Spearfishing 101

Equipment & Tools for Spearfishing

Spearfishing is a simple but also complicated activity. You will be able to spearfish with nothing but a sharped pole by swimming, and you also can do spearfishing by equipping with a powerful speargun along with many helpful widgets. FiDive lists all the potential tools form basic to advanced for spearfishing. You may find the ones that would be the most helpful to you depending on your personal needs. Now explore the spearfishing equipment with FiDive!

Tools for Spearing a Fish | Spearfishing Equipment

Polespear

A polespear, known as hand spear, consists of a pole, a spear tip, and a rubber loop. They are cocked and fired by pulling the band tight, gripping the pole, and releasing the spear at the desired target. Polespears are the most versatile, robust and inexpensive pieces of spear fishing equipment. This kind of spearfishing tools is the ideal first-time tool for the beginner spearfisher due to its simplicity and easy accessibility to the public. could damage an expensive gun or, worse, hurt yourself or others

On the other hand, however, due to the lack of power, polespears are short ranged and not for large fish. Thus, using a polespear would require a great deal of skill as one spearo has to be able to almost touch the fish to be able to spear it properly. FiDive recommends beginners to try polespearing by night diving since most fish sleep during night time, which makes it possible to get near to the fish before their skills to stalk the fish are well developed. It is suggested that to obtain a pole spear with an interchangeable point on its pole head as you may use a powerful head in the future to pursue a slightly heavier prey. The shafts of polespears are made of various materials ranging from the basic wood, to aluminum or titanium, or fiberglass and carbon fiber. Their differences reflect on the durability and price.

Hawaiian Sling

Hawaiian Slings consist of an elastic band attached to a tube, through which a spear is launched. It is the underwater version of a bow and arrow, offering the speed, range, and accuracy far beyond polespears. To generate a shot at a fish, just grab the rubber tube and pull down towards the spear head. When you let go, the spear shoots or jumps forward because of the rubber tube contracting. It is much more affordable than spearguns, and it is safer, easier to use as well.

Hawaiian Slings are also friendly to a beginner, but it is strongly suggested to have instructions from an experienced spearo for the first-time attempt. Due to the lack of a trigger, Hawaiian Slings could cause significant injury if held improperly, the sling may slip out of the forward hand and hit the user in the face or rear hand with significant force. The beauty of shooting a Hawaiian sling is the speed, range, and accuracy that an untethered shaft provides, which is easily double the capability of any polespear and approaches that of spearguns. Hawaiian Slings have been known to be very effective in spearfishing, with people catching rather large fish with this simple device. As a beginner, you could sharp you skills to stalk silently behind the fish through this gear.

Speargun

A speargun consists of a handle with a trigger mechanism connected to a barrel or stock, and a spear. Spearguns are usually from 0.5 to 2 metres (1.6 to 6.6 ft) long, round or roughly rectangular from 28 to 75 mm (1.1 to 3.0 in) in diameter/width. There are two main types of spearguns,­ pneumatic and those powered by rubber bands, the latter are the most popular guns in modern spearfishing world. Band powered guns can be categorized into three types: the European Style Gun (Euro Gun), the Rail gun (Australian and South African Gun), and the American Style Gun (Multi-band Gun). Choosing the correct length speargun depends on a variety of factors. The three most important factors, however, are the species being hunted, the visibility of the water and the area in which the diver is hunting. Choosing the correct length speargun depends on a variety of factors. The three most important factors, however, are the species being hunted, the visibility of the water and the area in which the diver is hunting.

A speargun is also an incredibility powerful and dangerous weapon if not handled properly. For beginners, a smaller and less powerful gun is a good choice to become familiar with the sport. Spearguns take much longer time to reload the spears compared to that with Hawaiian Slings. Thus, practicing shooting and reloading your speargun before actually going for the hunt would be beneficial to you. Generally, spearguns would be okay to apply even if you are NOT a certified freediver. Nevertheless, it is highly advised to receive a formal training on both freediving and spearfishing unless this lifestyle has been part of your living world.

Tools for Collecting Your Catch | Spearfishing Equipment

Spearfishing Stringer 

Before you make it back to the boat or dry land, it is important to know how to secure your prey while your spearfishing activity is still ongoing. A spearfishing or fishing stringer is a line of rope or chain along which a fisherman can string fish so they can be immersed and kept alive in water. In the situation of a spearo, it is a helpful tool to stow speared fish on their floats or weight belts (*Warning: it may attract sharks in some areas), which can prevent speared fish from escaping. There are various types of spearfishing stringers, including Riffe Fish Stringer, Chain Stringer, and Loop Fish Stringer. Each of these stringers are with different purposes and their convenience is dependent on individuals.

Catch Bag

Not every catch could be stowed by stringers and a spearfishing catch bag is a good way store ALL of your non-fish catch such as lobsters and sea urchins. A catch bag with heavy duty could well store your catch and be attached to your waist belt or a float before your hunting ends. There are many choices for a catch bag, and they are designed for different purposes such as minimizing the drag, one-hand operation, limit friction in the water, protecting spearo from the catch, keeping the catch alive and fresh, etc.

Spearfishing Float

Spearfishing Floats are critical for spearos because it make you more visible to any boats speeding past. Floats can alert boat traffic to a diver in the water or below the boat. It would be even better if you have a flag on your float. If you spear a heavy fish, you can even let go of the gun and utilize a line attached to the float, which serves as an anchor to your speargun, so that you can still control and retrieve the fish and your gun. You can also attached your fish stringer or catch bag on floats to keep you safe from sharks’ attacks in certain circumstances. A torpedo-shaped float is highly recommended as it can easily cut through the water, minimizing the drag burden to a spear.

Tools for Cleaning a Fish | Spearfishing Equipment

Spearfishing Knife

A diving knife is essential for any divers even if they don’t spearfishing. This would be the very tool that saves your life when emergency happens. One of the most common accidents occurs underwater is getting tangled in fishing line or kelp bed, and that could drown a spearo if not cut their way out immediately. It is thus strongly suggested to tie a diving knife on your body where you can easily take the blade out. There is variety of styles, including perforated edges, complex designs, and unique tips, for today’s diving knives. For example, a blunt tip one is great for prying, digging, hacking, and chiseling while a sharp tip one is great for puncturing and cutting, which would be a more ideal kind for spearos.

The most common materials that make up a diving knife blade are titanium, stainless steel, and ceramic. Titanium is rust free and compared to stainless steel it’s lighter and holds its edge better, while stainless steel is typically easier to sharpen compared to titanium (but in most cases won’t hold it’s edge as long). As a spearo, a fine diving knife is necessary in order to handle (cutting, killing, or cleaning) your prey. One more thing to know the advantage/importance to bring a diving knife is that you can save those poor marine life that are trapped in stray fishing line or nets. (Reference: How to choose a diving knife?)

Fish Scale Remover

Some spearos use diving knife to remove the fish scale, but a good tool such a fish scale remover can let you finish the job efficiently without cutting hands. It could save about half the time it would take to scale a fish using your knife.

Stainless Scissors

You can acquire scissors in this materials anywhere in our daily life. When cleaning a fish, you may find some are with spikes that would pose you in danger as if you are