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Need advices for spearfishing in the UK

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caronte23

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Sep 6, 2016
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Hi everyone, I'm a passionate spearfhisher and freediver. I've always been into these sort of activities since I was a kid in Italy.
Now it's 2 years I've been living in Bristol and I often miss the see.. Occasinally I go surfing in devon or corwall, but I'd like to go fishing as well sometimes, so I'm considering getting some gear.
What size wetsuits do you guys use for fishing in the UK? 8mm? I'm guessing either way the winter might be too cold, or no?
 
I use a 5mm and dive in South Devon from around April to November. I would love a 7 or 8mm suit, but I don't really want to have to carry more weight than I already do.
 
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I use an Oceanic Shadow 5mm semi dry which came with a 5mm shortie option for the colder months so it would be 10mm thickness over all around the core area but so far i have only worn the one piece 5mm. I usually change my hood from a 3mm to a 5mm in the winter months and I spearfish all year round off the coast of Shetland and have never felt cold. But it all depends on how you feel the cold yourself as everyone is different I am used to the cool temerature and have acclimatized to it over 30 years and now i cant stand it when the temperature is any higher than 18 oc in my opinion if its to hot you can only cool off to skin depth but if its too cold you can always wrap up.
 
Hi Caronte23 from the spiritual home of spearfishing :) No not 8mm, the most I have come across is 7mm but even that is unusual. This is what I use:

5mm Eliossub spearo suit (with high waist spearo pants & hood) fine for year round use south west England & wales. I find 2mm glove too thin, so 3 or 4mm gloves. Probably 4-5mm socks .- choose to get a good fit with your fins, not too tight, you need good circulation. Fairly stiff Ecoline neoprene (retains thickness/loft well); tough nylon outer, soft open cell inner.

5.5mm Mares spearo suit (with very high waist spearo pants & hood) fine for year round use. Soft, stretchy neoprene (fits well for off-the-shelf but stretch reduce thickness/loft); tough nylon outer, soft open cell inner.

I've dived in UK waters every month of the year except February - and I wouldn't want to dive in February - but now a days I wouldn't bother with Dec-March unless the weather was exceptionally good (often it is exceptionally bad). I did manage to dive in March this year and it was very pleasant, just not many fish around.
 
I use an Elios 8 mm mtm for 3 months of the year at the most. It gets too hot over 9.5 / 10 deg really. A 7 mm Elios does me most the year and I've got a 5 mm that gets used for two weeks or so a year at the most. I'm in Scotland though so a bit colder - I'm not sure an 8 would be needed in the south.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
 
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The winter is not too cold if the suit is right and there are less people about, I live in a busy part of the country and the summer holiday months are not good for me as every parent and their child are right were I want to be! I still go if its not too crowded but peace and quiet plays a big part of my enjoyment in spearfishing so I actually like going in over the winter if the wind is right, which it hasn't been for a few years now, although this winter is meant to be less cyclonic. A 5mm spearfishing suit is good for me but I find that I need 5mm gloves and wear 6mm scuba boots with open fins, Cressi Master Frog, which are stiff but give me what I need. Going in over the winter on a crisp windless day, into mill pond like water is magical, I recommend it, its good medicine ;)
 
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