every since i bent my 8th shaft of the year, i quit spearing these big ulua’s or GT. in the morning, i check this hole about 50′ deep, i look inside, there was one huge 80 lbs GT swimming around. he looked at me, i pointed my gun, he turned, i had a good shot, but decided that if he bends my shaft, i can’t dive for the rest of the day. he looks at me again, turns, and swims into the blue. lucky fish.
the water was getting dirtier and dirtier, i had a few big kumu’s, a big uhu, and some other fish and it was time to head home. i swim upon the GT house again to see if the big one came back home. i drop down 50′, i lay on the top of the ledge, peak my head inside, and see 3 medium GT’s swimming in a circle. ummm… i thought to myself, i could take one of these boys out if i get the right shot. i figure i’d aim for the brain, then wrestle the fish up so it doesn’t bend my shaft. i had my small reef gun so i knew that my shaft wouldn’t go all the way through. i line it up, i take the shot as i aim for the brain. after i shoot, the fish rolls over and i thought it was playing dead. i grab it, start making my way up, and was waiting for the fish to get it’s second wind and start kicking like crazy. nothing was happening. i brought it up, threw it in the boat, and it was that simple. a 50 lbs. GT that couldn’t fit in the cooler. haha.
see where my shaft went in? if you want the perfect kill shot, there it is. 1 cm to the left or right, your $60 shaft will bend for sure, and you might lose your gun. or you might get tangled in the line and get stuck on the reef. shooting big fish is challenging. of the 100 or so i speared, this one was the easiest.
free diving cleared my mind, my soul, and i’m ready to do it all over again! i feel like a fresh teenager again!
