The kingfish tournaments are gone until the fall, but the spearfishing tournament season is just getting started.
This weekend the Spearboard Open starts the Florida tournament season. The Florida state tournament, the Florida Skin Diving Association's Southern Open, is slated for June 25-27. This tournament has a spearfishing division and a photography one that runs from June 18-27.
The Southern Open is a good tournament for divers who wish to spear and take photos and is one of the few tournaments in which underwater photographers can show off their skills. There are different levels in the photo competition so that advanced camera equipment does not compete against basic setups. To find out more, call Lisa Tatro at (727) 464-4473.
The world's largest spearfishing tournament, the 39th annual St. Pete Open, again will be held at the Tierra Verde Resort and Mirage Waterfront Aug. 20-22. This tournament is no longer just for male scuba divers; it has many categories and now recognizes the best women, juniors and free divers. For questions or information, visit www.spearfishingspuc.org or call 727 345-DIVE (3483).
- Bill Hardman teaches scuba, spearfishing and free diving through Aquatic Obsessions Scuba in St. Petersburg. Call (727) 344-3483.
