Giving away spearfishing locations

[Dan]

I want to state the forum's position on giving away spearfishing locations. I'd like to make it clear for those of you who may be confused because there's a lot of good will and shared information in this forum. The purpose of this forum is not to publicly provide anyone with spearfishing locations. This is a public forum, anyone that has internet access can read what we write. Do you want every Joe Blow to know your hunting areas? Do you want to be able to continue getting fish out of your areas? Then I suggest you practice caution with regards to sharing any information about spearfishing locations.

For the most part I freely share information about spearfishing equipment, diving techniques, hunting techniques, spearfishing regulations, and many other things. But I jealously guard spearfishing locations. This is one area where I feel someone has to pay their dues just like I did, either by going out and finding spots by themselves, by contributing positively to the forum for a while and making friends, or you can shorten the process and go buy points as some people sell them. Simply being a member here for a few days is not any reason for me to give out that kind of information.

Here are examples of some common ways new people ask for locations. As a response to all these questions I'd provide the person with a link to this thread.

1. Hey all, I want to go spearfishing out of _____ , where can I go?
2. Hi, I live in _____ and I have a boat, can someone give me some good points close to _____ inlet.
3. I read on SB that there there are _____ reef lines when diving out of _____ beach, how long of a swim is it to first reef line?

The following questions are a little trickier because they still give out a location, but I would answer in a curt way and also provide a link to this thread.

1. Is spearfishing allowed in _____ ?
2. Am I allowed to carry a speargun through _____ beach?

You can think I'm a prick but maybe some of you haven't yet seen depleted sea areas. Again the purpose of this forum is NOT to publicly provide spearfishing locations. Being a member you are under no obligation to share this information. If you feel you really want to share it with a person you hardly know, why not do it in a pm? I hate it when I see info about areas that I frequent being shared openly. Maybe you think that it doesn't matter because everybody already knows about a certain area, or maybe you know it's dead and don't even dive there any more, how do you think it got that way?

[ladvr]

Thanks Dan! I could not agree more with your philosophy on posting locations. I usually use fictitious or very general locations in my reports and videos. For example: "ship rock pier", "Malibu Break Wall"," Pacific Coast" etc.. There is nothing worse then having some asshat post a report on a local fishing hole. The other site is patrolled by enviros, DFG, poachers and lazy lurkers. I like the way you are structuring the site to build in some protection.

Thanks!
Mike

[psychobilly]

Feel the same way, that's something you gotta earn. But don't get me wrong I would take a newbie to a good spot so they don't get discouraged, also there some spots that I would share if someone show me another good spot, or if we go to someone's spot and it's not producing. But in the end there are some real good spots that I would only fish with some real close friends to try and keep minimun pressure from others.

[Don Paul]

I agree 100% Dan.... Now Ask Mike where he got all those Hallibut.
I suck at Flaties they never swim out in the Blue.
Don

[sdeisen]

x2, i worry where ii go is over exposed as it is.

[Alan]

we dove in a desert today

[seaweed]

You guys need numbers... or batteries.

[Alan]

hehe got the batteries,,,now the numbers....

[Dan]

Originally Posted by seaweed

You guys need numbers... or batteries.

Ha! we found a a great spot today drifting the reef, a deep cut.

[Don Paul]

On my boat if a ever bring a guest, I take them to the secrets I dive at offshore islands.I tell them they are
welcome to dive my spots but do not bring a boat load of guys there. If they F-up I never invite them back.
Don.