# Sharks while spear fishing?



## RaceCarGuy

Guys,

With all seriousness, I have read several peoples post about sharks. I am a relatively new diver, just certified last summer with 20 dives under my belt. We started spear fishing a little last year. On one of my first trips, right after shooting a Amberjack that pulled off my spear shaft, I saw a huge bull shark and about 5 or 6 smaller ones. We immediately went to the surface got on the boat and went to a rig. We were on a bottom spot at the old Tensaw bridge spans. It did not really scare me as much as my partner, but I was nervous about it, and now after reading some of the post about all the sharks everyone sees while spearfishing it makes me question if spearfishing is something I really want to be doing?

If you have a few fish on you and a shark shows up (which seems to be the case most times) what do you do?

I have a brand new boat (new to me anyway) a new spear gun, and all new equipment, and I am ready! Just unsure about this shark business!!!!! Any input will be appreciated!!!


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## Evensplit

Sharks are sometimes an unfortunate distraction while spearfishing, but they're not interested in you, just your fish. If they were interested in us, there wouldn't be many of us left.

Keep your catch close to you, but don't have it attached to you. If a shark shows up, keep your attention on it and it will likely leave you alone, or at least stay away. 

Occasionally one will get a bitmore curious and venture too close for comfort. A quick poke with a speartip or gun butt will usually send them running.

Try not to give up your catch because that just teaches them to harrass divers for food.


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## HateCheese

Yep, what Evensplit said.


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## FelixH

Sure, there are lots of shark encounters. But how many of them have resulted in injuries to the diver? 

Don't let it bug you too much, but Do be aware of your surroundings, and Do dive safely.

As for what to do... ideally, you'll Not give up your fish. The sharks are already beginning to associate divers with "free meal". If everyone just drops their catch and hauls ass back to the boat, it's just going to make the problem worse and they'll become more aggressive. 

Some people will likely advise you to go on the offensive with a shark. If he's showing some interest in you or your catch, charge at him before he charges at you. I've not had the opportunity to try it, but I've been told several times that it works well. I guess, in theory, it makes sense.

One lesson that I learned through experience: when you pop the surface, keep your mask on your face until you get to the ladder of the boat. When you're bobbing around on the surface, waiting for the boat to get to you, you will not have a free hand to put your mask back on your face when a big shark shows up and you're defending your catch.

If the idea of sharks really bothers you, look into buying a Sharkshield. I hear they work great.

Felix


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## no woryz

I will second, err third and fourth, what Jim says these guys aparently type faster than me....., I have only a few rare occasions where I thought a shark was a problem but even so I never felt I needed my powerhead. Stay cool when you see one, and if it sticks around just go somewhere else. some here will say put your fish in a bag, it confuses the sharks, I havnt tried that, I hear nothing but good about the shark shield and maybe our bro's will post about them.....but be careful when you push the shark away with your gun, my buddy's gun went off last year when he pushed the shark away and he talksabout that being a heck of a tense moment.....thats the family forum cleaned-up description.......good luck and dive safe....


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## Telum Pisces

The more you dive, the more you will see and the more you will get comfortable with them. I can usually tell by how a shark is swimming around to get a feel of how aggressive it will be at getting my stringer. If a shark keeps circling back at me constantly, it's looking for that right moment to snag an easy meal from my stringer. On these dives I stop spearfishing and go into sight seeing mode while keeping an eye on the shark.

Other times (most of the time) a shark will show up and circle the area some. They never come remotely close enough to get me nervous etc... In this case I continue to hunt and shoot fish with a watchfull eye.

Keep your fish close to you. Do not put your stringer on a long rope hanging off of you. You're just inviting the shark to a free meal then. If you run into the rare agressive one that wants your fish so bad. Keep your spear point streched outpointed at it and poke as needed. Usually one poke and the bug out. I have had one shark that tkept coming back for more one time. I poked him and finally actually started chasing him. He finally bugged out after chased him.

And don't dive with me if you can't handle the sharks. According to everyone that dives with me says that I have a permanent blood trail that comes from my boat that attracts sharks. I just tell them it's that I shoot so much fish that the blood hassoaked into the hull.:letsdrink


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## RaceCarGuy

Thanks everyone!!!

I am ready to go!!! I am not scared of the sharks, I know they don't go after us or there would not be any divers in the water!

They are just new to me and wanted to get everyone experence with them.

Jon I would love to go spearfishing with you, for that matter with anyone who cares to invite me....Just want to get as much experence as possible

Again thanks


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## Clay-Doh

All the advice given is right on.

Large sharks comming in close give me a pucker factor....but in all reality, I have seen probably over a hundred sharks, and have never been attacked. Jim hit it on hte head, they want your fish, there not hunting you (even though it sure feels like it sometimes!)

Watch there behavior too. When they are circling slowly around, pectoral fins out like an airplane, and more hanging out on the bottom, they are just being curios, no differnet then a school of AJ circling around(of course AJ arent 6-10 feet with a mouth ful of teeth!)

If the pecs fold downwards, the shark acts twitchy, darting around....well, thats aggressive behavior. Just like a large rotweiler or something. If theres one trotting down your street, and your in the front yard, and he glances at you a few times, stops sniffs your mail box, ect...and trots along, you now not to worry. If he stops, focuses on you, advances, bristles up...well, we all now a dogs body language of when we should be concerned. Sharks are no different.

I have had a powerhead with me on every dive I have ever been on, and have only pulled the trigger once. ANd like Felix said, as crazy as it may sound....swim right at a shark like your going to do something, and they (so far) have always turned tell and backed off. Act nervous, try to swim away, and they will follow and become more aggresive. They are a school yard bully, they will go for an easy fearful mark, but stand up, and they for the most part will back down.

I have literally sat on my stringer of fish (had some MONSTER trigger I was not giving up) and kept my gun pointed straight out at a 8 foot hammerhead with Badboy and PIerce07. They laughed there asses off at me, but I was not lettin him get em, even though he buzzed me so cloce that Jerry thought he had actually hit me, and I got a very eerie close up view of that baseball size eye on the side of his hammer when he came by. Felt the rush of water he was so close. Definate pucker factor. We stayed about another 10 minutes, with the 2 of them shooting fish while I stood guard with the powerhead loaded and ready. 

Had he wanted, he or any other shark could sneak right up on us and take a bite. Yet I never hear of divers in these parts being attacked. Only swimmers and surfers...mistaken identity.

Dont give up spearfishing over the fear of sharks. They spook me too when they get over 6 feet, but logically I know I have better odds of hitting the state lotto then getting bit.

If you havent seen it, click on my myspace link below. I have a video on there from my helmet cam of when a 7 footer grabbed a snapper and my shaft right after I had shot and dragged me all over the place till he got the fish off. Once he did, and he shook the fish like a pitbull and ate it, he ircled around waiting for the next...with no intrest in me. AS soon as I reloaded, I stretched my gun straight out at him and jetted towards him cuz I was so pissed I almost lost a $600 speargun..(testestorone and adrenline at that point) and he turned tail and ran.

The video isnt the best, cuz I was breathing pretty heavy, and theres a lotta bubbles and headshakin, and I had to edit a bunch of it out that was just unviewable..but youll get the idea!


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