Lifetime Pursuits

I was reading an article recently in one of the deepsea fishing magazines where an angler was being lauded for his unwavering quest to catch all the Oceans’ Billfish and Tuna species and it got me thinking. Are there any Spearos out there with these sorts of quests in mind. You often read of flyfishers pursuing the Grand Slam of saltwater flyfishing (Bonefish/Tarpon/Permit)or the deepsea anglers trying for a Billfish Slam (Sailfish/Sworfish/Marlin). Why don’t Spearos have the same sort of thing and why are we not promoting these ideals?

In an effort to encourage the pursuit of these giants of the Ocean, I am going to put lists together, based on IGFA, to provide Spearos with a source of what species constitute these lists and hopefully, when and where to find them. This is not everyone’s cup-of-tea but it equates to hunting the Big Five of Africa.

Gamefish Life-Lists:

BILLFISH:

1. Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) found sunbathing at the surface in the Mediterranean

2. Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin (Makaira mazara)

3. Atlantic Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) Bom-Bom

4. Black Marlin (Makaira indica) Sodwana/Durban/Aliwal Shoal RSA

5. Striped Marlin (Makaira audax) Sodwana/Durban/Aliwal Shoal RSA

6. White Marlin (Makaira albidus) Morocco

7. Atlantic Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) Bom-Bom, April-June Luanda Angola.

8. Indo-Pacific Sailfish (Istiophorus albicans) Feb-May, Aliwal Shoal RSA

I have not included the Hatchet Marlin or any Spearfish since it is extremely unlikely that a Spearo would encounter them.

TUNA:

1. Northern/Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Mediterranean

2. Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis)

3. Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) New Zealand

4. Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) April, Cape Town RSA

5. Big-Eye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) Bom-Bom

6. Dogtooth Tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor) Jan-April, Inhaca/Lazarus Banks Mocambique

7. Longfin Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) April, Cape Town RSA

8. Longtail Tuna (Thunnus tanggol)

The smaller tuna species do not really represent a big-game target to the trophy hunting Spearo.

Slams:

1. Razor Gang Slam: Wahoo/Couta/Snoek.

2. Bluewater Slam: Dorado/Wahoo/Sailfish.

3. Aliwal Fantasy Slam: Dorado, Wahoo, Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna, Ignobilis.

Another notable target to aspire to is the capture of a fish weighing more than 100kg. Colloquially in fishing anything heavier than 100lbs is called usually referred to as a “ton”.

If you have some ideas on Slams or Life-Lists drop me an email. I will keep this posting updated with new relevant information as it comes my way.

Remember that Spearfishers should aspire to the highest level of conservation ethics. Flyfishers practice: “Catch and Release”, we practice: “Release and Catch”, i.e. not disturbing or interfering with any other marine life other than our intended target.

What about the areas you Spearfish in or would like to Spearfish in? Off Natal we are extremely fortunate to have places like Sodwana, Aliwal Shoal, Protea Banks and the Tuna grounds off Cape Point. We are really quite spoiled, so when it comes to considering out-of-the-way, isolated hotspots close to South Africa, you may find youself hard-pressed but they do exist:

1. Vema Sea Mount approx 1000km WNW of Cape Town. An isolated sea-mount accessible to only the hard-core Spearos prepared to forego creature comforts and venture out on charter vessels, but with the promise of awesome bluewater Spearfishing.

2. Lazarus Banks. Approx 80Nm from Vilanculos in Mocambique is another mind-blowing venue. Again. not for the faint-hearted but if you cherish the goal of bagging that once-in-a-lifetime trophy, this is the place.

3. Lying about 80Nm East of Inhaca Island is another poorly described sea-mount. I have not been told its name or exact position and most of the information I have collected on it is hearsay. But watch this posting for more on it.

I have purposefully excluded Bassas da India from this listing for one important reason. If the French Navy catches you Spearfishing there, you may very well find yourself on the way to prison in France. That said, it remains a remarkable and inspiring venue.