Secret Spots...

Hi Guys,
 As much as I enjoy this website for updates on the local salmon fishing, I'm hoping we can try to keep some of our favorite local diving spots as secret as possible. The minute someone reports large numbers of halibut or lings at a certain location, power boats loaded with SCUBA divers will come in from far away ports to investigate - I've seen this and it really is frustrating. There are hundreds of square miles of ocean on which we can fish for salmon, but prime diving spots are small and can only handle so much pressure. Let's enjoy our spearfishing but let's not tell the world about it. Sorry for sounding like a poor sport, but I think it's a legitimate concern.
 Whose with me?
 Thanks,
 Concerned Diver

I totally agree. I often just give a general location (within 3 or 4 miles)when I tell people about my trips. Since this kayak thing went off about 5 years ago I've tried to make myself be a little more close mouthed about what I catch and especially where.

Thanks for the reply, and I'm glad I'm not the only one concerned about this...

There's a simple solution to your legitimate concern - Don't post your secret location...to each his own. But, If someone posts your secret location - that is entirely his or her own right to do so. This is something you cannot control.

However, it would be nice to hear about some secret tips (regarding spear guns,wetsuits,favorite fishing tackle...blah.. blah...) After all, this is a forum where newbies learn from the seasoned veterans - veterans who are kind and willing enough to share info. and spread the joy of diving / kayak fishing.  

just my 2 cents on the matter  

I guess that'd be at the discretion of the divers involved.  Certainly I won't spill the beans if someone else doesn't want me to put the spotlight on their secret spot.  However, the same could be say for our rod/reel based reports.  Assuredly a freediver could have popped the 28lb ling that was recently reported here, and I've expressed concern myself about attracting pressure to our favorite fishing areas.

Anyway, I mainly want to consolidate the information that is already here to help people get a safe and enjoyable start since most people here are relatively new to this.

I've never speared a fish anywhere at anytime and I probably never will (unless we happen to go together).
    Someone posted a story about their spearfish exploits at a favorite local haunt on the Cen-Cal dive website a few years ago, and the place was immediately deluged with people, not all sharing-and-caring types. The amount of shallow free-divable reef is small compared to the amount  of fishable reef and miniscule compared to the amount of open-ocean salmon terrain, as are the fish inhabiting those spaces.
    I am more than happy to share my limited knowledge of equipment and technique. A friend who's passed on now (freediving accident) helped me set up a three-band modification on my little Biller gun and it has since slain a couple dozen halibut. He wasn't worried about the increased pressure from one of his buddies hunting.
    Lastly, those big female lings lay a huge amount of eggs. Let's not get too many of them.
    Bill, thanks for this forum. You are golden!  

Lastly, those big female lings lay a huge amount of eggs. Let's not get too many of them

Good point on that Rich - but can you actually tell if it's female spawning ling before shooting it? I guess that would also depend on the visibility. I think it would be a helpful tip to know what NOT to shoot - especially if it's a spawning ling - or any spawning fish for that matter.

lingcod is closed to all take during the spawning season.

The females come, lay eggs, and jet off to cavort in deep water, leaving the smaller males to guard nests until the eggs hatch.  I'd worry more about killing the dutiful males than the deadbeat moms - but like I said, it's closed that time of year so not much of a worry.

Lingcod are one of the few fish where the population is increasing, and with the deep water (where the large females usually hang out) closed, I don't feel bad about taking lingcod.

This concern is age old. We all have our "spots" we fish and hunt, however, if we always focus on that "outsider" that has moved into our area, IMO it can get in the way of the enjoyment of the sport. Work on your technique, and be the best at your sport. Just because they are there, doesn't mean the can get the same results as you.  I have guided elk hunts for alot of years in Idaho, on public ground. there are always alot of people in the general vicinity of where I am hunting. And, they always wonder where the elk our clients got was shot was. Well the truth is, they usually spooked them to us........

