hello from Santa Cruz

[Jared2002]

Hello - I live in Santa Cruz and am interested in getting into some free diving and spear fishing. I have a small aluminum boat that I am going to use in the Monterey Bay. I've got good swimming and ocean experience, but free diving will be new.
I've been looking at some gear online and am not very familiar with brands.
I'm looking to get a package deal (fins, mask, snorkel, belt, gloves). Any recommendations?
I was also looking at the woody series of JBL guns. They seemed to be affordable, but not sure how well made.

Thanks in advance,
Jared

 

[agbiv]

Welcome from Texas! There's many who can help with your questions. Try mako spearguns web site.

 

[Salehthefish]

Hello there

Welcome on DB there many threads about your questions all you do is search and write down what you need i am sure you'll get many answers...

Enjoy safe diving

 

[BatRay]

Hi Jared, welcome to Deeperblue! Much of my diving is out of Monterey, so you've come to the right place. You might want to check out the California/West Coast Spearo network forum, where people from our region post trip reports and such. The Monterey Tritons are a spearfishing club out of Monterey, and they'd be a good contact for you. Try contacting them on that forum.

As for gear, the Deeperblue shop has some good deals. The gear ships from Europe, but it'll get to you in less than a week. You could also contact DB member jimdoe2you. He can set you up.

Again, welcome, and I hope you stick around. I dove a week ago at Pacific Grove and Monterey. You're lucky to live so close to the ocean

 

[liberte]

jared, i just got a mako gun from the above mentioned post. i got a 120 for trips i am making to socal and baja, but they have the same great gun in a 90 cm model. check it out if you haven't already. where do you live? I am in san rafael, right above san francisco. i go both north and south to freedive and spearfish and also go out and scuba with my wife and some friends. let me know if you'd like to meet up for a dive.
chris

 

[cmburch]

...
As for gear, the Deeperblue shop has some good deals. The gear ships from Europe, but it'll get to you in less than a week. You could also contact DB member jimdoe2you. He can set you up.
...

I got a speargun from this store last month.

Does anyone know why they do not sell Omer Products to the US?

 

[cmburch]

Welcome to DeeperBlue!
Check out SpearBoard California Section for local Spearos in your area. Abalone season opened this month, you can hook-up with a buddy on SpearBoard. It is hard to order off the internet without trying on first. All of these items can add up in cost pretty quickly. Also are you just doing freediving or also SCUBA? May want to check out Wallins in the West Bay. I have never been there. I was going to swing by this month and see what they have. They also have freedive classes.

There is The Freedive Shop in Sacramento and Bodega Bay Pro Dive. Both have internet sites, but try on the gear first especially the mask, fins, booties and gloves.

Dolphin Sacramento has hunting/abalone classes. Check out their website and for prices on equipment.

Check out Neptonics website for high quality gear. Josh lives in the SC mountains.

There are many good quality rubber belts. I got a Spetton Marseilles belt and Spetton fins from SCUBAStore.

 

[BatRay]

Does anyone know why they do not sell Omer Products to the US?

You've got me on that one. I didn't know about that. If you want Omer products, check out the Spearfishing Store online. It belongs to our very own jimdoe2you and he's great to deal with. I just bought a pair of Millenium Winter fins from him last month.

 

[jimdoe2you]

I think I know what cmburch is refering to. He is asking why scubstore.com and subprof don't sell Omer goods to the US. The answer is because the company "Technosport" is the authorized distributor for north america so Omer tells the european stores they cannot sell directly into Technosport's protected territory.

This is why if you try to buy Omer goods online through subprof you get a message at checkout that no Omer goods can be sent to north America.

 

[cmburch]

If you go by Sacramento, check out the Freedive Shop.

Great lightweight booties for use as socks. Very comfortable.
freediving and spearfishing equipment, FreeDiveShop

Good comfortable starter fins:
freediving and spearfishing equipment, FreeDiveShop

 

[cmburch]

I saw this great deal on a package. But it is near impossible to buy a mask without first trying it on. I have ordered some speargun rubber and small parts from this company.

MAKO Spearguns - Store

 

[liberte]

i finally got to use my mako 120 on tuesday. it was awesome. the vis in carmel,ca was great, at least 50ft. the gun was super accurate and had tons of distance. i was nailing rockfish from 25 feet. definately a little overkill on those poor fishes but the gun performed really well. i had a lingcod that was swimming about 5 feet off the bottom, when i first saw him i was about 10 feet from him. i thought about it for a second, my spear would have bashed the rocks pretty hard with such a close shot, so i ascending about another 10 feet then took the shot.
i'm definately going back to mako for supplies when i need them.

 

[cmburch]

I have a 110 with 150cm spear, but for tomorrow's Triton Ling Tournament I'll be using something shorter. Big Sur if conditions permit, Carmel if rough. I have never seen 35'+ Vis. Wish I was able to go the beginning of this week.

 

[liberte]

carmel has some pretty good vis sometimes. hope you find some big lings for your tourney. do you dive off a boat or kayak or from the shore?

 

[cmburch]

Big Sur normally Boogie board. Carmel inflatable, kayak, and Boogie Board. I just want to get wet tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll come across a tasty Ling and Cab.

 

[liberte]

i'm going to post a recipe i used for the lingcod on the recipe forum, lingcod encusted in asiago and buerre blanc sauce, it was awesome