Danger aplenty but relishing thrill of pursuit

FOR young Cairns spearfisherman Callum Beasley, there is no adrenaline rush like heading out into the blue water.

“Once you leave the boat ramp, you forget about reality and you are just in your own little world out there,” the 22year-old said.

“You put your head under water and you just go around looking at the most beautiful reefs in the world, shooting what you eat.”

Mr Beasley, who lives at Stratford, runs Spearfishing Superstore in Parramatta Park.

He listed reefs at Jenny Louise Shoals, about 50km off the coast, as his top location to hunt for dogtooth tuna.

“The pinnacle of spearfishing is the dogtooth tuna,” he said.

“They are pound for pound the strongest fish in the ocean.

“I haven’t landed one yet. That’s why I go out to Jenny Louise, where you get a lot of the current. That is why I go out there every time, just waiting for that day when the big one comes close enough.”

Common fish to hunt include coral trout, spanish mackerel, puffer fish, mangrove jack, crayfish and red emperor.

Mr Beasley said the risk of sharks and crocodiles was worth the thrill.

“You are pushing your body to the limits. You are finding out what you can and can’t do,” he said.

“You are risking a lot with sharks and crocs. That is always in the back of your mind.

“You take a risk when you hop behind the wheel of a car.”