Report Contributor: Mike Chace of New England Freedive Spearfishing Co and Chris Rowbottom
Report Date: Friday July 24, 2015
Area: Canyons / Offshore
Conditions; Perfect ! Sunny, 84 degrees, blue water.
Visibility: 60 - 70 + feet
Spearfishing a 90 lb Wahoo off of the RI Coast
Mike Chace / NEF:
Notable Gear:
SpearMaster 3 ATM Spearfishing Float
Rob Allen Tuna 120 cm Speargun
Mares Razor Carbon Fins
Since winter we have been trying to get some trips scheduled with Captain Louis Defusco and Jack Sprengel at Hot-Reels Sportfishing Charters with the hopes of getting offshore and seeing what our local offshore fishery could offer. Hot-Reels has been putting both rod and reelers and spearfisherman on some amazing fish. Their reputation as the monster offshore captains in the area is unsurpassed, so getting the trip day going completed the first part of the equation "being on the right boat with the right Captains. This trip came together on very short notice and I was stoked to have Chris Rowbottom on board from the start. I met up with Chris at Snug Harbor Marina Friday morning a little before 5:00 a.m. Upon exchanging some stories and organizing a game plan for the day on the ride out, his stoke for the blue water experience was infectious and had me pumped up. Learning that he had already taken some notable fish like a doggie in Tonga and yellowfin in Panama... I knew I had the 2nd part in place - a great dive buddy with some offshore experience. What we needed next was a cooperating sea and fish... both would fall into place.
We have some video we are putting together of the day, we will post that soon as well. Of course... with the fish coming into the flasher so quickly neither one of us had time to to turn the GoPros on for Chris' drop to shoot the fish. And mine got tilled down a little on my mask mount between the last dive and this drop. Heartbreakingly.... keeping some of the action just out of filming view. But you take what you can get.
Chris (pictured left below) was kind enough to offer his spearfishing report here below, so I hope you enjoy it.
Chris Rowbottom:
Notable Gear:
Ulusub 172 cm "El Bandito" Speargun
FRV - Freediver's Recover Vest
I have always been drawn to the water. Every time I enter the water it’s like I am being reborn, an explosion to the senses, my soul is both at ease and electrified. Every time I leave the water, I feel grateful for the opportunity and sad to be leaving. I am sure all of us feel the same way.
At this time in my life I am obsessed with Bluewater! The different colors of blue, the viz, the unknown- I am addicted. I have been very fortunate in the past two years to have had some opportunities to dive in that beautiful blue, to learn and to feed the addiction! Every place is different, every water is different. The fish are different, but it’s always the unknown that keeps me coming back.
In the past year or so, through the hard work, smart minds, and dedication of some excellent fisherman, the idea of New England Bluewater has gone from a thought to a possibility to a reality. My buddies and I were skeptical- so skeptical: is there enough structure? Is there enough fish? Are they in one place? Can we get out there? How much is the fuel bill!? Pioneers crush the skeptics, and guys like Dashiel Marder, Chris Miller, Pete Correale, Jon from Ulusub , and others have brought back experience from other places and applied this to our local waters.
Last week, the call finally came. Capt. DeFusco was putting together the first trips south and had some room on his boat. Putting the word out resulted in a lot of “I can’t, I’m out of town, I have to work, I’m scouting for Tri-State and my favorite-Is there going to be any fish?” Fortunately Mike Chace of New England Freedive shrugged off the nay-sayers and joined me for this trip. Turns out, he’s been bugging those guys for months as well! Finally 36 hours later, we were on the 38’ Donzi Hot Reels heading south. Mike and I talked about what could happen. “I am just eager to get into that Beautiful Blue!” I said, but I had to come clean and say- deep down in my soul, I want to see FISH! By 7:30 in the morning we had seen porpoises, whales, a submarine! By 8am we were in the water, and by 8:10, Mike had shot a nice mahi. The day was to be split between the other fisherman trolling, jigging/popping and Mike and I spearing. Mike and the troll produced some mahi, a small yellowfin and a nice albacore. Finally we located a small log and trolled past. The guys successfully landed a superb wahoo on a trolled plug. My heart started to beat a little faster, a hunger grew in my soul as the Capt. said to suit up – we were going in next drift.
