-
Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
- Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
- Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
- Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
- Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
- All this and much more...
You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
Scotland spearfishing 2013
- Thread starterBalpherus
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Hi, I was looking for some info about spearfishing and you post came up. I am from East Lothian and would like to start snorkeling and spearfishing around dunbar. I would very much like to join you or a group of possible.
Thanks
Hi. I'm planing to start spearfishing in east cost of Scotland but i have little information about gear what necessary for east cost of Scotland. I done same research through forums and I'm liking those;
Cressi Tracina Camo 5 mm with Cressi Tracina Ultraspan Gloves 3 mm and socks - nice color, should blend in kelp( in my mind) and I heard same good reviews about gloves, about they durability.
Best Hunter Flat Double Bladder Buoy Oasi- I chose this because it have lots of storage place, double bladder and it is flat ( should help in windy situation?)
Cressi Comanche spear gun, I liked reviews(and its lot of them) , just not sure about size 75 or 90 cm for east cost ?
I would really appreciate any opinion, particularly about spear gun size.
Thanks
Richard
Cressi Tracina Camo 5 mm with Cressi Tracina Ultraspan Gloves 3 mm and socks - nice color, should blend in kelp( in my mind) and I heard same good reviews about gloves, about they durability.
Best Hunter Flat Double Bladder Buoy Oasi- I chose this because it have lots of storage place, double bladder and it is flat ( should help in windy situation?)
Cressi Comanche spear gun, I liked reviews(and its lot of them) , just not sure about size 75 or 90 cm for east cost ?
I would really appreciate any opinion, particularly about spear gun size.
Thanks
Richard
Looks like a real nice set-up. 75cm is good for starting out unless you are sure the water will usually be particularly clear (like the granite coasts of Cornwall & the Channel islands). You could always get a longer one later if the conditions warrant it (you might then decide 90/100/110/120 - depending of what you find when you dive).
The water around Scotland will likely be a bit cooler than down south, so you might want to consider either: a slightly thicker wetsuit (5.5/6/6.5/7mm) or longjohn pants or/and a 2 or 3mm neoprene vest that can be added for warm conditions (you could always get the latter later if you find things cold sometimes or if the wetsuit looses some loft after a few years use).
Coincidentally I recently bought a similar wetsuit albeit by Mares, you can check that out here: https://forums.deeperblue.com/threa...ne-use-them-review-sizing.104877/#post-952572 (mine was £125 inc. shipping).
Some ads say it is 5.5mm others 5mm, probably much-of-a-muchness. Check the size charts though, a good fit is important & brands vary.
I like Beuchat gloves - they seem less clunky that some others. I would recommend against the 2mm super-stretch gloves for Scotland though, not warm enough.
You'll need a float-line with some stiffness that floats. 12-20m is enough when you start out but you can "reef up" excess if you get a longer line. Polyester washing line rope 5-7mm diameter works well, nylon doesn't it sinks & paracord sucks (or buy similar rope by Rob Allen in olive green for ~£9 inc. shipping, which already has loops spliced in each end). Alternatively aquarium air line sealed at both ends reputedly has good characteristics: floats & has stiffness. It is also a good idea to have a clip at both ends - although perhaps better to leave them attached to the float & gun respectively, rather than to the float line itself.
A fish stringer (I like the Rob Allen ones as they are heavy duty have a long sharp spike that can be used to dispatch fish but they seem a bit expensive currently) - with another clip to attach it to your float. I am assuming - perhaps wrongly - that you are new to all this as you are buying all new gear. Once you have some experience you could consider wearing a waist stringer but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner (or where there are sharks).
Then mask (bi-lens, low volume, spearo mask of some kind), snorkel (Omer Zoom?/simple-J), and big, full-foot spearo fins
a weight belt (e.g. rubber marseille belt by Omer or RA or ...) and some lead. I think I normally carry about 20-22lb of lead weights give or take a couple of pounds these days, depends on your buoyancy. A small, sharp spearo dagger or an emergency dive knife (or Kitchen Devil!) is probably prudent. I like the Omer mini-laser american spearo dagger, the price usually reasonable too but I don't like its sheath. Alternatively a cheap, flat Taiwanese knife in a simple Rob Allen limpet sheath (or Pelaj equivalent) is unobtrusive. Dive knives often get lost, worth bearing in mind before splashing the cash & again before use.
