I grew up angling with da hook n line kine & will always love bobbing around on the ocean, trying to convince a fish to accept my presentation. It’s a beautiful art, wonderful adventure, and a keen way to be a part of nature.
However, I recently had the opportunity to do a little spear fishing in Maui with my buddy Clint. He had ordered some spears to do some preliminary work for a project on the feeding behaviors of black durgeon triggerfish (Melichthys niger or humu humu ele ele). After our fist dive, I realized that I’ve found a new love & passion. The spear-fishing experience is far more intimate than hook & line: to see the fish, dance with the fish, & spear the fish; all while holding your breath & avoiding the circling sharks & seals. It’s quite the organic experience. Clearly this has put a new angle on my angling career; though it has become quite clear that fishing is to spear fishing, as trapping is to hunting. With a spear in hand, you are no longer a fisherman–you are a hunter (& possibly the hunted).
The movie below is not ours (praise be!), but we did have a smaller shark & a ginormous monk seal cruise up on us while we were fishing, pretty much like this:
Levi Steele Lewis, Ph.D. 