legal to spear fish in indiana?

[fishogger]

if you didn't see the post in the other thread, I seen a spear fisherman last night.  yes at night!  I was running in to the ramp and a guy popped up in front of my boat!  freaked me out. lol  I hit him with my head light as I went on past at probably less than 50ft!  he had on some big goggles and was swimming with a spear gun in his hand.

  not very smart to say the least but is it even legal?  for all I know he could have been spearing game fish out there?

[Spooled85]

I know it is legal to bow fish / spear carp , dog fish , suckers ect have buddies that do it at night quite often

[fishogger]

yes there are boats that do it on this lake.  but this guy was underwater spear fishing.

I have been reading up on these underwater night vision goggles.  some amazing stuff if you want to dump the greenbacks! 

[Spooled85]

Would be fun to whatch but I wouldn't do it lol

[bigr]

Good question. My guess is he would be required to have some bouy or something to let people know a diver is around. I also know it is legal to spear/shoot rough fish anytime day or night. Not sure that's a legal method for taken game fish. I'd be surprised if it is.

[Spooled85]

I know for a fact you are not allowed to spear or shoot any game fish from a boat land or in the water. And I know a couple guys that like to dive a few of the lakes in LaPorte county and they are not required to have anything marking where they were at and they have done it at night and during the day. Usually you see him go in the water and if you're still fishing on land when he comes back he just comes up out of the water you never know where he's at.

[Spooled85]

In Indiana that it

[RoeBoat]

That is crazy!!!!

[FWCanoeFisher]

This is directly from the Indiana Regs:

Spear Fishing
A gig, fish spear, spear gun, or underwater spear
can be used any time of day year-round to take
Asian carp, bowfin, buffalo, common carp,
gar, shad, and suckers from non-flowing waters
(including lakes, ponds, and reservoirs) and the
following large streams:
• Kankakee River, upstream to the State Road
55 bridge
• Maumee River, upstream to the Anthony
Boulevard bridge in Fort Wayne
• St. Joseph River, upstream from Twin Branch
Dam in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties
• Tippecanoe River, upstream to one-half mile
below its confluence with Big Creek in Carroll County (Fish spears and fish gigs cannot
be used in, on, or adjacent to Tippecanoe
River from 1/2 mile below its juncture with
Big Creek in Carroll County upstream to the
Oakdale Dam.)
• Wabash River, upstream to State Road 13 in
Wabash
• White River, upstream from the Wabash
River to the junction of East and West forks
• White River/East Fork, upstream to the dam
at the south edge of Columbus
• White River/West Fork, upstream to the dam
below Harding Street in Indianapolis

[bigr]

I assume in most natural lakes you'll find atleast some of those species. Is a dogfish the same as bowfin? I don't think it is. It's not one of the fish on the list and is pretty common in the natural lakes. I'm leaning toward the opinion the guy was most likely using the dark of night to get a mess of fish.     

[Teacherpreacher]

Dogfish is another name for a Bowfin. Seems to be not very smart to be snorkling afier dark away from the bank. But you know, "They walk among us!"  Duh!!! I've seen guys in Michigan snorkling at night but they had a innertube type float with a flag sticking above it but no light on it but they had lights with them under the water. To each his own.
Teach

[SHaRPS]

Dogfish is another name for a Bowfin. Seems to be not very smart to be snorkling afier dark away from the bank. But you know, "They walk among us!"  Duh!!! I've seen guys in Michigan snorkling at night but they had a innertube type float with a flag sticking above it but no light on it but they had lights with them under the water. To each his own.
Teach

Teach - Diving at night is extremely popular here on the east coast. Its basically the only way to dive for lobsters as they slide out from the hiding places at night. However, you are required to have lights and a dive flag that is also lighted.

[fishogger]

I'm leaning toward the opinion the guy was most likely using the dark of night to get a mess of fish.     

that keeps coming up in my mind too.  maybe ill have my eyes open wider next time there.  mite be the mother load of 5-6# walleyes. lol  I wouldn't put it past people.

[fishogger]

also, I don't see a couple local rivers listed on there.  that mean the guys shooting carp on these, unlisted rivers, are illegally doing so?

[princecraft]

This was not Indiana but I saw a group of 4 guys diving with tanks, on Corie lake in Michigan drunk as a skunk.  This was around mid-night.  They said they were spearing perch.  Not to smart.