The fishing industry is alive and well in the Florida Keys. One of the most fun you can have out on the water fishing is by spear-fishing. Spear-fishing is a very old form of fishing. It can be traced back for thousands of years – even early civilizations were known to catch fish using sharpened sticks as spears. Today’s spear-fisherman uses specialized spear guns or slings, powered by elastic bands or compressed gas. Spear-fishing can be done while scuba diving, snorkeling, or free diving. Because the fisherman is in the water with the fish, it is a highly selective form of fishing with a minimal amount of by-catch. It is one of the most eco friendly ways of fishing today.
Any unprotected reef offers your best bet for fish that are available to spear. You can get to these reefs or coral heads by boat, or even sometimes right off the sand of beaches. Anyone who has access to a boat, whether because they own it or can charter it, can easily spear-fish right from their boat. It is a popular sport in the Florida Keys because of this – with miles and miles of reef and plenty of boat access, this fun and environmentally sound type of fishing is used by both commercial and recreational fishermen alike.
If you are scuba certified, you can always bring a spear-gun and stringer into the water with you on your next dive. If possible, stay about thirty feet off the bottom so that you can get a better view of all the fish. From this slightly elevated view, it is easier for the scuba diving spear-fishermen to shoot his pray. A free diving spear-fisherman should be able to hold his breath for 2 to 4 minutes in order to have an easier time to shoot fish, but even a novice can jump into the water with a spear gun and snorkel and have some fun. But it is important to remember that the fish may be aware of you. An experienced spear-fisherman will tell you to stay calm in the water; it is exciting, of course, to see a big grouper in your shot range, but if you react and start hurriedly swimming towards it, it will swim away from you. Stay calm and silently approach and the fish is easy prey. Just remember to keep a look out for sharks and have fun spear-fishing!
And when you are looking for Florida Keys Homes for sale, just use the Contact page to have Joyce Thomas, Lower Keys Realtor help you “catch” your Florida Keys Home.
{ 0 comments }