Summer is here! What better time to learn to spearfish? Many people have gotten into it because they were already “divers” and wanted to try another activity while underwater—as happened to me. A few fishermen, who weren’t yet divers, have asked me where to begin if they wanted to learn.
My first piece of advice to anyone is to be sure you are comfortable underwater, whether scuba diving or freediving. One must be so comfortable underwater that it becomes second nature. If scuba diving, achieving proper buoyancy should happen without even thinking about it. If freediving, it’s best to have many dives under your belt before picking up a speargun. Fortunately, there are many dive agencies and dive shops that offer scuba certification and freediving instruction. Beyond that, I recommend at least one year’s worth of experience diving under different conditions before attempting to spearfish. It is a very good sign if you are so calm and collected in the water that fish which are normally “spooky” will let you swim near them instead of running from your presence (such as mutton snappers and black groupers). This is the sign of an experienced diver and will help you to properly hunt fish.
When ready to begin, it’s important to have the right equipment—and I’m not just talking about a speargun. Get advice from a reputable dive shop that specializes in spearfishing. They will guide you toward the right wetsuit, mask, knife, gloves, and speargun. Dive shops are familiar with local conditions and will give good advice.
If you have a spearfishing club in the area, by all means, join! Many club members are there because they are sociable and willing to help others. They remember starting out and are often willing to take you out and give advice. Just remember to return the favor by being a good buddy; help pay for the gas, bring snacks and water to share, and help clean the boat. That will hopefully get you invited back. Learning from others who already do it is probably the most valuable step you can take. If you are lucky, you will share many great experiences, have a new set of lifelong friends, and maybe even find a mentor or two.
Here are a few more tips:
- 1. Always remember that safety comes first. Don’t do anything that is risky or beyond your comfort zone.
- 2. Learn what size and species to target in order to maintain quality and selectivity. Keep it honorable and ethical. Consider setting even higher standards than the law allows.
- 3. Spend more time observing in the beginning. Watch the more experienced hunters; you can learn a lot just by watching them.
- 4. Consider starting with a polespear instead of a speargun in order to refine your stalking skills, as this requires that you get closer. This is especially good for young divers.
- 5. Enjoy the experience, keep it fun and consider being a mentor to someone else as you improve.
Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.