Beginner - Getting closer to fish

[BillyC0304]

Hi, I just started spearfishing and have yet to catch a fish. Ive done around 3-4 dives. How long did it take yall to get your first fish? I'm in pretty clear water using a 75 cm gun. Mostly, I'm having a hard time getting close enough to the fish to hit them. Maybe making too much noise during my duck-dive? I tried tapping my gun against the coral a few times while waiting on the bottom but fish don't really seem to come close. Any tips on stalking fish?

 

[Mr. X]

I got my first fish first time spearing - if I hadn't perhaps I wouldn't have been hooked. It was mainly luck and persistence (in a 2mm shortie wetsuit!). My brother caught several fish the first time he went freshwater angling and was hooked but caught nothing more for 2 or 3 years before learning more from local competition anglers from the local club.

Hide in weeds or behind rocks?

 

[foxfish]

Slowly & smoothly, make everything seem like half speed.

 

[Rock Shooter]

For curious fish:
With one finger, dig your finger in most of the way and flick up sand on the bottom trying to mimic a small crustacean burrowing, the more 'jerky' and repetitive your action, the better.

For bigger fish, use more sand. A handful etc
However, if you ever see a school of pufferfish, you will get that finger nipped

 

[mariusshobo]

How long did it take yall to get your first fish?

I ve speared my first decent fish after 3 or 4 weeks of diveing; and it was pure luck.

 

[outdoor.mne]

I got my first fish when I first time spearing... and,I kill fish in every next dive.My spearfishing area( adriatica ) is so poor with big fish, but allways can expect someone 30-45cm mullet or aurata...
I diving on the 4-10m deepth, and around big underwater rock's.
Good luck Billy.

 

[BillyC0304]

Thanks, it seems I might need to slow things down a bit more. I'm waiting on the bottom( in weeds and coral beds) for the fish, but they don't seem to be very interested in coming closer.

 

[Tesilential]

Hi Billy,

I just picked up the hobby in August and have speared maybe 6 or 7 times. The first couple trips the visibility was less than the length of my gun (90cm) and we didn't see much. Finally I shot a snapper that kept swimming in circles in a hole and by chance shot another one right behind him! So my first fish was 3 trips in and I got 2 for the price of one.

Then I got 6 fish the next trip and 3 the trip after that and my most recent trip I got skunked while my buddy got his first fish finally (20" flounder) on his little 6' fiberglass pole spear. The skunk trip was by far the best visibility, the fish wouldn't let me get close and I didn't even see many.

Your 75 cm may not have the range you need if the viz is good.

Couple things I've noticed (take with a grain of salt):
*If you aren't seeing fish, shoot the gun. The sound can draw fish in.
*Scrape your speartip or something around the rocks for a while, it can attrack some fish.
*TURN AROUND when you've been sitting on the bottom for 20 seconds or so. Fish sometimes come in behind you to observe and turning around has got me my easiest shots at my best fish.

Keep at it!

 

[BillyC0304]

Thanks, got my first 2 fish today ~ Before that, I've only speared a cuttlefish on a pole spear. Pretty terrible visibility today and also raining. I was getting ready to head back but decided to give it one more shot before heading back. Maybe the bad visibility helped today. Pretty much gun length visibility until I was around 3-4m down into the water. One question though, I've read alot about attracting fish with scratching around rocks/coral and also croaking but how much is too much? Like, do you guys scratch a few times and wait or keep at it. I always thought that the extra sound would scare fish away? Not too sure ~