Mental checklists were done, suited up, dropped in. I quickly loaded the El Bandito that “Ulusub Jon” was so kind to create for me- it’s a beast at 172cm and 4 bands, shooting a thick shaft and a Mori slip tip. My homemade flasher was deployed and Mike appeared on the other side of it as the Donzi kicked off a little. Mike and I were scanning all around, watching the flasher, breathing, relaxing, and hoping. The next events happened in what felt like minutes but were really mili-seconds! I was looking to my right, then scanned back and I see a grey shape gliding towards the flasher. My thoughts were short and simple- “FISH! Dive! Clear”.
Dropping down, the fish noticed me and turned to glide away and left. I continued to drop, slowly closing the distance. This is the first wahoo I have ever seen in the water and the sage advice of so many others were ringing in my ears. Advice like: don’t look at the fish, don’t dive towards the wahoo, don’t chase the hoo, let it come back to you. Well, I failed on all accounts! I was lining up on the fish as it drifted further and further away into the haze, should I shoot? Am I close enough? Is it spooked? Will it come back? All millisecond thoughts- fast firing in my brain. The last one-this fish looks big, I don’t want to F it up! I lined up the Ulusub at the wahoo’s head, steadied, and pulled the trigger. Time stood still. The fish was gone, the shaft was gone, and I didn’t see the hit in the haze. I watched as the bungee slowly slid by my, expecting I missed and the shaft was dragging the bungee deep. One second later, the bungee arched a little toward the surface. I hit the wahoo! A few kicks and I was moving back for air, evidently giving Mike a thumbs up on the way.
After a ginger tug of war, the hoo was at the shooting line and Mike calmly dove to 30’ and put a shaft just behind the head. We pulled the hoo up together, still not totally aware of it’s size, I was focused on the End Game. Mike and I held the fish while I tried to brain it, but not knowing where a Hoo brain is, it took a little longer. Finally Capt. Louis lip gaffed the fish and I could see the true size as it was pulled over the gunnel. The fish is massive! The long slender body just kept coming up from the blue, over the gunnel, kept coming and coming.
I am very honored for the opportunity to share the water with such a magnificent creature, with molas, and lit up mahi. To me, bluewater hunting is a team sport, I am so grateful for a great dive buddy, a superb Ulusub speargun, an FRV, and top notch Captain and crew. So how is my addiction? Unfortunately, it’s even worse now! I can’t concentrate, my mind drifts back to the blue, the wahoo, hope, and the unknown. For example, I filled the gas tank on our car, but I am not sure if it was diesel or gas! I can’t concentrate at work, in meetings…my mind going back to our bluewater drifts. Every day, all day. I need to get back out there!
Mike:
The very fact that a comfortable boat ride away from my home you can slip over the gunnel of the boat into the bluest water I have ever seen, teaming with life of every kind and have an opportunity to hunt fish that you would usually travel great distances to do should leave you sleepless. No plane ticket, no currency exchange, no pricey accommodations. My sincere admiration to those pioneers that Chris mentioned above for inspiring us all to get out there. As I write this reports are coming in of other wahoo, big eye and yellowfin these spearfisherman are taking. It's on !
For a serious speargun to handle the task at hand, contact Jon Huberman at Ulusub Spearguns. New England Freedive Spearfishing Co stocks and has access to all your other bluewater spearfishing needs from big game floats, spearguns, wetsuits and tackle. We are currently bringing new bluewater gear so if you don't see what you need on the web site contact us.
Thank You mother ocean for another gifted day in the sea.
