CraigC
Guru
That is why they call it fishing and not catching!
The only line fishing I do is in freshwater and only catch and release. The reason I spearfish is for the challenge (most species) and being able to target a particular fish.
That is why they call it fishing and not catching!
The only line fishing I do is in freshwater and only catch and release. The reason I spearfish is for the challenge (most species) and being able to target a particular fish.I would love to go spearfishing. Have you ever caught and cooked Lionfish, Craigsy?
I have a buddy who leads dives on the Andrea Doria every summer. The stories he comes back with are amazing.
My wife bought me a gift certificate to go on a deep sea overnight trip for tuna. I'm hoping to get it in this spring.
I have a buddy who leads dives on the Andrea Doria every summer. The stories he comes back with are amazing.
My wife bought me a gift certificate to go on a deep sea overnight trip for tuna. I'm hoping to get it in this spring.
Elawin
Guru
I went on holiday to Italy one year, and halfway into a weekend trip to Rome, we stopped at a restaurant we stopped at a rather nice restaurant for lunch. Everyone had chicken, except for one woman who wanted fish. You should have heard the screams when she was served a fish with its head on 
CraigC
Guru
No, I haven't shot any lionfish. I do what is called "free shafting" with no line (tether) attached to the spear shaft. You need a trident tip to hunt lionfish, either on a spear shaft or pole spear. Most fish when hit will dive for cover, like grouper. It is impossible to dive in a hole with 3 feet of spring, stainless steel sticking out on both sides. If I was using a trident tip, the fish could easily dislodge it ducking into a hole. You never want to use a shaft where they can slide up and nail you with the spines. Carrying a gun, pole spear, lobster snare, lobster bag, fish clip and lionfish bucket would be way too much. I've seen numerous acts of stupidity that were quite humorous to me, but probably not to the human participant involved. I can never understand why anyone would want to shoot a moray eel, especially in the 6 foot range. If you are going to shoot one, you don't do it with a standard shaft and tip with a tether. Also as that angry eel comes slithering up the shaft and tether at you, be smart enough to drop the gun and swim away.
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Frizz1974
Veteran
Impressive Craig!
We go fishing occasionally. Have never caught anything locally despite others traveling for hours to fish in our local waterways. Trout fishing mostly.
We did quite well in Port Macquarie. Flathead, mudcrabs, perch & oysters.
Growing up my Dad used to go deep sea fishing with his mates on the south coast of New South Wales so I grew up around the whole scaling, gutting thing. Doesn’t bother me at all & I can do it when needed.
I adore whole fish, head on. It’s my favourite way to eat most fish.
However, my partner had never eaten anything but fillets his whole life but after 20 years together he’s fine with it.
The rest of my inlaws happily eat that tasteless cheap probably contaminated “Basa” fillet.
It’s become so cheap here I won’t buy fish & chips unless they tell me what fish it is - I will even make them show me the unbattered fish.
We go fishing occasionally. Have never caught anything locally despite others traveling for hours to fish in our local waterways. Trout fishing mostly.
We did quite well in Port Macquarie. Flathead, mudcrabs, perch & oysters.
Growing up my Dad used to go deep sea fishing with his mates on the south coast of New South Wales so I grew up around the whole scaling, gutting thing. Doesn’t bother me at all & I can do it when needed.
I adore whole fish, head on. It’s my favourite way to eat most fish.
However, my partner had never eaten anything but fillets his whole life but after 20 years together he’s fine with it.
The rest of my inlaws happily eat that tasteless cheap probably contaminated “Basa” fillet.
It’s become so cheap here I won’t buy fish & chips unless they tell me what fish it is - I will even make them show me the unbattered fish.
Good on you!
CraigC
Guru
Frizz1974
Veteran
It's available quite often for $5.50 per kilogram.
Why they think they can sell it battered & deep fried for $7 a piece is beyond me, but most people these days don't even ask what sort of fish is under the batter.
On the coast most fish & chip shops have a choice of a few varieties and you might pay more but in the country they get away with it most of the time.
After watching a show called Dirty Jobs about how tilapia is farm raised here, I also refuse to eat it.
Apparently, salmon fry are raised in pens in secluded bays while being fed a pelleted diet until they are large enough to harvest.
Then, tilapia fry are put in the empty salmon pens to feed on the leftover feces.
Mmm, poo fish.
Apparently, salmon fry are raised in pens in secluded bays while being fed a pelleted diet until they are large enough to harvest.
Then, tilapia fry are put in the empty salmon pens to feed on the leftover feces.
Mmm, poo fish.
Elawin
Guru
We used to keep various types of tilapia at one time - in a rather large tank in our front room. I must confess, though, I did catch three trout on one occasion, fishing in a small stream in rural Ireland. One was quite a large trout considering the size of the stream, and I did put them back.