Spearfishing Equipment
Posted on December 30, 2011 | No Comments
Neil Mellon asked:
A lot of beginners to spearfishing will often have difficulty in determining what spearfishing equipment or gear they need to get started. The items listed below are a good place to start.
You can purchase all of this equipment at most dive shops. Or you might prefer to buy your spearfishing equipment online due to the larger range, possible cheaper prices and the ease of shopping online.
Spearfishing equipment can be quite expensive so buying all of the listed gear in one go may not be possible for you. However, just remember that some of the gear will be expensive because you’re paying for a brand name, so buying generic brand equipment will usually be a cheaper option.
• Dive Mask and Snorkel
A mask and snorkel should be one of the first items on your list. You need a mask to see underwater and a snorkel to breathe as you scan the underwater world for fish.
• Wetsuits and Stingersuits
Spearfishing wetsuits and stingersuits are the clothing you need to wear when spearfishing. The wetsuit will insulate you from the cold and keep the sun off your back. Choosing the right wetsuit is important. It needs to be a snug fit to keep you insulated but not so tight as to restrict your movements. The camouflage wetsuits are popular as they allow you to blend in with your surroundings and get closer to the fish you intend to spear.
• Spearfishing Fins
Fins provide you with the power you need to move through the water. There are two types of fins you can use for spearfishing. The first type has a long blade and slips onto your foot. The long blades give you a lot more thrust as you kick, so basically you get more power out of each kick. If you buy this type of fins you will also have to get a pair of booties or socks which are just a pair of socks made of wetsuit material which stop your feet getting blisters.
The other type of fins are the open back type. You will need to have a pair of reef boots for these fins. The reef boots slide into the fins and you use the strap to go around your heel and hold your foot in. The open back fins aren’t as long as the other type so you will be doing a bit more work with your legs to get through the water at the same speed. The type of fins divers use is usually a personal preference that depends on how comfortable they are.
• Gloves
The next item of spearfishing equipment you will need are a pair of gloves. Fishing gloves are basic cotton gloves with grip added to them to be able to hold slippery fish. The cotton gloves are cheap and effective. They do stretch and wear out after a few dives but they are inexpensive to replace.
Or you may prefer the dive gloves. Dive gloves are made out wetsuit material and usually have some kind of grip pattern on the fingers and palms. Because they are made from quite sturdy material, they generally last a lot longer than the cotton fishing gloves. Also the wetsuit material will insulate your hands and keep them warm, but you will pay a bit more if you choose this option.
• Dive Knife
It’s pretty obvious what a dive knife is for. Killing the fish that you spear. If you learn the right spot to stab the fish you can kill it quickly and with minimum blood going into the water. Make sure the dive knife you get comes with a sheath and a strap to hold it on your leg or arm. Also, another spearfishing tip is to choose one with grip on the handle so it’s easy to hold even underwater.
• Speargun
Last but not least is the speargun. The speargun is the spearfishermans tool of trade and is the weapon you will use to catch fish. The two types of spearguns to choose from are rubber powered or pneumatic.
Spearguns come in a range of sizes to suit the type of fish you are chasing and the different spearfishing spots you can go to. For larger fish in open water where you will need to shoot over longer distances, a bigger gun would suit, whereas for smaller fish or crayfish, you would only need a small gun. If you are just starting out than a 1.1 or 1.2 metre gun would be a great gun to start off with, being an intermediate size speargun.
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A lot of beginners to spearfishing will often have difficulty in determining what spearfishing equipment or gear they need to get started. The items listed below are a good place to start.
You can purchase all of this equipment at most dive shops. Or you might prefer to buy your spearfishing equipment online due to the larger range, possible cheaper prices and the ease of shopping online.
Spearfishing equipment can be quite expensive so buying all of the listed gear in one go may not be possible for you. However, just remember that some of the gear will be expensive because you’re paying for a brand name, so buying generic brand equipment will usually be a cheaper option.
• Dive Mask and Snorkel
A mask and snorkel should be one of the first items on your list. You need a mask to see underwater and a snorkel to breathe as you scan the underwater world for fish.
• Wetsuits and Stingersuits
Spearfishing wetsuits and stingersuits are the clothing you need to wear when spearfishing. The wetsuit will insulate you from the cold and keep the sun off your back. Choosing the right wetsuit is important. It needs to be a snug fit to keep you insulated but not so tight as to restrict your movements. The camouflage wetsuits are popular as they allow you to blend in with your surroundings and get closer to the fish you intend to spear.
• Spearfishing Fins
Fins provide you with the power you need to move through the water. There are two types of fins you can use for spearfishing. The first type has a long blade and slips onto your foot. The long blades give you a lot more thrust as you kick, so basically you get more power out of each kick. If you buy this type of fins you will also have to get a pair of booties or socks which are just a pair of socks made of wetsuit material which stop your feet getting blisters.
The other type of fins are the open back type. You will need to have a pair of reef boots for these fins. The reef boots slide into the fins and you use the strap to go around your heel and hold your foot in. The open back fins aren’t as long as the other type so you will be doing a bit more work with your legs to get through the water at the same speed. The type of fins divers use is usually a personal preference that depends on how comfortable they are.
• Gloves
The next item of spearfishing equipment you will need are a pair of gloves. Fishing gloves are basic cotton gloves with grip added to them to be able to hold slippery fish. The cotton gloves are cheap and effective. They do stretch and wear out after a few dives but they are inexpensive to replace.
Or you may prefer the dive gloves. Dive gloves are made out wetsuit material and usually have some kind of grip pattern on the fingers and palms. Because they are made from quite sturdy material, they generally last a lot longer than the cotton fishing gloves. Also the wetsuit material will insulate your hands and keep them warm, but you will pay a bit more if you choose this option.
• Dive Knife
It’s pretty obvious what a dive knife is for. Killing the fish that you spear. If you learn the right spot to stab the fish you can kill it quickly and with minimum blood going into the water. Make sure the dive knife you get comes with a sheath and a strap to hold it on your leg or arm. Also, another spearfishing tip is to choose one with grip on the handle so it’s easy to hold even underwater.
• Speargun
Last but not least is the speargun. The speargun is the spearfishermans tool of trade and is the weapon you will use to catch fish. The two types of spearguns to choose from are rubber powered or pneumatic.
Spearguns come in a range of sizes to suit the type of fish you are chasing and the different spearfishing spots you can go to. For larger fish in open water where you will need to shoot over longer distances, a bigger gun would suit, whereas for smaller fish or crayfish, you would only need a small gun. If you are just starting out than a 1.1 or 1.2 metre gun would be a great gun to start off with, being an intermediate size speargun.
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