29 January 2009

A day away from the hectic life of being a veterinarian to the hectic life of being a SPEARO. The Ocean has been spectacular for the passed few days. Buoyweather predicted light S winds and all the reports we had were of great diving conditions. Michael, John and I got together at Coffs Harbour launch ramp before the sun was anywhere near the horizon. The sun crept over the horizon as we approached the wave recording buoy. Fish were leaping to escape submerged predators which is always a good sign. It did not take long to kit up and jump in. John spotted the school of Dorado first and started looking for a good specimen. He picked up on it too late because my spear hit it squarely near the pectoral fin. First drift and a good fish in the esky already.



We had co-ords for some fish traps and we were soon on our way to these, John being convinced he was going to get something big. First stop yielded nothing, second stop nothing, then the rest of the co-ords proved useless, the traps having been moved. Moved on to the FAD. Michael picked up another good Dorado but John was having one of those days, dropping 2 nice fish. Just as expected, the fish became shy after the first few drifts. This can be especially frustrating when you can see an ocean full of Dorado but you cannot get near them.



The next move was to water with a bottom. We stopped in the bay at South Solitary Island looking for Spanish. There was a distinct fishy smell, something I have noticed when fish have been feeding heavily on oily bait. There were no Spanish but as I lay on the bottom, a school of large Tailor(Bluefish in the USA, Shad/Elf in SA) swam into range. True to form the fish seemed unaware of me on the bottom. I selected a good fish and whacked it through the head, from below. These fish are very difficult to shoot from above because they zoom through the water as if everything wants to eat them. Just another species which supports my idea that it is much easier to get to a fish from below than above.

We then moved into deeper water, looking for Sambos and Wahoo. We found lots of Crocodile Gar which can only mean the Wahoo are going to be around in numbers soon. Michael dropped a large Jewfish and then landed a nice Samsonfish. I lost a Sambo too but then found a big Yellowtail King. I was on my way to get a Jew when the King swam in under me. I lined up for a head shot but the spear went through the shoulder and missed the spine. The fish dragged me along at some speed and I think the struggling fish enticed a shark which started following me. This is all conjecture because the fish broke free and I suddenly came to a stop in the sea. That was when I felt a massive strike on my right fin. The shark must have come out of the water at that stage, I rolled to see the shark pass next to me and then down, not to be seen again. Everything happened so quickly I can only guess at the species but I think it was probably a Bronze Whaler. I headed back to the boat to check my fins, nothing, not a mark. I can only surmise the shark was coming up at me then realised after it had committed that I was not worth eating. I think the impact on the fin was the shark's unchecked approach after it had committed itself.

We moved again, to N of Groper Island. This is out of the extensive reserve around Groper and is a small highly prized spot. John picked up a Striped Tuna but it did little to appease his agony at not being able to land anything worthwhile. Michael soon loaded a Gold-spot Wrasse, then a Mangrove Jack. I was disappointed because I had just come away from the school of Bulls-eye hanging close together, apparently a prime indicator for Pearl Perch when Michael dropped in and smacked the Jack. I dropped down again intent on a Jack. The bait closed around me but I moved deeper. There was colour and movement, 2 Bluebar Parrots. I tracked the larger of the 2 and successfully took it. These fish are always skittish but amongst the bait they were very approachable.

A while later, I made a deep dive and spotted what looked like a Jack. As it came closer I noticed the black mark on its saddle. This was a species of snapper I had never encountered. I lay very still allowing its approach. I lined up well before the fish turned to offer a shot and the spear went through its gill plate coming out above the jaw on the other side. Identified as a Moses Perch and is good eating. Michael's gun started playing up and he was fretting on the boat. I shouted to him to get his back-up and get back in. He did just that, only to drop in on a school of Spanish and another into the esky.

Between the 3 of us the bag was 2 Dorado, Striped Tuna, Gold-spot Wrasse, Samsonfish, Mangrove Jack, Bluebar Parrot, Moses Perch, Tailor and a Spanish. Not a bad haul for what seemed a quiet day of spearfishing. The bag of fish looked quite amazing with the range of colours. John endured a great deal of ragging and I have no doubt when the tables are turned, I will be in for a fair share myself.

Michael kindly prepared a few different species last night, in beer-batter, and these tasty morsels were scoffed with some really good home-brewed beer. I wonder if I could be more content than I am right now.

Several points worth remembering were the presence of several good fish amongst the dense school of Bulls-eye, the enormous numbers of Garfish, always a good indicator of surface predators and try to get your big Dorado quickly because the longer you wait the less chance you are going to get. Lastly, we stopped off in a reserve area to practice some breath-holds. On descent there would be no fish, but as you lay on the bottom, the numbers stacked up around you. I noticed on a dive with a bottom time of 2.5 minutes that there were fish coming to see what was happening from a long way away, beyond the edge of viz. Obviously the diver is new and worth investigating and as the fish move into the area they produce low intensity vibrations which arouse the curiosity of others, the more fish hanging around, the more attention the diver will attract.