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Moving targets

During this weekend's St. Pete Open, spearfishermen will prowl our murky depths in search of wary and elusive prey.

ST. PETERSBURG - Like many spearfishermen, Jim Zellmer got into the sport with grand ideas of becoming a blue-water hunter.

"I was 12 years old, and I had just learned how to dive," said Zelmer, who now makes eyeglasses for Future Optics. "My brother had warned me not to try to shoot anything that was larger than 5 pounds, but I didn't listen."

Zellner and his diving buddy Andy Brown set their sights on a fish, the biggest fish they had ever seen.

"It was a 300-pound jewfish. . . . They were legal then," said Zellner, now 35. "Needless to say it didn't go very well."

Zellner didn't bring home the fish, but he did get quite a scolding from his big brother Ron, who explained to him spearfishing's cardinal rule - never take aim at anything you don't plan to kill and eat.

"That was a long time ago," said Zellner, who two years ago set a record for shooting the largest hogfish (21.2 pounds) in the history of the 38-year-old tournament. "We look forward to it every year."

And Zellner is not alone.

The St. Pete Open, sponsored by the prestigious St. Petersburg Underwater Club, is the largest spearfishing tournament in the world. Divers from around the United States come to Pinellas County each August to compete in an event that has been postponed just once because of a hurricane in 1988.

Most anglers think spearfishing is like "shooting fish in a barrel." But fish are smart, especially those targeted by scuba divers and fishermen. A fish can hear and see a diver coming.

All it takes is the "click" of the metal shaft cocking into the trigger mechanism to send them running for cover. That is why spearfishermen need to be in top shape physically and mentally if they want to win an event as competitive as the St. Pete Open.

Recent technological advances (such as dive computers and mixed gas) have made spearfishing more accessible to the average diver.

In recent years, the St. Pete Open has been dominated by divers with access to performance powerboats that can run to the unspoiled areas such as the Florida Middle Grounds and get back in time for the afternoon weigh-in.

Tournament-winning fish traditionally come from deep water, accessible to only the most-experienced and best-equipped divers.

But hunting fish at depths greater than 100 feet is inherently dangerous. The deeper you go, the more you risk decompression sickness. There is no room for error. A small miscalculation, a momentary lapse of judgment can mean the difference between life and death.

Two years ago, Mark Sweazie, who won the tournament in 1999 with a 99-pound grouper, died while diving in 200 feet of water.

But every year, hundreds of people participate in the St. Pete Open without incident. Most divers, Zellner included, work moderate depths, and only a few of the hard-core elite are willing to risk their lives in deep water.

Diving deep on compressed air is not recommended. The nitrogen in the mixture muddies the mind and a simple task can become a major mission. Most deep divers use a blend of gasses, which requires special training.

Diving deep is one thing, but shooting big fish at depth requires not just training but experience. It takes years of diving at shallower depths before a spearfisherman can advance to the level of those who routinely place and win at these prestigious tournaments.

Fortunately, most neighborhood dive shops have clubs where people who want to learn how to spearfish rub shoulders with their more experienced brethren.

Some clubs, including the newly formed Tampa Bay Spearos, are designed for beginner spearfishermen as well as intermediate hunters. The club's goal is to promote and share the knowledge of safe and competent spearfishing, while establishing a venue for spearfishermen to network with others who enjoy the sport.

WHAT: Spearfishing's largest tournament, hosted by the St. Petersburg Underwater Club (SPUC).

WHEN: Today-Sunday.

WHERE: Tierra Verde Resort & Yacht Club.

REGISTRATION: $75.

WEIGH-IN: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Public is welcome to attend at no charge.

TARGETED SPECIES: grouper, scamp, snapper, amberjack, hogfish, cobia, barracuda, spiny/shovel lobster and sheepshead.