first time bug hunting

gaff_ya_good · Oct-19-2006, 05:50 PM

some cool guy let me borrow his gear, so i got to tamarack at around 11. pretty fucking cool is all i could think. visibility was decent i guess, probably around 6-10 feet? shit i don't know. i was checking out the crevasses in the reef and found some spiny red legs in one spot then i was hungry. it wegded itself under a nice ledge. went up for air, came back down, saw his buggy eyes, and me being a first timer tried to grab an antenna and it got away. that was the only one i saw for the day but i'm going back for his ass soon. how did everyone else do?

rojodiablo · Oct-19-2006, 07:54 PM

Glad to see you are giving it a go!! Try to aim for the body, if you aim for the horns, that is all you will get. The tail is not a goodtarget, as the bug moves, and so the tail is not where you grabbed for, and the tail gives little control once you grab the bug. I did OK last night... got 6. I could have easily limited... I was lazy. I got one that is 4 lb, so I am happy enough. Friggin' things look SO small compared to my 13lb. bug from Tortuga. Anyways, still fun diving.

gaff_ya_good · Oct-19-2006, 09:28 PM

thanks for the tip and good job.

how do you guys go about diving at night? i'm looking to buy a waterproof led light but they're kinda expensive for me.

sealskinner · Oct-19-2006, 09:38 PM

Glad you got out there Oliver. You'll get the hang of it.

invictus · Oct-19-2006, 11:59 PM

Oliver,

you got some good tips from the other members on snagging the body vs. other parts. One additional thing I try to focus on is pinning the bug to the rocks as opposed to grabbing them, I basically put my light in their eyes and as they back slowly, pin the body to the rocks.

Their is nothing more satisfying than freediving, it's as close to hunting/fishing a hundred years ago as most of us want to get!

Good luck!

gaff_ya_good · Oct-20-2006, 08:05 PM

c-goat · Oct-21-2006, 08:37 PM

Ive found diving for bugs during the day is tough,when you see them theyre always holed up with nothing but the tentacles sticking out.
Unless you come across one in a big hole where you can reach in and grab them in their face between their tentacles.

Try a night dive ,the later the better.A little trick Ive learned is I take my light and jiggle it in their face while at the same time moving it to the side of them.Its hard to grab them when they are looking right at you and they will follow the light.When they are turned away from you a little,real quick,reach out and pin them down first,then grab them.

Good luck and happy hunting.