Spear fishing a form of hunting?

[diverc18]

I would definitely consider it a form of hunting. It’s a lot harder than some people believe especially in Maui. Often times I’m down at 70+ feet hiding, grunting, and scratching the reef to try and bring the target species into range. I have also made quite a few guns from traditional wood/pipe guns to single and double rollers. Just need some basic carpentry skills and a couple YouTube videos plus all the components. Pm me if you have any questions regarding speargun building. Below are a couple pics of the build that I’m working on at the moment.

 

[coiloil37]

If I could find it within myself to ignore that more than half the word of "fishing" is "fish", I would totally buy into that.

Funny to hear the keyboard warriors discuss what it is or isn’t. Maybe they/you should get some experience and then decide what it is.

Call it literally whatever you want. The actual act is very similar to hunting and bears no resemblance to fishing.

 

[MuleyFever]

Fishing is the attempt to get a desired response. In the case of fishing for fish you are trying to get a feeding response from your presentation of bait. Spearfishing would not be fishing in this sense.

 

[Nails]

I grew up spearing fish off the southern California coast. I'd consider it both hunting and fishing.

Being young and without much money, I made what we called a Hawaiian sling. A straight broom stick that we would drill a hole in the blunt end and put a length of surgical tube thru. The pointy end we put a 5 prong trident spear head on.

I "hunted" and speared many fish with it. Great fun!

 

[svivian]

Lame sport way overrated like hunting Colorado….

 

[Daman9091233]

It's regulations are in the fishing pamphlet in Washington so fishing

 

[coiloil37]

Fishing is the attempt to get a desired response. In the case of fishing for fish you are trying to get a feeding response from your presentation of bait. Spearfishing would not be fishing in this sense.

Seems some here prefer trolling. Prob the same group that’s never done much in life.

 

[insanelupus]

With Rokslide, in general, and this thread specifically, it has never been more obvious to me than now, that my outdoor activities have been limited in scope and simplicity as well as not being nearly as extreme in nature as I'd often like to think they are!

 

[squirrel]

It's HUNTING... for fish . Bow hunting more specifically, you need to get close, get the right angle and instinctively shoot quickly and accurately in an environment that is foreign to you at a quarry that is as at home there as... dare I say a fish to water?

You even have hunting options, spot and stalk, or "stand". I have never hunted out of a blind or over bait though! But I have "called"

And afterwards the fish fry is fuggin great. Most will never do it for a bunch of reasons that boil down to the sum of various fears. (only a few of which are invalid though, a lot of things can go terribly wrong down there if you are not careful and/or are a bit unlucky).

Of those few who do it as in most things in life there are a few who excel at it. Those are the ones who put in the bottom time to really watch, learn, and experiment with what works

Huge disappointment a few years back, I drove to TX coast for an offshore invite, my first ocean trip DIY, 10-12 miles out blew the motor (1 of 2) and had to turn back cancel trip and drive home.

For that whole ride out past the breakwater I was nervous and scared shitless about what was to come, it was FANTASTIC!!

 

[Traveler]

I’m honestly curious why you asked. Is it just a good discussion question or something else where the name would matter?

In any case I have enjoyed it whenever I’ve done it. As far as if it is hunting or fishing to me the only practical distinction is what type of license I need to do it.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Same reason shooting fish with a bow is called bow fishing.

 

[MattB]

Funny to hear the keyboard warriors discuss what it is or isn’t. Maybe they/you should get some experience and then decide what it is.

Call it literally whatever you want. The actual act is very similar to hunting and bears no resemblance to fishing.

Keyboard warrior? Easy there tiger. I hate to break it to you but you are not the only poster on this site who has killed a fish by a method other than rod and reel.

The process of spearfishing mirrors spot and stalk hunting no doubt, but if successful you kill a fish. Ergo fishing..

BowFISHING is no different. And we don't call what hunters do out of a treestand something other than hunting because they don't locate and stalk their quarry. We call it hunting because the end goal is killing a terrestrial animal.

 

[OXN939]

Anyone with a few hours freedive spearfishing will tell you it's hunting.

 

[Suera]

Hunting, in my country we call it also cazasubmarina ( submarine hunting) and in France the same " chasse sous marine" ( chasse = hunt).
And for me there are more things in common with hunt that with fishing with rod.
Is my other pasión but here each day there are less fish to catch.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Ok, I'm gonna get my fly rod out and see if I can snag a squirrel.
I call it squirrel fishing.

 

[yfarm]

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Keep in mind that in Florida it is illegal to spear lobster. Net or snare or catch by hand. I prefer a tickle stick after tickling a large moray out one time. Got your face 18” from the hole and out comes this moray head

 

[MuleyFever]

Ok, I'm gonna get my fly rod out and see if I can snag a squirrel.
I call it squirrel fishing.

Don't forget to film that.

 

[coiloil37]

From reading the various replies the only conclusion I’ve come to is this. The majority of disagreement revolves around our individual definition of “fishing“ and “hunting”. Then there’s a tiny fraction of posters simply stirring the pot.

Personally I consider fishing to be when I’m trying to catch something or gather information. On the catching something front it’s traditionally me vs fish and I have to fool him into voluntarily biting my lure/bait, either as a reaction strike or because he wants to eat it.

Not to be confused with trapping which is totally different.

Hunting (to me) involves me pitting myself against my quarry in their natural environment with intent to shoot and kill. The shoot and kill part is why nature photography isn’t hunting. My choice of weapon or if the quarry is terrestrial or aquatic makes no difference to me. Whether I’m stalking, baiting, decoying, on stand, having it driven to me, etc. is also irrelevant. If I’m the predator and I’m searching for a prey animal with intent to kill it, I’m hunting. If there is simultaneously another predator in the environment that also makes me a prey animal it’s also irrelevant.

 

[DuckDogDr]

It is absolutely underwater hunting.
No I haven’t made my own, however I am about to begin that daunting task.
Got the trigger assembly / action in the mail last month.
About to order the teak wood

Just want to say I didn’t realize there were so many spear fishers on here.
Actually have a trip planned this weekend

 

[40tude]

For sure hunting, I’ve made a few spearguns as well. My advice is keep it simple. Make a reef gun , building a good performing blue water gun is certainly more complicated.