Camo wetsuit or regular wetsuit?

[calliecal]

Haha, somedays I wonder if I shouldn't just sit in a camo boat and throw dynamite!

There is another, slightly less destructive option called electro-fishing. Simply put you apply an electric charge to the water and viola, fish gets stunned and floats to the surface. This method is used by scientists to survey fish populations and results in no (apparent) permanent harm to the fish which recover in a couple of minutes. Except of course if you choose to take the fish home for dinner in which case the technique is pretty fatal.

Naturally this option is better off a boat (camo or not), in shallow water being sure to wear thick rubber boots and gloves (again, camo or not), and only when properly educated on how to do it.

Disclaimer: I'm not advocating the use of this technique over spearfishing or other more conventional techniques of catching fish (other than the use of dymanite ). Be sure to know all the risks associated with it both to yourself and the enviroment. A good start would be the Australian Code of Electrofishing Practice which can be found here: [FONT=TimesNewRoman,BoldItalic][/FONT]http://electrofishing.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/ecode97i.pdf

 

[spadefish]

I personally like camo suits. Up to about three years ago, I swore that it made no difference, but my opinion has changed since. I target a fish similar to the european bream on a shallow heavily dived reef. These fish are impossible to hunt uness the viz is bad. With camo (the painted on type not printed) I have found that I am able to get full bays even in better vizibility. I tried this with my old black suite - result - ZERO.

I think that in shallow water with good light penetration they are better - as it gets deeper the effect becomes less. What I have noticed is that I tend to have fish coming in closer ith camo than with black. I think the problem that will always be there is that underwater our eyes and faces (where the suite does not cover) is a massive contrast from the como and black suites.

However, I still think that the difference between the two types of suites is probably less than 10% in performance - the remaining 90% has to do with technique. So at best the suite may be the cherry on the cake, but remember you need to have the cake first!!!!!

 

[Gab]

Re: Re: Camo wetsuit or regular wetsuit?

Yes, and his buddy was wearing camo.

From what I read it was the opposite:

Fry, wearing a distinctive olive green dive suit, was the first to jump into the water. He and Zimmerman wore no scuba tanks; the only legal way to take abalone is by free diving.

Zimmerman, in an all-black suit, stayed aboard and fiddled with his equipment. After a few minutes, he jumped into the water, but remained by the boat because his mask kept fogging.

http://sharkattacksurvivors.com/shark_attack/viewtopic.php?t=216

 

[JGaryMarsh]

Looking at it from the perspective of a hungry shark, I would rather be in a camo wetsuit than a black "look like a seal" wetsuit.

I kind of feel the opposite way, Gail. Most of the "camo" wetsuits that I've seen look almost exactly like the skin/coat of a harbor seal, which, here in NorCal, are a regular part of the apex predator's diet.

And following the same line of though, while/if spearfishing, I would think that the targets would see & be more alarmed by the camo suit which more closely resembles a seal, their natural predator.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I prefer functionality & durability over aesthetics everyday!

Cheers!

 

[Cheffy154]

Hi There, I have several suits mostly camo which work well having moved to them from an all black diving suit, another suit I own is predominantly brown but has a shinny pattern (beauchat) and this has worked well for me, it probably comes down to the environment and depths you dive in and the fish you hunt, I agree with some of the other posts ref how you are under water, if you are relaxed you seem to appear to be less of a threat and the fish want to check you out.

I also read the same article as Gab that said that Fry was wearing camo and Zimmerman was wearing Black.

Thankfully sharks aren't a threat over here in Jersey C.I. (yet!! who knows what could happen in years to come!!) so I can't say the colour of the suit is a massive factor, if you can afford to get a made to measure suit then great, but if not then get something that feels comfortable as your potentially going to spend a long time in it (up to 8 hrs on a good day).

Just remember one thing - be gentle with it as they're delicate, watch those nails!!

Cheffy

 

[Killa]

The camo/no camo discussions are, older than the Earth I use a camo suit, as it was only 20€ more than the same Immersion black suit. The most important part for me is not that I think I can blend in perfectly with the background, but that the colors break up my outline, changing it from one massive predator to a bunch of smaller parts. I don't know why I would ever buy a non camo suit for spearfishing as it's not really more expensive and I don't see a downside in using one, only potential (maybe even only placebo) upside.