Southeast Florida has good near shore diving and spearfishing compared to the rest of the state, but if you don’t have a boat and a captain, it’s not easy to find fish. We have the Gulfstream to thank for close clear water, reefs and wrecks, but it’s strong current also makes it challenging. Finning out a half mile or more is not so tough, but just staying in place more than a couple moments can be difficult. The secret is called “drift diving”, which is going with the flow. Freediving spearfishermen have used paddleboards since the early fifties with a fair amount of success, but nothing self-propelled can beat a kayak for diving in current, wind and waves.
Paddling a mile or two up current, just off the beach where it’s light and then heading offshore to a reef line lets you tow your kayak, scouting huge areas while drift hunting almost effortlessly. After an hour or more you’ll conveniently end up right back where you started and you can even cross over an inlet. A long sit-on-top kayak, 13 ft or more, can carry a speargun or polespear/sling, a cooler/fish bag, food, drinks, freedive or scuba gear and a drybag with GPS and VHF radio. I use the 24”x20” boat dive flag mounted on a PVC staff inserted in a scupper. An easy to see, poly tow line can double as your shooting line. Make sure everything is bungeed down to your yak and wear everything you can before launching. Getting dressed offshore isn’t easy.
Pictured off Fort Lauderdale is Elie on her yellow 15 ft Ocean Kayak with a mounted aboard scuba tank and 35 ft. long hose rig. Bright colored kayaks are best for visibility. I was freediving from my 16 ft Wilderness Systems, and we scored 3 lobsters, a mutton snapper and a hogfish! The 10 lb gag grouper shown, was my first kill from a kayak, a loaner, while my mango colored yak was ordered. What a proud feeling it was to paddle, freedive and spear a nice fish!
Divers, I recommend a good bit of paddling experience before trying to spearfish from your kayak, and vice-versa kayakers. Did I mention, I’m a diving, spearfishing & paddling instructor?
Kayak safe and shoot straight!
Capt. Chad Carney
(727) 423-7775
www.floridaskindiver.com
email: chad.carney@yahoo.com