend's first speared fish.

[MichaelBaranows]

I have heard of people spearing on the jetties of SPI but this is the first report I have seen. Maybe this winter I will get down there to try it out if a good day happens along.

[PatMyGreen]

Sorry to hear about the spines, sounds like you learned several good lessons though! Looking forward to the next report.

[one shot]

I am hoping to be back down there over Christmas break may be into New Year's, American diving does run spear fishing trips weather permitting, and yes Mr. O Leary free shafting is a very efficient way of harvesting fish . You would not believe the ball busting I received from other spearfishing people down there because of free shafting. And of course I had to try to prove my point by free shafting a nice American red snapper(at the Texas underwater park) in the limited visibility conditions and when the fish sank to the bottom I was unable to locate my shaft and my prize. There was a lot of silt and poor visibility (1' or less)on the bottom.
Otherwise you can find me at the end of the jetty.

You can also drive on the beach there, you can access the beach from number 5 And Drive approximately 23 miles north to the Port Mansfield's jetty. the first time I was there I did not have my fishing equipment and last time it was just too rough. Hopefully by New Year's I will have a report for this location also.