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2014 Bahamas Spearfishing Expeditions was a huge success!

headhunter spearfishing slings bahamas expedition
We found some amazing spots over the 3 weeks of diving!

For those of you that don't know what the Bahamas Spearfishing Expeditions are, here is a summary. We setup a live-aboard boat for a month in the Bahamas and we took it to some very remote places. Places so remote we had to use chartered airplanes to get people there. From April 22 to May 17 we covered about 500 miles of reef through the Southern Bahamas. Places like Andros, The Ragged Cays, Mira Por Vos, and Crooked Island. We dove some incredible places, shot 10 world records, and ate like kings. I am sad that it is all over, it was truly a trip of a lifetime. Can't wait to do it again next year!

 

headhunter spearfishing bahamas expedition

One of the best parts of this trip was how much gear we had. We had tons of float lines and floats for everyone, slings with or without reels, polespears, gopros, etc. So guests could bring a minimal amount of gear and still be able to do whatever they wanted. For many of the guests, this was their first time using a polespear with a float and float line, so it was a great learning experience.  And we had tons of cable, crimps, and all the other tools and parts to make sure everyone's gear was working. Every afternoon the guides would go through the guests polespears and slings and sharpen tips, freshen up cable, staighten shafts, etc. The fish of a lifetime could have been around any corner and everyone was prepared!

A deep bluewater coral head

 

Our days started by waking up to a killer breakfast and relaxing on the back deck of the mothership. After that we would walk 20 feet and get onto our dive boat for the day. Our gear was already loaded and ready to go, no wasted time. We had a 36' sportfisherman with a dive platform, a new 25' contender and a 25' mako at our disposal. There was also a 17' skiff we could use for shore excursions. 

A nice Andros Black Grouper shot on the wall. 

Most days we would start our diving with warm ups on the shallow patch reefs. Diving between 10 and 25 feet, these areas where loaded with mutton snapper and hogfish. After we had dinner in the boat and everyone was warmed up, we would head out the the drop to look for seamonsters.

We really put the Guerrilla slings to use over the last month!

We setup the Guerrilla Slings with removable reels so we could free-shaft in the shallows then switch to a reel in the deep. It was a very effective tool. 

We spent at least half of every day on the drop. The reef edge varies so much throughout the Bahamas, and we put almost 500 miles of reef under our hull. We dove everything from gentle rolling drop offs to vertical walls. Some spots were deep and had huge boulders, other spots came up from 600 feet to 30 feet. We even found inshore blue holes that were 144 feet deep!

 

A particularly fishy section of wall in Mira Por Vos.

 

 

This was a blue hole in the middle of a 20 foot deep reef! The boat's depth sounder read 144 feet at the deepest part. You can even see it on google earth:

 

Our daily afternoon ritual. Cold beer, soft cusions, and shade!

 

I don't think we had a day with less than 80 foot visibility, and we had 200 foot vis in some areas! The cleanest water I have ever seen.

Headhunter guerrilla slings and predator pole spears in action! 

 

After six days of diving a few guys needed to dry out, so they hit the bonefish flats.

 

This whale shark was swimming under a school of 10 lb yellowfin tunas

 

Just about everyone landed stud hogfish on their trip.

 

the sharks in Crooked are a little agressive!

Not only did we find some crazy reefs, we also stumbled upon this ship wreck. Hopefully it will still be their next year. For more information on how to join one of our 2015 trips, sign up for our newsletter or email us!

 

Bahamas Spearfishing Expeditions-a few spots still open

Check out this video we just made of Roberto Ruiz and a Pacific Red Snapper he just shot with a Headhunter Predator polespear. He was in Panama hunting giant yellowfin tuna, but decided to use a polespear in 150 feet of water to target a school of snapper. This is the type of stuff Headhunter is all about. And this is exactly what the Bahamas Spearfishing Expeditions will be all about. Here is the video:

 

For those of you that dont know what the Bahamas Spearfishing Expeditions are, here is a summary. We are taking a liveaboard boat all around the southern Bahamas to spearfish, fish and explore our way from Andros though the Jumento Cays to Crooked Island. Our goal isnt quantity of fish, it is quality. We will be going after fish that guests have never shot before. Fish like giant black grouper, wahoo on the polespear, huge hogfish, Hard fighting african pompano, and the elusive 20 lb. mutton snapper. Is there a fish that you have always wanted? Do you want to learn how to improve your skills with pole spears and hawaiian slings? Have you always wanted to see the remote corners of the Bahamas? Come join us this April and May! We have 2 spots left April 22-27 in Southern Andros and the Tongue of the Ocean. And we have 3-4 spots left May 10-17 exploring crooked island. This is an insane time of year to fish and dive crooked island. Marlin, wahoo, tuna, and mahi mahi are thick. Not to mention the reef fish. We will have all sort of Blue water slings and polespears to help us take down pelagic fish like never before! And Cameron Kirkconnell will be joining us in Crooked as well. So this will be an epic trip! Here is the brochure:

 

If you have any questions about these insane trips, don't hesitate to email us or call us. And if the info above isn't enough to get you excited, check out this video where we get a wahoo on polespear off Andros!Here is the brochure:

Bahamas Fishing and Spearfishing Regultions

After some research, this is the most accurate information we could find regarding Bahamas fishing regulations. Remember, if bringing items across international borders, the regulations of BOTH countries must be followed. (this means no conch can be brought to the US)

 

1. A person shall fish by the traditional method of angling with a hook or lure attached to a line held in the hand or attached to a pole, rod or reel;

2. A person, unless otherwise authorized by the respective permit, shall not use a spear, a fish trap, or a net other than a landing net; 

3. Each vessel shall use not more than six rods or reels unless the operator is in possession of a permit authorizing the use of more rods or reels; 

4. A total of no more than 18 fish of any pelagic species or migratory fishery per vessel. (Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna or Wahoo etc.) Any resource not intended to be used, shall not be injured unnecessarily but be returned to the sea alive. And if for example, a tournament participant who may have caught 25 pelagic fish when leaving the Bahamas, they will only be allowed to take the maximum of 18 of those fish with them. 

5. Vessels may not have on board more than 60 pounds or 20 fish of any demersal fishery resources (groupers, snappers, hog fish etc.) and a maximum of only 6 conch, and not more than 10 crawfish/spiny lobster per vessel. Turtles are now forbidden for capture and possession by both foreigners and Bahamians alike. 

6. The closed season for Nassau Grouper remains unchanged, that being from December 1 through February 29. The closed season for spiny lobster - April 1st - July 31st.