A spearfishing thread

cracked_ribs

Well-Known Member
Rather than interrupt the lingcod thread with a tangent I'm interested in, but which isn't really directly related to lingcod fishing, let me put this here:

Do a course. It’s fun. But dangerous without training. My breath hold went from one minute to three over a weekend course. Some of the other guys hit 5 minutes.
Is there a course you would recommend? Having taken it yourself, what would you say the prerequisites are?

My max in-water hold is about 1:40 but that's just floating there in a pool at a comfy temperature doing nothing. My max time while swimming feels like it's about 5 seconds so clearly I'm not getting something here.

I can't remember where but somewhere I saw a spearfishing course that was something like "ocean foraging" and that rustles my jimmies in a big way. But I am unclear on how to get rolling, exactly.

So for any spearos or aspiring spearos...what's the scoop, locally? I am in Ladysmith but "local" could be anywhere on the south coast, really.
 
Rather than interrupt the lingcod thread with a tangent I'm interested in, but which isn't really directly related to lingcod fishing, let me put this here:


Is there a course you would recommend? Having taken it yourself, what would you say the prerequisites are?

My max in-water hold is about 1:40 but that's just floating there in a pool at a comfy temperature doing nothing. My max time while swimming feels like it's about 5 seconds so clearly I'm not getting something here.

I can't remember where but somewhere I saw a spearfishing course that was something like "ocean foraging" and that rustles my jimmies in a big way. But I am unclear on how to get rolling, exactly.

So for any spearos or aspiring spearos...what's the scoop, locally? I am in Ladysmith but "local" could be anywhere on the south coast, really.
I do highly recommend the course. It was a lot of fun. And you need training and a dive buddy from a safety standpoint. The prerequisites are just enthusiasm and being able to swim. Not everyone that does this is an athlete but the better shape your in the better you’ll be. I’m a carpenter that smoked for twenty years. I eat a little to well....and I had a blast and held my breath longer than I ever thought possible.
Look up Bottom Dwellers freediving . Chris Adair is the owner/teacher(this is in Victoria) PFI certification is what your looking for. I did the course but couldn’t complete it as I had sinus issues that wouldn’t allow me to equalize past 5 meters. The breath hold is all about the breath up. There is a PFI school in Campbell River as well.
Anyways....sorry for the extension of the derail!
 
I have known Kirk Krack for decades, great guy.
He does this stuff all over the world, so unsure as to his current availability.
They did a free diving worlds in Howe Sound 20 years ago or something, I was hosting the safety divers on my gillnetter for the event.
Good times!

https://www.tdisdi.com/pfi/
 
I am a very casual freediver/spearfisher. I haven't taken a course (though I would like to, it's very hard to schedule with my shift work). I also tend to do it on my own, contrary to most of the advice touting the safety of doing it with a buddy. I honestly believe that if you had true difficulty (a blackout), the chances of another casual freediver being able to save you are minimal. As a result, I am extremely conservative with my dives, never even coming close to pushing the limits.
 
I am a very casual freediver/spearfisher. I haven't taken a course (though I would like to, it's very hard to schedule with my shift work). I also tend to do it on my own, contrary to most of the advice touting the safety of doing it with a buddy. I honestly believe that if you had true difficulty (a blackout), the chances of another casual freediver being able to save you are minimal. As a result, I am extremely conservative with my dives, never even coming close to pushing the limits.
What sort of depths do you dive to?
 
Maybe 30 or 40 feet max. I don't have a spear gun, I use a pole spear. All of our cold water species generally let you get close enough so that you don't actually need the gun.
 
Definitely hit up Chris adair at bottom dwellers. He will show you proper techniques and safety practices.

I had a shallow water blackout about 5 years ago. Got lucky.
 
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This spring ?mabye summer ? I rowed and casted for coho singing sands rd littlriv (800 pieces ho's retuned to the riv nov19 )anyway a fellow as i packed the 12' tinny to the truck he suited up to go under.he broke two sets of gloves and had problems getting his flippers on but eventually walked off the beach lining up the power poles to the ship at artifichal reef at 90' .i was chashed of the water and he just waded in and disappeard with his spear. I waited around for 30 min as he told me he had that much time in his tanks .after 20 min ,I considered it not my problem and left.lord hates a coward ,and fools seldom differ.
 
Been a busy week so I haven't been on here much but glad to see the spearfishing thread getting some traction!

I am going to look into courses. It was the Bottom Dweller "harvesting" courses that I think initially got me hot and bothered to give this a try. I do snorkel in the summer so I'm thinking this can't be completely beyond my abilities.

I'll start calling around and seeing if I can figure out if there's sort of a minimum skill level to benefit from the courses, or a swimming fitness level, or what. I come from a world of courses in a completely different arena where establishing your credentials is pretty important to move up to the next level so maybe I'm paranoid about being the guy who holds the class back by being inept, but I would like at least some sense of what I'm doing before I go and try to keep up with a group. Or is that the equivalent of not sending your kids to school because they don't know anything yet?
 
Just do it.
Unless you are a heavy smoker, it is the mental not the physical that gets in the way.
 
Hey Christmas is coming up and I'm feeling generous. I might just get a gift for .. myself :) What thickness wetsuit do you use? Is there a brand you really like?
 
I bought a 5mm off Amazon of all places. If you search spearfishing wetsuit, it's the REALON brand. Make sure you buy a larger size...read the reviews to get an idea. I bought mine when it was on sale for only $120, but they are only $179, and very good quality for what you're paying. No sense in paying big bucks when you're not sure if it's for you yet...
 
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