YOU’RE NOT a true spearfisherman in California till you’ve speared a white seabass. And after you’ve executed that, you’re nonetheless not legit till you’ve killed a fish that suggestions 70 kilos.
These are the accepted, if unofficial, guidelines of SoCal’s spearfishing bums, a comparatively small however hardcore group of sportsmen and -women who hunt the elusive fish year-round. WSB present up within the strongest numbers from March to June, after they begin slipping into the kelp beds alongside the coast to spawn. Spawning peaks throughout the brand new moon, once you hunt the fish by listening for them.
“Bass” is a misnomer, as this species really belongs to the croaker household. Some WSB calls sound like a frog and a cat attempting to mate, however the croaking of a spawning male is akin to a ship misfire—you are feeling it in your chest. Croaks often imply you’re closing in, however many of the reverberations my buddies and I heard throughout this 12 months’s spawn led to nothing. This was the slowest season within the 11 years I’ve been going, and we fought laborious for the 2 bass pictured on these pages.
White seabass hunters are free divers, which suggests we depend on our lung capability. This is as a result of scuba tools is loud. It scares fish and turns you into an alien within the underwater setting. But free diving permits you to turn into part of the ocean. You’re capable of observe, hiding in silence or interacting with animals naturally. And that’s vital, as a result of these chrome-colored fish are known as grey ghosts for a purpose. They will be the largest prey within the kelp, however they’re additionally essentially the most difficult to search out. So there’s a sure frustration—to not point out hazard—in free diving for them. But that’s half the enjoyable.
This cove in Baja seems like a washer on the floor, however beneath, the ocean is calm. Even so, solely skilled divers ought to fish right here. Michael RaabeThe greatest place to hunt white seabass is within the kelp beds, like this one. Michael RaabeVisual concealment—often achieved with a camouflage sample and by sticking to shadowy kelp for canopy—is only one factor spearfishermen have to bear in mind when chasing white seabass. Because the fish can each hear noise and really feel vibrations, divers should take care to not, say, bump their speargun on the underside whereas listening for croaks. Even bubble management when exhaling is vital—and don’t even take into consideration farting in your wetsuit. Michael RaabeSalema fish are an excellent indicator that WSB are within the neighborhood. It’s smart to swim rigorously after they’re close to so that you don’t spook them or the seabass. Michael RaabeAfter practically two months of laborious searching the brand new moons and chasing disembodied croaks, I watched diver Chris Okamoto shoot this 55-pound white seabass from simply 10 ft away. Michael RaabeOne fast incision close to the gills to bleed the fish will maintain the meat recent and untainted. Another thrust to the mind will dispatch it rapidly. Michael RaabeMore sevengill sharks appear to seem in our searching grounds annually. I don’t fear about them, as they’re detached to us—however to not the fish we spear. Michael RaabeBoating permits us to hit a number of spots in someday, though anchoring offshore in turbulent waters can typically get dicey. Michael RaabeDiver Ryan Moore—adopted by the household canine, Luna, who will sit on the rocks with Moore’s spouse whereas he fishes—rigorously descends to the coast by the use of a steep strip of public land. Some residents of the close by multimillion-dollar properties try to close down entry to stop spearfishermen like us from frequenting the spot. Michael RaabeWhite seabass may be discovered from 5 to 70 ft deep. Here, the solar displays off Okamoto’s masks as he makes one final lung-busting push to the floor together with his WSB. Michael RaabeHunting WSB can require as much as 100 dives in a single day. Most spearfishermen max out at two minutes when swimming, or as many as 5 minutes when nonetheless. Michael RaabeSharks might not hassle us, however they’ll make fast work of unclaimed fish. Scott Blumer recovered his WSB minutes after taking pictures it, however sevengills acquired there first. Michael RaabePacking fish might require fewer journeys than an elk, however it may be simply as grueling. Here, Moore takes a shift hauling Blumer’s 56-pounder up a cliff. Michael RaabeJust as hunters save elk ivories, spearfishermen pry the 2 otolith stones from the interior ears of WSB. This assortment is annotated with the burden of every fish. Michael Raabe
