# How many/ Does anyone chum while spearing?



## eodryan (Mar 4, 2009)

I was down in the keys and some people were talking about this. Obviously, it's a bit different w/ 20' reefs vs. 90+ wrecks, but I was wondering if any of you guys do this here. If so, how do you do it, from the boat or on the bottom? How do you deal w/ sharks?


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

Tried it once put a chum bag on the bottom a shark took the whole thing as soon as it hit the bottom waisted $5 on the chum bag and fed a stinking shark!


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## OnGrade (Aug 7, 2009)

Not a big need to chum the wrecks here. You can throw a handful of cut bait here and there but most of the fish you want are already in the water colum. Snapper, trigger, aj. The only time I'd chum around here is in the blue water if your not on any specific bottom structure and your flashers aren't doing anything. The keys have special ways of doing things. Learn, use what you can and adapt it to here. Some things work-a lot don't. Don't be afraid of something new though.


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

My gosh , it's too dang easy as it is.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Just get a 10lb load of cigs. Chop them in half an chunk ever so often. Snapper will try to eat your boat down.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

amarcafina said:


> My gosh , it's too dang easy as it is.


Yeah let me go down and hand pick what fish I want. I agree. I think chum would attract way too many sharks.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Don't be scared of a few tax collectors. Couple pokes and they'll split. Always have a safety diving to back you up!


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## esenjam (Jan 30, 2013)

I may be interpreting the law incorrectly, but I believe chumming while diving is illegal. You're introducing food to the environment.

*68B-5.005 Divers: Fish Feeding Prohibited; Prohibition of Fish Feeding for Hire; Definitions.*
(1) No diver shall engage in the practice of fish feeding.
(2) No person shall operate any vessel for hire for the purpose of carrying passengers to any site in the saltwaters of the state to engage in fish feeding or to allow such passengers to observe fish feeding. 
(3) For purposes of this rule:
(a) “Diver” means any person who is wholly or partially submerged in the water, and is equipped with a face mask, face mask and snorkel, or underwater breathing apparatus.
(b) “Fish feeding” means the introduction of any food or other substance into the water by a diver for the purpose of feeding or attracting marine species, except for the purpose of harvesting such marine species as otherwise allowed by rules of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
_Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 1-1-02._
Click on the Word doc.

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=MISCELLANEOUS&ID=68B-5.005


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## coolbluestreak (Jun 27, 2011)

esenjam said:


> I may be interpreting the law incorrectly, but I believe chumming while diving is illegal. You're introducing food to the environment.
> 
> *68B-5.005 Divers: Fish Feeding Prohibited; Prohibition of Fish Feeding for Hire; Definitions.*
> (1) No diver shall engage in the practice of fish feeding.
> ...


Sounds like its ok as long as you are spearfishing. 
Of course if we weren't talking about spearing fish we wouldn't be posting in the spearfishing section.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

esenjam said:


> I may be interpreting the law incorrectly, but I believe chumming while diving is illegal. You're introducing food to the environment.
> 
> *68B-5.005 Divers: Fish Feeding Prohibited; Prohibition of Fish Feeding for Hire; Definitions.*
> (1) No diver shall engage in the practice of fish feeding.
> ...


except for the purpose of harvesting such marine species.... Thats quoted in the last line.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

The purpose of the law is so that fish don't not become dependent on humans to feed them. Chumming is perfectly legal to harvest fish.


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## esenjam (Jan 30, 2013)

Yep - read it wrong, thanks.


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## eodryan (Mar 4, 2009)

Sounds like I was kind of thinking along the same lines. Seems like it would work better or actually help on a reef or something where you're trying to stack fish in a particular locale vs. a wreck where the fish are already pretty concentrated. I figured it would be kind of interesting to see what happened though


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## coolbluestreak (Jun 27, 2011)

esenjam said:


> I may be interpreting the law incorrectly, but I believe chumming while diving is illegal. You're introducing food to the environment.
> 
> *68B-5.005 Divers: Fish Feeding Prohibited; Prohibition of Fish Feeding for Hire; Definitions.*


 
Another point: I don't think any of us on the forum spearfish for "hire".


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## esenjam (Jan 30, 2013)

coolbluestreak said:


> Another point: I don't think any of us on the forum spearfish for "hire".


Ok - I got it. I wasn't trying to cause problems. I remembered reading the regulation somewhere else, but not in as much detail. When I saw the post I had to search for the reply that I had posted. And as I stated I the beginning "maybe I'm reading it wrong" - apparently I was. Sorry.


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## coolbluestreak (Jun 27, 2011)

It's all good.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

I chum on wrecks. In fact most spots I anchor on ill toss a few chunks of cigs. I've had 15-20lb snapper swim right up to the flashers on my fins.


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## eodryan (Mar 4, 2009)

Since it kind of went that way, what/how do you guys use flashers? I've heard of using a cd o attract fish, but I never really knew how or when to use this or anything else.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Flashers work super well on blue water. Now I have reflective tape on my fins. To sorta draw fish in. It works sometimes I can turn around and see fish checking me out, although carbon text. Fins are flashy already. But a cd will work if your able to retrieve it. Other wise make one that can be strung out from a buoy. I'd make it around 50-70 ft. Depending on your limit to dive. Use like double side mirror or something reflective on both sides. About 5-10 pieces linked up then a tuna teaser at the bottom. Fish will def come in on you and even hit the teaser! Blue water is a wilder game but good luck with it.


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## ODOMBRW (Aug 4, 2013)

new to diving looking for some one to show me the ropes of spear fishing.


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