The water around Scotland will likely be a bit cooler than down south, so you might want to consider either: a slightly thicker wetsuit (5.5/6/6.5/7mm) or longjohn pants or/and a 2 or 3mm neoprene vest that can be added for warm conditions (you could always get the latter later if you find things cold sometimes or if the wetsuit looses some loft after a few years use).
Coincidentally I recently bought a similar wetsuit albeit by Mares, you can check that out here: https://forums.deeperblue.com/threa...ne-use-them-review-sizing.104877/#post-952572 (mine was £125 inc. shipping).
Some ads say it is 5.5mm others 5mm, probably much-of-a-muchness. Check the size charts though, a good fit is important & brands vary.
I like Beuchat gloves - they seem less clunky that some others. I would recommend against the 2mm super-stretch gloves for Scotland though, not warm enough.
You'll need a float-line with some stiffness that floats. 12-20m is enough when you start out but you can "reef up" excess if you get a longer line. Polyester washing line rope 5-7mm diameter works well, nylon doesn't it sinks & paracord sucks (or buy similar rope by Rob Allen in olive green for ~£9 inc. shipping, which already has loops spliced in each end). Alternatively aquarium air line sealed at both ends reputedly has good characteristics: floats & has stiffness. It is also a good idea to have a clip at both ends - although perhaps better to leave them attached to the float & gun respectively, rather than to the float line itself.
A fish stringer (I like the Rob Allen ones as they are heavy duty have a long sharp spike that can be used to dispatch fish but they seem a bit expensive currently) - with another clip to attach it to your float. I am assuming - perhaps wrongly - that you are new to all this as you are buying all new gear. Once you have some experience you could consider wearing a waist stringer but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner (or where there are sharks).
Then mask (bi-lens, low volume, spearo mask of some kind), snorkel (Omer Zoom?/simple-J), and big, full-foot spearo fins
a weight belt (e.g. rubber marseille belt by Omer or RA or ...) and some lead. I think I normally carry about 20-22lb of lead weights give or take a couple of pounds these days, depends on your buoyancy. A small, sharp spearo dagger or an emergency dive knife (or Kitchen Devil!) is probably prudent. I like the Omer mini-laser american spearo dagger, the price usually reasonable too but I don't like its sheath. Alternatively a cheap, flat Taiwanese knife in a simple Rob Allen limpet sheath (or Pelaj equivalent) is unobtrusive. Dive knives often get lost, worth bearing in mind before splashing the cash & again before use.
Last edited:
Tbh I'd say the gun is really the last piece of equipment to worry about - its likely to take you a while until you're diving well enough before you're going to be seeing decent fish never mind shooting at them. For me that took two seasons before I got a fish over 6 lb.......but that's maybe just me.
There isn't really one perfect gun size - the perfect gun is the one in your hand. My go to band gun is an omer ET 105 and I seldom bother with any other band gun whatever the vis.
A 7 mm suit, 5mm socks and 5mm gloves should be ideal to start. You will get cold in a 5 mm as you learn to dive deeper and stay down longer.
Personally I don't believe a Cammo suit makes any difference to the fish's perception of you in the least. It's all about how you move and become unobtrusive within their environment. Black suits are cheaper and maybe a better option for starting out but definitely don't look so cool
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
There isn't really one perfect gun size - the perfect gun is the one in your hand. My go to band gun is an omer ET 105 and I seldom bother with any other band gun whatever the vis.
A 7 mm suit, 5mm socks and 5mm gloves should be ideal to start. You will get cold in a 5 mm as you learn to dive deeper and stay down longer.
Personally I don't believe a Cammo suit makes any difference to the fish's perception of you in the least. It's all about how you move and become unobtrusive within their environment. Black suits are cheaper and maybe a better option for starting out but definitely don't look so cool
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
I thought about 7 mm, but till i will get my order and then i need do same practice maybe aida curse( if it will came to Scotland) will be late spring and water should be warm enough for 5mm
In beginning I will be swimming in remote shallow beaches in east of Scotland, hunting flounders and same turbot.
And yes, I am new to this sport, never hold the speargun or neoprene suit. All i know is from this forum or YouTube videos. And I will be buying everything from zero, just i didn't bother this thread because rest off the stuff isn't specific to region as is gun, suit and float so i could ask anyone. But I really appreciate any help.
Mr. X, I can sense you like Rob Allen stuff, any particular reason?
grantl, I fink as newbie i would feel more confident in cammo suit then in black, mainly because everybody in these days wears cammo suits and as you said they look better, and price difference from cheapest cressy suit and black cressy apnea is 25 punds (20%) and for long term investment, i fink, its not lot.
