Spearfishing a Lucky Yellowfin Tuna

My Lucky Yellowfin Tuna 27kg

When you think of spearfishing Yellowfin Tuna you generally think of Cape Town. Yes sure guys get the odd Tuna here on the North Coast, but it is the exception and not the rule.
For years I have always envied the guys who have gotten Yellowfin Tuna on spear here on our coast. It did not matter if it was a luck shot or skill, I still envied them.

It's not like I have not had some chances, but generally the tuna just don't hang around to get a shot in and you land up watching the tails swim away with out even getting a shot off. At best you prick the fish and they zoot off leaving your spear behind. The small ones in shoals are easier, but we seldom get shoals so shooting one is rare.

The most common place we see the bigger Tuna following the Dolphins. This does not make them easier to shoot, its just when I have seen them the most and gotten half a chance. Too often I have been watching the pod of Dolphin and suddenly noticed the Tuna and before I can get in hunt mode the fish is gone.

So for the last few years I  have tried to be more vigilant when seeing Dolpin knowing that in an instant I might get a smal window and an opportunity on a dream fish. So when coming off the bottom this morning and seeing some tuna swim over head my mind kicked into gear ..... I must admit I thought that this was going to be another fruitless chase.

About 5 or so Tuna of about 10kg, well so I though swam over me when I had just turned to return to the surface. I was thinking do I try chase them, them moved out of range very quickly.  'Oh well just another shoal of fleeting tuna I won't get a shot at' ... well so I thought. I carried on for the surface when I noticed a Dolphin, then another one. Dolphin + Tuna = Opportunity

So I turned my attention to the Dolphin changing direction towards them with speargun at the ready. They quickly darted off as they don't like to be confronted head on. Again I thought opportunity lost, then another Dolphin came in at speed. It turn way before reaching me and behind it where 2 Tuna. The Dolphins sudden turn blind sided the Tuna and before they realised it they were swimming past me.

I stepped on the gas and tried to close the gap but they were not getting any closer. I figured they were 10kg fish and with in range so before my eyes popped out my head from lack of air I would do the ol 'flyershot' and see where the cards fall. They were fairly far away so I aimed high and squeezed off a shot.

Joy!! The speed line disappearing into the murk is a great feeling. "Gee this reel is emptying fast." next the beltreel and that ran out just as fast. "Damn the Dolphin have the fish!" well a 10kg fish cant pull that hard! So tried to put on the breaks only to have my hands burn ...Damn Dolphins!!
Then it just stopped, there was still weight , but very little movement. I though the Dolphins had left it, but next thing it goes again.

Now normally my routine is shoot the fish with one gun, swim back to the float and get the other gun ... even if all let all my line out. This way I dont loose the fish while landing it if the shot was bad. In this case I didn't get that memo and before I knew it the current and fish had pulled me at least 50m from where I had reefed up.

Eventually I worked my way towards the fish and I could see the shooting line knot coming up followed by the fish. *^$@ its huge! Oh Crap ... and my shot bad! But it looks pretty poked, so I will just grab the tail. I tried to get the best grip possible on the tail but it just shook me off and bolted off again. This was when I realised I really could do with my other gun, but it was 50m away.

So I let the line back out and swam for the float, keeping an even tention on the fish. Long story short, I get the gun, get back to the fish and plant a solid second shot and secure the fish. Super stoked with the fish, I realise that it is 'sushi' time so I bleed the fish while swimming back to the float. The blood eventually slows and I dispatch the fish with a knife to the brain, and get the fish on my stringer.

Next thing the fish takes off, 2 guns and spears, float, 8 crayfish, and Snoek all straight to the bottom! Then back to the surface and then it throws in a couple twists, tuns and some chaos for good measure. Now I have 60m of reel line, about 70m of belt reel line and the second guns shooting line all in a knot .... epic!

Eventually I sort everything out and start to plot my long journey home .... but thats a long and boringly painful story. It dawns on me, this is a seriously 'lucky' fish. Yea sure there might have been some skill involved. But like most game fish there is a serious amount of luck involved.

I was 'lucky' :

• The Dolphin blind sided the Tuna
• My high shot was high (damn gun it too accurate and the spear did not drop as I thought) or I doubt the spear would have gone all the way trough as the fish was bigger than I thought.
• The high shot got some good though tendons and skin to hold onto.
• The Dolphins did not capitalise on an easy meal.
• I was able to get my second gun ...
• And of course right place at the right time.

So I finally get my Yellowfin Tuna off the tail of a Dolphin ... probably another ten years before I get this right again.

Coatesman

Ascension Island Yelowfin Spearfishing Trips - CLICK HERE

Spearfishing with Brod Whittaker Vol 10

See video on YouTube Watch Here

Brod Whittaker has become possible one the best guys utilizing a head cam while spearfishing. I personally prefer to hold the camera in my other hand, as head cam footage can often be very shaky. Brod has this system down to a fine art. You only have to go through and watch through his previous videos to see what I am talking about.

