be able to reel your fish back in.
These methods are obviously recommended for catching fish you
intend to eat, not for catch-and-release, as the outcome of spearing
anything is fatal.
As far as the basic gear goes, beyond
the speargun that you’ll have, you
will need to invest in the following:
a mask and snorkel, a wetsuit and
fins, a weight belt, and a knife. The
knife is obviously for protection
(sharks and other predators) and is
also a good thing to use to finish the
fish once you have speared it. The
weight belt is important for buoyancy. The wetsuit will enable you to
dive comfortably and give your skin
extra protection from the elements,
such as the cold and the salinity. The
mask and the snorkel are – we hope
– self-explanatory.
44 Summer 2016 Adventure Outdoors
A decent speargun for beginners and
smaller fish costs $100 or so. Once you
get more experience and you catch the
spearfishing fever, you’re looking at
spending between $200 and $400 for a
top-notch gun. The rest of the gear you
can buy in a set and will run you about
$70-$200, depending on what comes in
the set and the quality of it. If you are
just starting out, and you have the extra
money to spend on the gear, go for the
more expensive set. It’ll last you a long
time, and you’ll feel better when you’re
underwater in the middle of it all.
Do
not
dive alone.
You need to have a diving buddy to
come along with you while you hunt
underwater, as it is a dangerous environment and the sea is 100% unpredict
able. Saltwater spearfishing is a thrilling adventure, and the adrenaline rush
comes from being underneath the surface and exposed to the dangers of this
foreign habitat. Without a buddy, the
rush can become panic very quickly,
and you are 10 times more likely to be
rescued with a partner, rather than just
going alone unnoticed and with patrol
unaware of your whereabouts.
Freshwater spearfishing, such as in a
deep lake, does not remove you from
harm’s way. You should never hunt
underwater without making use of the
buddy system. If and when something
goes wrong, whether you inadvertently get your fin caught under a rock, or if
you see the shadow of a shark coming
your way as you’re holding a bloody
fish in your hand, you will never be
more glad to have help nearby.
Spearfishing is a welcomed medium
in most fishing communities, and the
more tropical areas actually prefer this
method. It can be done in freshwater or saltwater and is acceptable for
all species that are permitted to take
home and filet. Once again, do not take
up spearfishing in a catch-and-release
only zone, as it is illegal. For information on areas in your state that allow
spearfishing, you will need to check
the corresponding wildlife and conservation department websites.