After a few unsuccessful outings, we brought home the bacon at last. And by bacon, I mean a Gulf Opaleye (Girella simplicidens)and a Mexican Hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus).

We dove in the cool waters, Katie with Hawaiian sling and I with speargun in hand, and we set out to find our dinner. It was the third trip with the sling we got from Focus Fishing, but our first with the speargun in the water. I hauled back on the two rubber bands of the gun, loaded the spear, and with Katie by my side and Wylie on shore, I let loose to test the power of the gun.  Holy shit!  The power and speed were shocking, the spear flew to the end of the tether and out of sight 20′ away and stuck in the sand. We decided that Katie and Wylie would stay on the east side of the bay with the much less powerful Hawaiian sling, and I would swim to the west side and give a wide separation for safety’s sake.

Within a few minutes, I had a clear shot at the Opaleye and I fired from about 8′ away. A clean shot through the gill plate made short work of the little chub, and I swam to a rock where I could rise up and show Katie that we had dinner. Being the competitive young woman that she is and not to be outdone, she ducked under again, and came up with a nice little Hogfish.

We brought them back home to the boat, started up the charcoal and feasted on mesquite grilled fish that had been swimming in the sea an hour before.

Gulf Opaleye:

Flavor: Good, mild flavor

Texture: Not flaky or too firm, but still good. Meat comes off the bone very nicely.

 

Mexican Hogfish:

Flavor: Good, mild flavor, not quite as good as the Opaleye

Texture: Flaky and firm. Meat doesn’t come off the bone as nicely.

Email followers will have to visit the website to see the following photo gallery of our spearfishing adventure.

 

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