North Wales Large Breeding Bass Being Taken By Spear Fisherman

[smalltownboy]

I just want to get your opinion on this Youtube spear fisherman.
The under water footage is amazing but the locals don't like the fact that he's been taking breeding bass 7lb, 8lb and 9lb
Some of his videos you can tell exactly where he is and I suppose illegal netters can too.
He also gets comments from other spear fisherman and he encourages them to come over and do the same.
I know it's not illegal to take bass of that size but they are around 25 years old and breeding fish and the smaller ones are better eating anyway.
He said it's more of a challenge to kill the bigger ones and the fact he gets more views by doing so.
I'm adding this link but please do check out the other videos of him killing large bass and also read the comments from the locals.
I don't like what he's doing but like I say what's your opinion on this and is he damaging the bass stocks as he says one large bass won't make any difference.
It looks like all the large bass we are catching and releasing as most of us do but what's really happening is we are leaving them for him.
I don't want to start a war with him but there's no talking to him as many have in the comments so just your opinion please fellas.

 

[flappy]

Fair do’s.. that’s his game.. he is obviously good at it..

 

[smalltownboy]

Fair do’s.. that’s his game.. he is obviously good at it..

He's brilliant at it and all his videos are very interesting and he narrates them very well and I wouldn't mind giving it a go myself.
The only thing that locals are concerned about is the size of bass he takes which are breeding fish plus it doesn't take a genius to work out where he is as he shows landmarks which illegal netters love.
I can see his point of view, if he puts a video on Youtube with 9lb bass shot he's going to get more views than two 3lb bass shot.

 

[chesilpete]

As we ponder the spear fisherman taking bass consider for a moment.
The bluefin tuna must be slaughtering our bass stocks on a scale that would make a french man jealous!.
I reckon we should let the commercials slaughter them, zero quota just take them all as quickly as possible.
The benefit of these tuna being in our waters is only to a handful of people the downside for anglers is that these tuna eat tonnes of fish and the fish they are eating are the fish we as anglers are interested in..... I have put my tin hat on again but sitting here in Cornwall hearing the locals saying that these things are out there in the 1000s makes me think they are competing with me for the small number of fish left.

 

[Valleyboy]

I like the idea of spear fishing being so selective but it needs a slot size or it's madness

 

[Dutchman]

As we ponder the spear fisherman taking bass consider for a moment.
The bluefin tuna must be slaughtering our bass stocks on a scale that would make a french man jealous!.
I reckon we should let the commercials slaughter them, zero quota just take them all as quickly as possible.
The benefit of these tuna being in our waters is only to a handful of people the downside for anglers is that these tuna eat tonnes of fish and the fish they are eating are the fish we as anglers are interested in..... I have put my tin hat on again but sitting here in Cornwall hearing the locals saying that these things are out there in the 1000s makes me think they are competing with me for the small number of fish left.

If it was proven i would agree with you on that.

There must be a reason though why those Tuna programmes on TV, they are only limited to 1 tuna/day

 

[chesilpete]

If it was proven i would agree with you on that.

There must be a reason though why those Tuna programmes on TV, they are only limited to 1 tuna/day

I was chatting to someone yesterday a commercial potter who has been watching them smash bass shoals all summer.
Those tuna are here to feed.... maks, scad, gars, herring and bass are all on the menu.

 

[richtic]

I just want to get your opinion on this Youtube spear fisherman.
The under water footage is amazing but the locals don't like the fact that he's been taking breeding bass 7lb, 8lb and 9lb
Some of his videos you can tell exactly where he is and I suppose illegal netters can too.
He also gets comments from other spear fisherman and he encourages them to come over and do the same.
I know it's not illegal to take bass of that size but they are around 25 years old and breeding fish and the smaller ones are better eating anyway.
He said it's more of a challenge to kill the bigger ones and the fact he gets more views by doing so.
I'm adding this link but please do check out the other videos of him killing large bass and also read the comments from the locals.
I don't like what he's doing but like I say what's your opinion on this and is he damaging the bass stocks as he says one large bass won't make any difference.
It looks like all the large bass we are catching and releasing as most of us do but what's really happening is we are leaving them for him.
I don't want to start a war with him but there's no talking to him as many have in the comments so just your opinion please fellas.

