Gymnosarda unicolor

The dogtooth tuna (or Doggie) is a reef pelagic enjoying deep and cool waters. It is probably the most famous fish of the Indo-pacific among international spearo community because of its current rarity, difficulty in capturing and exceptional fighting abilitiesdefense.

The doggy is recognizable by its stocky body shapefigure (adults), its large eyes, the white spot at the base of its tail and especially its protruding lower jaw and big teeth clearly visible when it opens its mouth.

It tirelessly patrols steep and deep, or gradual, rock and sand drop offs. It is more common when the waters cool down from 28-30°C to 22-25°C, that is to say from May to December with local variations. Peak season is from July to October. Juveniles are visible all year round. It is usually found at dusk, after 16.00, or early in the morning until 9.00. The darker it is, the higher the chances of seeing one. In an increasingly dark water, the connoisseur locates the dog-tooth tuna by the white spot at the base of its tail. It is useful to observe the movements of the baitfish, as for amberjacks. If all the bait shoot upsquirt  all at once, it is probably that there is a big one around.

Sometimes, depending on the current, there may be passages in the middle of the day. It is almost imperative that there is a sustained current, unless there is a short slack between two tides. Juveniles are often in schools and large individuals, solitary. Schools of mixed size fish are sometimes observed.

The classical flasher is ineffective; however some specialists have developed the technique of “the baron”, a soft plasticflexible lure immersed with the hunter that can setfix and attract patrollingup tunas from the deep. that patrol in the deep.

The dog tooth tuna is very powerful indeed and it is strongly advised not to shoot with a reel fish larger than 15kg, especially if there is coral structure on the bottom or if the depth exceeds roughly half the capacity of the reel. The doggie will do anything it can to reach the coral, entangle the line and tear the shaft out of its body, the whole set-up staying well stuck deep down beyond your reach. The preferred set-up is still the breakaway, or the direct attachment of the speargun to the float. The float must be at least 35l with a bungee preferably short and stiff, such as a normal 16mm rubber. A 25kg dog tooth tuna will sink the 35l buoy. The slip-tip is very strongly recommended, because this fish with its very strongviolent defense tears easily. It is easier to approach the big tuna from above. The smaller ones can be shot from profile, or even from below. It is a predator of the reef so it can also rove along the drop offs and surprise you near the structure. In heavily fished areas, like Bali, the big ones are wary, deep and distant. Be careful not to be dragged into deep, swirling areas. In more pristine areas this fish is less skittishweary and can even be easy to land if the current conditions are favorable with theand if the suitable gearequipment is suitable.

I did not mention sharks because in Indonesia there are not many are left. In more protected places, such as Australia or New Caledonia, the rules of the game are different, and one must be able to stun the tuna to prevent the shark pack from tearing it into pieces.

Dog tooth tuna is delicious raw or cooked. Be careful, however, of the frequent presence of parasites in the abdomen, to be extracted one by one. For sashimi, it is therefore safer to freeze the fish first. The dog tooth tuna, despite its pelagic looks, is also a reef fish threatened by overfishing, especially by jig fishermen but also spearos. Capture in moderation.