KG Loc: Treasure Coast, Florida

I want to catch some barracudas for bait. And whenever we go out fishing reefs, I see them constantly swimming/floating around the boat, 2-3 feet deep. Just sitting there not moving.

So it would be really easy to spear one right from the boat.

I tried searching, and with any reference to spear fishing and boats it's always about using a boat to get to the location and then dive with a speargun.

I don't want to dive. I want to shoot a speargun while standing in the boat.

Is this something people do? Any laws or regulations prohibiting it? Anything else I need to think of?

Billycrap2 Loc: Mason county,W(BY GOD) Virginia, 🇺🇸🦅

Check into bow fishing I have see some doing that in lake George Florida 👍🏽👍🏽🎣🎣🎣🐟🐟🐠🐠🐋🐋🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Don't know about spear guns but have seen videos of guys using bow & arrow to get fish. Don't know if its legal but try it , good way to fine out.

Candid1 Loc: Syracuse, Indiana

Call the Florida DNR and get the definitive answer.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Just going out and doing some spear fishing from your boat is not a good idea. At least in Texas, certain game violations are such the authorities can seize your boat! Just Sayin...RJS

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

ABSOLUTELY, do not take legal advice from anyone on the internet, go to your authority.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

You are right check out the game books.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Hey Fred I am full of legal advice, I mean I have talk to a lot of lawyers

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Unfortunately, so have I David. I did learn one thing though, don't take legal advice from civilians. The prosecutor will be ROLLING on the floor, laughing, as he sends you up the river.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Jail house lawyers

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

KG Loc: Treasure Coast, Florida

It's interesting how people usually say "don't take legal advice from a cop, they are not obligated to know all laws and regulations, and you are not legally protected if you act on incorrect advice you receive from them".

But at the same time people have complete faith in game wardens, wildlife management personnel, etc.

I'll of course contact Florida's FWC, but it would be nice to have a confirmation that what I hear from them matches common practice in the state. That's why I posted the question. One does not prevent the other.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

I understand that completely KG. I just don't want to see you get popped, because you took advice from a stranger on here.

smitty Loc: maine

why knot just hookem
theyre fun 2 catch; great fighters

KG Loc: Treasure Coast, Florida

Don't want to waste time. Just want some bait meat. And it's either barracudas or grunts. Grunts aren't all that great for bait. The scale is too rough and the skin is too tender. Meat rips off the hook too easy. So you end up with a bunch of strikes and then the bait is gone.

On days when we get blue runner, that's an even better bait. But on most days, you are pretty much guaranteed to have access to plenty grunts and plenty barracudas.

Barracuda simply makes the better bait of the two. And if I could just spear it without wasting much time, it would be awesome.

Of course, we can't cut it up while on the boat. So the idea is to take it back, then cut it up and use it for the next time. And the next time we are out, spear another one and save it for the next time. Besides, shooting them with a speargun seems like it would be fun.

I mostly target snapper and sea bass for food. I'm not much of a "for fighting" type of fisherman. More of a "want to eat it" type. But I'll upload a video of a shark I caught two days ago. It was fun to tire it out and then let it go. Still, not something I do as the main goal when going out fishing.