Spearfishing on the American; it has begun

[Garrett S Realtor]

I am not worried about the guys that want to eat striper, I am am worried about the die hard steelheaders out there that think striper have a major effect on the survival rate of salmon and steelhead. They are going to grab their spearguns and hunt the big boys because in their opinion they do the most damage. I have a mutual friend who has this opinion about striper and he dives the river and knows where to find the 20lb+ stripers in the river. Bye Bye striper fishery, I will miss you...and the sad thing is I never got into a big one. I am going out with a big heavy spoon with a treble hook to fish for striper and if I accidentally snag a spear fisherman....oh well

[Mike O]

Yah. That'll help. Nothing like a little public premeditation before your attempt at battery on someone participating in a legal activity.

[Dan Harrison]

You all know damn well that if there's a choice for this guy to shoot a big fish vs. a little fish he will without thought shoot the biggest fish that comes into his sight. He probably has no idea how old that big fish is, how much mercury is stored in it's flesh, or how killing it takes millions of eggs out of the future spawning population.

Damn b*#@%#d probably won't even eat it. He'll just take a picture, brag it up, and throw it in a dumpster somewhere. If it is legal and permitted there ought to signs up about what killing these larger fish does to the population. What about posting signs in or around local dive shops that sell spearguns. Maybe get the shop owners to make an effort to protect these "unedible" big fish.

Damn AGAIN! The next thing you know they'll be spearing them in the Feather! Ya, I'm pissed,
Tony

Well said Tony I couldn't agreed with you more!!!

[Tony Buzolich]

Thank you, Dan. It's hard enough to keep the striper population going, and the thought of one more action that will reduce those numbers is gut wrenching.

I'm sure that anyone who partakes of this "sport" isn't doing it because they need to eat. It's simply a matter killing a game animal and the joy of the hunt. Why can't they target the trash fish and do something good by reducing those numbers? How about killing a few more carp, and squawfish (pike-minnows), and even suckers that inhabit the American and the river systems?

Instead of doing something good to help the gamefish populations they choose to kill them. Bowfishing is a great way to help reduce numbers of trash fish across the country. I'm sure spearfishing for them would be encouraged there too, and they'd be helping the environment rather than taking another gamefish out of the struggling population that we're trying to save.

There's just no such thing as catch and release with a spear or an arrow.
Tony

[Scott V]

This post is getting real stupid with assumptions and personal feelings. If it is legal then let it be. Plenty of people feel that guides are killing fish every day by hooking and landing them so they can take the fish out of water to take that hero shot. Maybe we should attack guides for killing fish. Sounds pretty stupid doesn't it.

[Jake O]

I have my popcorn out. Carry on. This thread looks promissing.

[Fish Guru]

This post is getting real stupid with assumptions and personal feelings. If it is legal then let it be. Plenty of people feel that guides are killing fish every day by hooking and landing them so they can take the fish out of water to take that hero shot. Maybe we should attack guides for killing fish. Sounds pretty stupid doesn't it.

I Get where you are coming from Scott, it is just unfortunate that the ethical spearos who pushed this law through were shortsighted enough to not think of how damaging it could be. It is much easier to target large fish with a spear gun, and once the wrong kind of people realize this then they can do a lot of damage. Every snorkeler or scuba guy I've ever talked to tells me how close they can get to the big stripers, not really sure how some are saying it's not gonna be that easy to spear the big ones? Our declining striper fishery cannot handle another attack from yet another front, especially when you consider how many are already killed in the delta by harvesters. As I stated earlier, before this was legal I have seen poachers with spearguns with 2-4 stripers over 20 lbs on ropes dragging behind them. One guy got busted as he was meeting friends at various takeouts and offloading his catch to get more.
Sure it is legal, but another method of taking fish from the rivers is definitely not gonna help.

[WinterrunRon]

I have my popcorn out. Carry on. This thread looks promissing.

Damn, I've been wasting my time lurking over in the steelhead forum when all the action is right here! I almost missed this!

Please continue, I believe it's a spearos' turn to post a comment.


PS: Adding "spearos" to my dictionary. New word for me!

[OceanSunfish]

I Get where you are coming from Scott, it is just unfortunate that the ethical spearos who pushed this law through were shortsighted enough to not think of how damaging it could be. It is much easier to target large fish with a spear gun, and once the wrong kind of people realize this then they can do a lot of damage. Every snorkeler or scuba guy I've ever talked to tells me how close they can get to the big stripers, not really sure how some are saying it's not gonna be that easy to spear the big ones? Our declining striper fishery cannot handle another attack from yet another front, especially when you consider how many are already killed in the delta by harvesters. As I stated earlier, before this was legal I have seen poachers with spearguns with 2-4 stripers over 20 lbs on ropes dragging behind them. One guy got busted as he was meeting friends at various takeouts and offloading his catch to get more.
Sure it is legal, but another method of taking fish from the rivers is definitely not gonna help.

Well said by at least someone not willing to be content or complacent.

I hope that the regs can be redrawn soon to meet the requirements of the eithical sportfisherman (to include spearfisherman)..... and give LEO the parameters to enforce the law.

Just another example of the 38 million different "agendas" there are in this beaut of a State.

[wishnbfishn]

I was shad fishing the American near Howe this morning when I saw a guy with a spear gun and diving gear dragging two very large stripers behind him to his truck. I wasn't aware of this reg change until I called CalTip to report the offender. Now I see this thread while looking for striper reports. I don't post often, but I gotta say, this really saddens me.

Wishn