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Outdoors

Kingfish dream finally is fulfilled

A diver's long pursuit for the species ends at 30 feet off Hernando Beach.

By ED WALKER
Published November 19, 2005

The images were etched in my mind.

They were rare kingfish encounters I had while freedive or breath-hold spearfishing that eluded capture every time.

The first was three years ago and mesmerized me so completely that I didn't even raise my spear gun until the kingfish was gone.

A season later near the same area, I saw the next one - a 25-pounder that cruised by as my buddy and I entered the water. I fired a quick shot and missed.

This spring, there were two that passed below me as I ascended from 70 feet, and they were gone by the time I returned.

Maybe a big king was just not in the cards for me. I had seen the fish once a year, and the latest had just come and gone.

Redemption, though, came this fall in 30 feet of water off Hernando Beach.

Blake Gaylord, Wayne Butts and I arrived at an underwater pinnacle. We noticed birds working the area and a large shoal of threadfin herring holding directly over the limestone rock formation.

Spring and fall typically bring clean, clear water to this location, and the quantities of grouper and hogfish rival those found anywhere in the state. On this day, the conditions were just right for underwater hunting, and I had a good feeling about the spot.

As the others quickly donned their gear and hopped overboard, I paused and decided to attach a 35-foot float line with a buoy to the butt end of my spear gun. The line set-up generally is used when there's a chance that a fish may run a long way after being speared.

Since the spear shaft is attached to the gun by a 10 to 15-foot section of line, it can be difficult to hold the gun when a large pelagic fish takes off without pulling out the shaft. When a float line is used, a freediver can let go of his gun as the fish runs then swim after the buoy or fight the fish at the surface, pulling it in or adding just enough drag to gradually slow it down until it can be subdued.

Floats often are not needed for grouper or snapper. But with all the baitfish hanging around and the fall season upon us, I wanted to be prepared for anything.

As we neared the structure, we found the visibility to be 15 to 20 feet and a variety of reef fish moving below. I heard the thump of a spear gun being fired nearby and soon saw Blake swimming a 10-pound grouper back to the boat.

"The fish are definitely here," he said.

I made several drops to the bottom and saw plenty of mangrove snapper, a small cobia following a ray and several huge Goliath grouper.

Since the biggest gags are the first to run and hide when divers appear, most hunters pass up average-sized fish at first and look for the trophies. Wayne was next to go back to the boat with nice gag.

While "breathing up" between dives, I eased into the middle of the large bait school. It opened as I entered, then completely surrounded me as the bait milled on the surface feeding on plankton.

It was an amazing experience, and I marveled at the synchronized movement of so many small fish.

With slow, deep breaths, I inhaled and exhaled to lower my heart rate. I was blinded by the dense school of baitfish but also hidden by it. I inhaled one last time and slowly drifted downward, hoping to find a good-sized grouper.

As I dropped out of the baitpod, a large barracuda was the first thing I saw. Just behind him, at mid-depth, was a monster kingfish.

This was it.

He had not seen me. I lined up a shot and fired.

Almost instantly the gun was snatched from my hand and the floatline went racing by. I chased my prize for several hundred yards into open water and away from the boat. Every time I dove and attempted to grab him, he bolted off again.

Blake offered to dive down and put another shot into the fish, but I declined.

I could see that I had a good shot on him and wanted to do this myself. At one point, the barracuda came in for a look, but I managed to chase him away.

After an extended give-and-take battle, I finally managed to get a solid grip on big mackerel.

My dive buddies already were back at the boat when I returned with a huge smile and 32-pound kingfish that I had waited so long to see.

[Last modified November 19, 2005, 01:07:13]