I have noticed that most freedivers after shooting a fish will go straight back to the surface and either drag the fish up with them or leave it near the bottom. I was curious if there was a specific reason for this other than not having enough bt left to pull the fish to you. It would seem to me that you could avoid the fish tearing off or otherwise escaping if you chased it down and grabbed it after shooting it. This of course depends on the size and fight in the fish.

I started spearing with a sling in the Bahamas so I am used to chasing the fish down after I shoot it and carrying it back to the surface. Most of the people I know will still drag the fish up by the end of the spear leaving the fish to dangle below their feet. I've seen many fish shake or tear off the spear while carrying them to the surface like this. I usually will grab the fish and hold it tight against my chest so that it can't escape and also so that it stops fighting and attracting sharks. I have been told that is both really stupid and really smart, I'd like to think the latter.

Anyways, maybe some one can elaborate as to the reasoning of pulling the fish up from the surface, other than large fish or no bt left.

I also hold the fish against my chest and go to the boat to drop it off.

When I first started the old guy teaching me said that was the best way to keep barracuda from getting your fish. Have not seen many sharks in close where I dive.

Where I live we fortunately have the problem of shooting fish that are usually too big and strong to simply grab and take to the surface with me. Unless it is a stone shot then you really need a reel or floatline. Occasionally, if I stone the fish or there is shark around I will attempt grab the fish and take it up with me but often the fish is too alive and freaks out when you attempt to grab it, increasing the chance of tearout.

I have noticed that most freedivers after shooting a fish will go straight back to the surface and either drag the fish up with them or leave it near the bottom. I was curious if there was a specific reason for this other than not having enough bt left to pull the fish to you. It would seem to me that you could avoid the fish tearing off or otherwise escaping if you chased it down and grabbed it after shooting it. This of course depends on the size and fight in the fish.

I started spearing with a sling in the Bahamas so I am used to chasing the fish down after I shoot it and carrying it back to the surface. Most of the people I know will still drag the fish up by the end of the spear leaving the fish to dangle below their feet. I've seen many fish shake or tear off the spear while carrying them to the surface like this. I usually will grab the fish and hold it tight against my chest so that it can't escape and also so that it stops fighting and attracting sharks. I have been told that is both really stupid and really smart, I'd like to think the latter.

Anyways, maybe some one can elaborate as to the reasoning of pulling the fish up from the surface, other than large fish or no bt left.


If i shoot a fish, and its a good shot, i just pull it off the bottom a bit and surface. No need to expend energy to grab it when i know its not going any where.

If its a bad shot, i usually swim to it till i can grab it and then surface.

If its a good shot on decent size fish and the fish is trying to hole up, i expend some energy trying to pull it away from the hole then surface.

I have yet to spear anything big enough to worry about surfacing and it fighting back and keeping me down. When that time comes I will use a lineshaft and either fight him with the float or hopefully have a floatline and just let him fight till he is tired then he will get the knife!

If i shoot a fish, and its a good shot, i just pull it off the bottom a bit and surface. No need to expend energy to grab it when i know its not going any where.

If its a bad shot, i usually swim to it till i can grab it and then surface.

If its a good shot on decent size fish and the fish is trying to hole up, i expend some energy trying to pull it away from the hole then surface.


That's what most people I know do. Good advice!

Anyways, maybe some one can elaborate as to the reasoning of pulling the fish up from the surface, other than large fish or no bt left.

My answer to this is why spend extra bottom time if you do not have to? Most are not in areas such as yours where they are worried about sharks. On the gulf coast the main concern is Goliaths and in areas where they are around you do have to take special care to ensure your catch makes the surface. If you just take good shots in the beggining tear offs are not a problem, but in general a tear off is better than extending your bottom time. On palegic fish that are hard to get a kill shot why would you want to fight the fish on a breath when you can gently wear him out on a float line or real before trying to grab him. In General I will not expend the extra bt or energy retreiving my fish unless it is going to keep him from holing up therefore saving me the effort of another dive to unhole the fish.

Also, when you retreive your fish by hand you run more risk of entanglement/drowning...

Last but not least.... it just feels good to breath man!!!:D

My 2 cents is: grab 'em and hold 'em, and the day WILL come when you have to fight off a shark. Drag 'em behind and you ARE ringing the dinner bell for any large predator nearby, and he will come take it off your spear. After being charged by a bull, I went back to dragging them behind for a while - now I"m back to holding them close....