I want to thank everyone for continuing to read The Stone Shot. There has been amazing feedback and I’m excited to keep building this thing.

In the next couple months, I’m going to be re-arranging the structure of The Stone Shot. I want to turn our focus to the community, tell stories, talk to legends and get you guys hooked up with some killer deals!

Keep diving,

— Connor

As always, this is The Stone Shot, your weekly dose of spear content (and maybe some fishing, but we try to keep it below the water line)

Here’s what we have for you today:

• Chumming: A 30 minute technique that works

• Spear-cation Destination: Ascension Island

• Weird Fish Of The Week: Wobbegong

• Video: A legend takes on the biggest spear tournament in the world

The Question

Does Chumming Work While Spearfishing?

Wait, isn’t chumming more of a rod and reel thing?

That’s what we thought! Until we heard Jeromy Gamble describe his technique for chumming on an old episode of The Noob Spearo Podcast.

Normally when we think of attracting fish while spearfishing, we think flashers, throwing up sand or grunting. Generally, these methods work. But if you have the patience, these burley bombs that Jeromy describes are a great tool to add to your arsenal.

Note - Jeromy gives credit to G.R. Tarr for teaching him this method.

The Ingredients

Ever read a recipe online and the author takes you through their life story before getting to the actual recipe? It drives me crazy.

So we’re going to get straight to the point. Here are the ingredients:

1. Ground-up chump

2. Beach sand

3. Crack corn (dried corn)

4. Oats

5. A fish carcass. Or, Jeromy recommends shooting a barracuda on the way out.

How To Make The Burley Bombs

Step 1: Take the first four ingredients above (keep the fish carcass for later) and mix them together in a 5-gallon bucket.

Step 2: Add just enough water until the mixture starts to stick together.

Step 3: Take a handful and form it into a ball roughly the size of a softball.

Important: The key is to make the ball soft enough that it will slowly disintegrate on its way down but not completely fall apart. You want about 75% of the ball remaining when it reaches the bottom.

The Process

• Anchor the boat.

• Don't toss these chum balls overboard recklessly. Lower them into the water slowly to ensure they stay intact on the descent.

• Once the ball reaches the bottom, the crack corn and oats will release and start to float back up to the surface.

• This will bring in the smaller fish. And as larger pieces of the burley bomb release, medium fish will come in.

• While still on the boat, start filleting the barracuda you've caught. Add chunks to your chum line. When you're down to the carcass, cut it into thirds and drop it in.

• Wait a few minutes. All of this chumming and commotion will bring in the larger fish from the depths and create competition.

Now, you can dive down, following your elevator of chum, and you'll find the fish are more interested in the feeding frenzy than in you. Once you've shot a fish and brought it to the surface, gut it above and add it to the chum.

Drawbacks

While this chumming method has its merits, there are things to consider.

First, it takes awhile. So if you don’t have a lot of time or your boat mates are antsy, you might want to stick to grunts and scratching the bottom.

Second, there’s a chance you’ll draw in some sharks.

Lastly, some might look at this as unethical. Which we understand that view. But at that point, would flashers be unethical? I think it's up to each individual to decide what's acceptable in their spearfishing practice.

Weird Fish Of The Week:

Wobbegong

I mean…this guy’s just happy to be here. Look at that smile.

This old shag carpet type of shark is found in the shallow waters off Australia and Indonesia.

Bad eyesight. Slow hunter. Not very aggressive. There’s nothing too special about them besides the way they look.

Spear-cation Destination

Ascension Island

Ever wanted to go spearfishing in the middle of nowhere? Well, we might of found the spot to do it.

Ascension Island is a remote volcanic island located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and Brazil. The island is surrounded by a marine protected area twice the size of the United Kingdom.

Lucky for us, recreation fishing is allowed within 12 miles of shore. Most spearos travel here for one thing - to shoot the biggest yellowfin tuna of their lives!

Target Species: Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi-Mahi, Grouper, Triggerfish

Spearfishing Videos Of Ascension Island

• Spearing HUGE yellowfin tuna

• 266lb yellowfin on a pole spear!

Video

Follow the legendary spearfisher G.R. Tarr as he competes in the largest spearfishing tournament in the world.

Easter Egg - He makes those burley bombs we talked about. Keep an eye out at 1:03

That’s it for us! We’ll see you back here next week.

PS - Reply to this email with any crazy spearfishing stories, photos or videos of your own, we’d love to feature you!