Beginner Freediver/Spearfisher in need of help

[JackRiddle]

Hi All,

I am new to the forums here and I mainly joined to ask questions and learn about freediving and spearfishing.

First off, I am 30 years old, my height is 6 foot 3 and I weigh 195 pounds. I will be hunting in Malibu, California at about 25 feet deep in kelp forrests with rocky reefs and sandy bottoms. I will be hunting for the following species Calico bass, Rockcod, Lingcod, Halibut, White Sea Bass, Yellowtail, Sheephead, Bonita, Barracuda, and Sandbass. Some of these fish as you probably know can get up to 50+ pounds but realistically I will be running into an average of 3 to 5 pounds with occasional 10 to 30 pound lingcod, White Seabass, or halibut. I want to be ready to take out the occasional big halibuts or seabass though. So my questions to you are the following:

1) What Speargun should I purchase?

I have been looking at the JBL sawed-off Magnum Aliminum, the JBL 38 Special Aliminum, and even the JBL woody sawed off Magnum. I have a budget of $250, but would like to spend around $200 if possible.

2) Do I need to buy gloves??

3) What is a good inexpensive snorkel bundle that includes mask, fins and a snorkel??

I have never done this before but I have been kayak fishing for years and I am very passionate about spearfishing and I just found a friend who is into as well. Please help me out I would really appreciate it. Take care and thank you for your time. Also, feel free to comment with any tips, questions, or concerns.

 

[hank49]

Welcome to the sport.

I won't go into gun choices because it's a personal choice. The guys shooting WSB though like 50-55 inch guns it seems from reading what they post.

Regarding mask, fins and snorkel....the only "kits" I see are in dime stores. Cheap stuff. You don't want that. Look for a low volume mask. You can get a nice generic one for around $30-40. You can get a similar mask that has a ScubaPro, Oceanic, Cressi or some brand name and it'll be more like $70 but they're basically the same,
You might as well shell out at least $200 for some long fins. Riffe, Cressi and a few others make plastic blades. They're better than short scuba fins. The carbon fibers are really nice. If you try some and switch back to short or plastic, you'll really see the difference. But you're looking at more like $350 for those.
Yes, you need gloves. Cocking the bands and grabbing fish will beat your hands up if you don't wear them. Those you can get pretty cheap. Just buy the rubber faced gardening gloves. Forget the expensive scuba diving gloves. They all tear up in the same amount of time hanging onto rocks under water.

You're not going to be able to do this really cheap. Buying a gun is just the beginning. Bands, shafts, shooting line, reel, line, float line, pigtails, breakaway, floaters.....another gun, new fins, the list goes on. But, it's worth every penny.

 

[Apneaddict]

For a mask and snorkel, try canamuwhgear.com for something that will work for you.

For good / cheap fins, good bang:buck is the Immersion e:green fins from diveinn.com.

You won't find better gear for cheaper than this route.

 

[JackRiddle]

I thank both of you, but I have a few more questions.

1.) I am going to buy either the JBL Sawed-off magnum aliminum or the JBL Competition Aliminum. What I am wondering is when I buy this item will it be ready to shoot out of the box? Or do I have to go by a reel, line, and more stuff for it in order to go hunting? I am a little confused of everything I will need in order to hunt.

 

[hank49]

The gun should be rigged with shooting line, bands and shaft. You'll probably need to order a reel and line separately. Check with the people you're ordering it from.
Remove your bands after use, put them in a plastic bag and seal them. I keep them in the refrigerator too. They last a lot longer that way.

 

[JackRiddle]

Hi Hank,

Thank you for the help. So do I need a reel and line?? 90% of the fish will be under 7 pounds?? Also, What are pigtails and breakaway floaters? Thanks again, I really do appreciate it.

 

[hank49]

I use a reel all the time. The fish I shoot here in Belize are normally about 8-10 lbs. But you run into the bigger ones and if you shoot a 20 fish or bigger and don't get a kill shot and he doesn't want to come up with you, you can lose fish and gun.
A pigtail is the little metal fitting that ties your reel line to your shooting line. You make a loop on your shooting line and it wraps into the pigtail for easy changing of shafts.
From what I've read, the guys in California prefer floatlines. Bill McIntyre posts a lot here and he's got a lot of experience there. If you're lucky enough to get a good shot on a white sea bass, they run down and get tangled in the kelp.
You can find all these things at most spearfishing supply stores online.
Riffe
Freedivestore.com
Mako

Talk to the guys there and tell them what you want to do. They're knowledgeable and will set you up.

But you sound like a real beginner. Set your sights a bit lower. Learn to be comfortable in the water. Shoot small fish. If you get lucky and hit a big one, you might just lose it. Find some buddies to go with who are experienced.

 

[hteas]

Hunting in kelp beds is very difficult with a floatline of any type; don't bother. A reel is the only way to go there.

As far as the gun; the sawed-off magnum will work for sheephead and maybe the small calicos, but has neigher the range nor penetration for bigger fish, like wsb or yellowtail. The competition magnum would be the better choice. Check out Mako Spearguns for inexpensive gear, including fins, mask, and guns. High quality for a very good price.

 

[JackRiddle]

Awesome. Thank you all for your advice. I think I will buy the Competition Magnum and start buying fins, masks, reels, etc. This will give me a chance to get familiar with the sport to make sure I like it. I have a feeling I will become obsessed because I am an experienced kayak fisher and have caught a lot of WSB, 50 pound halibuts, Big sheephead, lingcod, calicos, and rockfish, and I am very passionate about the sport. You guys have been awesome. Wish me luck, I plan to do my first freestyle dive in a week and a half with my other newbie friend. Take Care and feel free to keep posting comments, tips and concerns.

 

[hank49]

Hunting in kelp beds is very difficult with a floatline of any type; don't bother. A reel is the only way to go there.

I have never hunted in kelp. But reading about guys hunting WSB in California, many do prefer floatlines.

 

[hteas]

When I lived in San Diego I did know divers that used a floatline. It is possible, but difficult. There is constant tangling of the line around kelp plants. The kelp also does not allow a float any larger than a small egg float used for nets, again because it will tangle in the kelp.

I used to use a Bandido gun the same size as the competition magnum. It worked for wsb and for yellowtail up to 45 lb without problem. Just don't put too much rubber on it, or it is likely to stack to trigger and make it too hard to fire. The gun should come with 3 X 9/16 in bands. TYhat or 2 X 5/8 in is probably all the JBL handle can handle.

 

[BatRay]

I'd like to add a note about the gloves. California waters are pretty cool, even in So Cal, so you might want to consider something more insulated than garden gloves. The Deeperblue shop tends to have some decent deals on gear, and they often have mask and snorkel bundles. They also have a variety of fins. Shipping can be a bit pricey, but they ship really fast. If you want to browse there, click on the link in my signature and see what they have to offer. Your local dive shop can also give you an idea of the price of gear, and you may want to go there anyway to ensure that your mask fits properly.

Have you looked at the JBL 38 Northwest Special? It packs a punch, especially when equipped with heavier bands, and it retails around $200.