When is the ling breeding season? When I used to do a lot more focused diving for lings, I'd see (and shoot) tons of them Oct-Nov. I figured that meant they were inshore to mate.
     Any really big ling is generally a female as far as I've seen.
     The thing about being underwater is that you can selectively harvest. But in my experience, this almost always means going for the largest fish, abalone, lobster, etc. I've also read in such revered books as "Blue Water Hunting" about freedivers being ecological because they only harvest what they can bring home to eat, yet the book is full of photos of 100-400 pound tuna and other pelagics. Must be super-hungry!
    Let's not fool ourselves; it's a kick to get the big fish. It's challenging, brings a great sense of pride, and gets you the hot chicks (OK, 2 out of 3 ain't bad). But we do have to think about the fishery. I want my kids to be able to spear some good ones too. And if that's not a good enough reason, has anyone heard this one: "Honey, why are you going fishing again? We already have so much fish."
     I'm as out of control as the next diver, but I'm starting to temper my enthusiasm a bit. I passed up some nice lings this spring and shot a couple small blues for fish n' chips instead. And recently I passed up a second halibut after spearing one. Call me "Richard the Merciful" (but don't tell those chicks).

Passing on seconds...that's admirable, Rich. I read about a SCUBA guy last year who shot his limit of halibut, and on his way in, saw a 20 pounder and couldn't resist...I wish I'd been there to call it in.
 What really bugs me about the blue-water hunters are the stories of guys who shoot the tiger shark that comes in to investigate their kill...It starts off as self-defense, but the minute they're out of the water, they're showing it off as another trophy...

Ok heres a secret spot almost NOBODY has ever heard of...pretty much untouched...shhhhhh....Van Damme.  If this place is crowded next time I go I'm gonna be MAD!

Seriously though I had the amazing treat of someone sharing a secret spot with me recently and it was nothing short of incredible.  My experience that day will stay with me forever.  I haven't told a soul because my guides concerns are sooo valid, it would be raped and depleted in weeks if not days.  So share what you want, and keep tight lipped about others.

The secret spot thing is a confusing issue.  On one hand, it is enjoyable as well as exciting to share these places with kindred souls.  We do such a unique thing; finding others that share your stoke is somehow uplifting.  However, on the other hand, when everyone does this (shares great places) we lose the quality of our adventures.

Unfortunatley, although it's probably not a good idea to give out locations to sensitive spots, the real problem is that kayak related fishing and spearfishing is becoming too popular for our own good.   In my case, i've been banging around up here in the Mendo area on various paddle things for 20 years without hardly seeing a soul at sea.  Then, recently, I meet folks fishing from kayaks, and I'm stoked to find other aqua-nuts like myself.  But  the other side of the coin is that they're fishing spots I once considered, well, private.  It doesn't take too much pressure to overfish these teritorial benthic species (inshore rockfish complex).

The real solution was stated by a previous writer in this thread:  We all must be concientious stewards of this very delicate resource.  Catch and release when you can, and save some fish for your kids.

dave

The secret spot thing is a confusing issue.  On one hand, it is enjoyable as well as exciting to share these places with kindred souls.  We do such a unique thing; finding others that share your stoke is somehow uplifting.  However, on the other hand, when everyone does this (shares great places) we lose the quality of our adventures.

Unfortunatley, although it's probably not a good idea to give out locations to sensitive spots, the real problem is that kayak related fishing and spearfishing is becoming too popular for our own good.   In my case, i've been banging around up here in the Mendo area on various paddle things for 20 years without hardly seeing a soul at sea.  Then, recently, I meet folks fishing from kayaks, and I'm stoked to find other aqua-nuts like myself.  But  the other side of the coin is that they're fishing spots I once considered, well, private.  It doesn't take too much pressure to overfish these teritorial benthic species (inshore rockfish complex).

The real solution was stated by a previous writer in this thread:  We all must be concientious stewards of this very delicate resource.  Catch and release when you can, and save some fish for your kids.

dave

I quite like finding other kayak fishers on the water...it's fun to chat with someone where you don't have to shout over the roar of their motor, sharing tips, stories, etc...I say this especially with regards to salmon fishing. Every day poses a new challenge in finding the bait and the fish. But once a shipwreck or a particular area of bottom is discovered, it stays that way, so it's a very delicate matter...

Everyone has valid points regarding the issues of Secret spots.  But for the most part they are only secret to us. We just don't know the other guy who thinks it is his secret spot.  Having said that if we post our exact locations on this board everyone will rape and pilage it till there is nothing left. (mainly boat guys) On the first day of rockfish season from top to bottom I marked blues in a certain spot by the time I went back to this spot I couldn't mark more than a few at time at or near the location. Nor did I find them in large number within 500 yards.  This is obviously not a secret spot but once they are gone they are gone until next year.

As our sport grows we will find that there are no secrets left to keep.

Jason