I think we also forget sometimes that Brod is also one of the best spearfisherman in the country, a previous SA champ and he recently finished 6th as SA champs in PE. I guess it is the combination of being a phenomenal dive and a great underwater videographer that makes it such a pleasure to watch his films.

This one from up on the North Coast is a cracker ...I hope you enjoy.

Coatesman

North Coast Spearfishing Network

Jothro Mc Carthy with a monster Wahoo at Vidal

A little over a week ago the North Coast Spearfishing Network group was started on Facebook. There have been similar groups that have worked really well, the Capetown come to mind.

The idea is to share whats going on, and hook up with guys spearfishing in the area. The need for guys to network was the primary motivator for the group as there few ways for guys to meet up and get to know each other on the North Coast, especially further north.

Craig Harper with a good North Coast Couta - Its that time of the year!

Already the group is a hive of activity and some great pics 'above' have been shared and guys have used the network to meet up for dives. So why not go have a look at the North Coast Spearfishing Network and join in if you feel the group would be of value to you, or better yet if you think you could add value to the group.

Cheers

Coatesman

Phoenix Sheffield Beach Shipwreck Update

The wrecked Phoenix getting pulled off the rocks ... well almost!

On the spring high tide this afternoon the Phoenix shipwreck was almost pulled off the rocks. The Smit Amandlha and a secondary tug almost succeeded in pulling the stricken vessel off the beach. With a combined pulling force of over 290 tonnes they were able to slowly edge the ship off the rock shelf.

The chain seconds after snapping at the D-shackel

The beach erupted in applause as the ship turned and faced out to sea. Only to have the the crowd groan like in a Sharks Rugby match as the chain attached to the bow snapped at the giant D-shackle.

The marine salvage team, running in to assess the situation.

There was a lot of running around, and a marine salvage team shot in on a duck. I guess everyone on the beach was hoping they would be able to quickly hook the ship up again and resume getting it out to sea. At this stage the Phoenix was still pointing out to sea and it was sad to watch each swell slowly turn her back around.

The Aerospatiale SA 330 J PUMA Helicopter removing the salvage crew for the day.

Eventually the growing swell and high tide had turned the ship to past the point where she had been before. It was quiet sad, but hope is not lost. According to the salvage team they will have another attempt tomorrow morning.

The swell is due to pic up and this could pose a problem, but it could also help. Lets hope that the salvage crew get it right and they get the Phoenix off our beach.

Coatesman

Spearfishing Daga Salmon on the North Coast

Spearfishing the North Coast can be rewarding
 Grant Somers 42kg Daga Salmon

We have a really good run of some very clean water for spearfishing this week. Unfortunately the fish have been a little quiet and not many guys have been getting fish.

Those who have come right have speared some good fish ...mostly Daga Salmon. The Durban Boys have been spearfishing the Daga off the wrecks and with the clean water they said they could see the containers from the surface!!

Grant Somers snuck up the coast this week and found himself a big fat 42kg Daga. I don't have all the details ..but wow what a fish.

Well done Grant!

Lets see what the weekend holds, maybe the swell wont mess things up too much.

Cheers

Coatesman

Luck and Spearfishing Big Cuta

North Coast Spearfishing Magic - Morne Muller 19kg Cuta 

There have been some Big Cuta coming out with the guys spearfishing. It kind of feels like typical April already, no shoals just the odd big one here and there.

Morne cashed in yesterday afternoon with a beautiful Big Cuta of 19kg ...also while spearfishing with a reel gun! It stripped all his line and he had a complementary ride towards the horizon.

A fish like this was overdue for him, as he had spent dive after dive going straight out to the deep, and not cashing in on the snoek that have been prolific in the shallows.

So I guess this is the 'pay dirt' for all the hours just looking into the gloom!!

The week ahead looks promising, although while diving Salt Rock this morning there was very little current and there were no snoek or cuta to be seen. A nasty thermo cline pulled in and reduced the vis to 3-4m ..... not all that exciting!!

Will keep an eye out ....

Keen for a Big Cuta!!!

Coatesman

Spearfishing The North Coast

Well the beasterly easterly is already pushing and is going to pump today. I wanted to get in this morning but he sea was already all over the place this morning at first light.

On the bright side the conditions are looking good for this weekend. Both Saturday and Sunday will have diveable conditions, lets just hope the vis clears with Fridays strong south.

I also hope the strong winds will stur things up a little ... the fish have been very quiet. Only the odd lost Garrick and snoek have been seen the last few days, and I have heard of very little action from the guys.

Fingers crossed for the weekend.

Coatesman