Should def have a size limit.

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Lol, once the commercial fleet is banned in it's entirety, illegal netting stopped and the seal population heavily culled, then, and only then should high horses be ridden and soap boxes climbed with regards to spear fishing.

 

[Topwater]

Which ever form it takes I'm anti greed, be that recreational, commercial or worse illegal. Spearos are becoming part of the many issues fish stocks face - good that it's selective hunting but to me it reinforces the need for slot size fishery rules along with proper fishery policing. All bass over say 6lb should go back in my opinion - from an eating perspective surely you want lamb/hogget and not mutton?
With regards to the BFT, all I've seen them - and yes there are many thousands of them - feeding on are sprats and anchovies so far. Maybe the commercials think the BFT are to blame for the pollack 'collapse' too ?

 

[Viaductbaggies]

More concerned about him shooting the wrasse what’s the point

 

[flappy]

I guess that traditionally we fished for food.. this angling for pleasure thing is a later invention.. he’s just getting straight to the point.

 

[Cwab]

In theory don’t think spear fishing for recreation is that much of a bad thing considering all the other negatives effecting fish stocks if you get my point.

 

[smalltownboy]

Thank you to everyone who replied to this thread, I like a good debate and great to see all the different opinions.
I used to put up questions like this on a different forum and the amount of people who commented was unreal.
If you have come from the other forum which I won't mention the name then you might remember " Something Strange While Fishing"
I used to love that and reading all the stories, we had things like U.F.O.,people trying to steal your gear and an endless amount of ghost stories with photos.
As for this thread I think we should have a size limit to what you can take home as they do it for undersized bass so why not.
I like the idea of spear fishing but why they call it as there isn't any fishing going on just hiding and shooting, hide and sneak lol
I asked the Mrs what she thought of it and she said when I'm going I may bring a fish home if bleeding from the gills but not very often.
He must be saying to his Mrs, I'm off now to go and kill something as it's more like hunting not fishing.
I'm all for spear fishing and like all the videos and the only thing I'm worried about is the large breeding he's taking and it's all for views.
9lb bass as a video title will give him loads of views and not so much if it's two 3lb bass caught but I can't say caught as there no catching involved as he's just killing everything he sees. It may not make a difference taking the one large bass but over a year it may start making a difference and the bass he's shooting are probably older than him.

 

[flappy]

.,9lb bass as a video title will give him loads of views and not so much if it's two 3lb bass caught but I can't say caught as there no catching involved as he's just killing everything he sees. It may not make a difference taking the one large bass but over a year it may start making a difference and the bass he's shooting are probably older than him.

If he had left them for conservation purposes the French boats would have netted them up… he might as well have taken them home,

 

[chesilpete]

Be fun to see him shoot a bft and hold on!

 

[Cwab]

Thank you to everyone who replied to this thread, I like a good debate and great to see all the different opinions.
I used to put up questions like this on a different forum and the amount of people who commented was unreal.
If you have come from the other forum which I won't mention the name then you might remember " Something Strange While Fishing"
I used to love that and reading all the stories, we had things like U.F.O.,people trying to steal your gear and an endless amount of ghost stories with photos.
As for this thread I think we should have a size limit to what you can take home as they do it for undersized bass so why not.
I like the idea of spear fishing but why they call it as there isn't any fishing going on just hiding and shooting, hide and sneak lol
I asked the Mrs what she thought of it and she said when I'm going I may bring a fish home if bleeding from the gills but not very often.
He must be saying to his Mrs, I'm off now to go and kill something as it's more like hunting not fishing.
I'm all for spear fishing and like all the videos and the only thing I'm worried about is the large breeding he's taking and it's all for views.
9lb bass as a video title will give him loads of views and not so much if it's two 3lb bass caught but I can't say caught as there no catching involved as he's just killing everything he sees. It may not make a difference taking the one large bass but over a year it may start making a difference and the bass he's shooting are probably older than him.

Must say in my personal utopia he would not be allowed in the water, seals would be heavily culled along with cormorants and more stringent controls involving commercial fishing including more no fish zones.
Anyone transgressing especially taking undersized fish would executed on the spot. Edit, once balance had been established spear fishing would be permitted under strict control. I had a dream