Thanks
Richard
In beginning I will be swimming in remote shallow beaches in east of Scotland, hunting flounders and same turbot.
And yes, I am new to this sport, never hold the speargun or neoprene suit. All i know is from this forum or YouTube videos. And I will be buying everything from zero, just i didn't bother this thread because rest off the stuff isn't specific to region as is gun, suit and float so i could ask anyone. But I really appreciate any help.
Mr. X, I can sense you like Rob Allen stuff, any particular reason?
grantl, I fink as newbie i would feel more confident in cammo suit then in black, mainly because everybody in these days wears cammo suits and as you said they look better, and price difference from cheapest cressy suit and black cressy apnea is 25 punds (20%) and for long term investment, i fink, its not lot.
Thanks
Richard
Cool - I've dived the E coast between Berwick and Dunbar a wee bit and would only take my 5 mm instead of the 7 for possibly 3 weeks in the year.
Not everybody dives on the E coast in a Cammo suit - I use a black one in winter but it's an 8 mm
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Not everybody dives on the E coast in a Cammo suit - I use a black one in winter but it's an 8 mm
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
That exactly were I'm planing to start.
Do you think that Scottish waters is too cold for 5mm suit? Average from end of April till end of October is 11 degrees in North Berwick. And most of the guys say they use 7mm suit only then temperature go in single number.
Do you think that Scottish waters is too cold for 5mm suit? Average from end of April till end of October is 11 degrees in North Berwick. And most of the guys say they use 7mm suit only then temperature go in single number.
What have you got against a 7mm suit?
Nothing worse than being cold, in fact it is pointless going in knowing you will be cold!
You will need slightly more weight & lose a small amount of flexibility but bear in mind you very often have to stay static at some depth to spear fish.
It is virtually impossible to concentrate & be safe if you are cold.
Where I live, at the start of the season it is usually around 12-13c (most guys wont go in the water until it reaches 12c) I use a 5mm custom made to measure suite with extra 2mm vest, 5mm gloves & socks & still get cold!
However if you feel you don't feel the cold as much as others do, then get a 5mm, make sure you have long johns, thick gloves and socks & the best of luck
Grant, is a very experienced Scottish diver, I would take his advice......
Nothing worse than being cold, in fact it is pointless going in knowing you will be cold!
You will need slightly more weight & lose a small amount of flexibility but bear in mind you very often have to stay static at some depth to spear fish.
It is virtually impossible to concentrate & be safe if you are cold.
Where I live, at the start of the season it is usually around 12-13c (most guys wont go in the water until it reaches 12c) I use a 5mm custom made to measure suite with extra 2mm vest, 5mm gloves & socks & still get cold!
However if you feel you don't feel the cold as much as others do, then get a 5mm, make sure you have long johns, thick gloves and socks & the best of luck
Grant, is a very experienced Scottish diver, I would take his advice......
I was on that website buying a reef-hook when I wrote that response! I like most of the major spearfishing equipment suppliers. Omersub, Mares, Beuchat & Seacsub are also favourites. If I lived in the USA still, I would likely have a lot of Mako gear (& perhaps a Darryl Wong woodie). Yes I quite like Rob Allen gear. That's what I started out with and perhaps that is part of my makeup now. I have a theory that folk generally prefer the style of wishbone they started out with, I started out with RA so I converted the (very good) French articulated wishbone on my Omer speargun to Dyneema .RA gear is unusually tough /"over-engineered" - designed to cope with the largest game fish) - although it can be a bit too much (e.g. too heavy/too big) for the UK. Also, the cost of RA gear has risen significantly since I bought my first RA gear, consequently these days I am more likely to buy European brands, which are cheaper (less shipping costs/import duty/etc.), lighter and are generally designed for conditions/fish like we encounter in the UK. However, there are a few items which RA make which are either unique or particularly good of their type or good value or I just like it/used to it (e.g. their Cray-bag, their fish stringers, their cheap olive float-line [similar polyester washing line is much cheaper at ~£2 for 20m - but the right stuff is hard to find], reef-hook, rubber Marseille weight belt, dyneema wishbones, bulk rubber).
Yes.
I based my answer of 7 mm suit on personal experience of actively spearfishing that coast at all times of year over the last 10 yrs +.
As I said previously you will get cold diving and spearfishing in a 5mm on our coast. Even when its 16 deg on occasion it will be nice floating around in the bays in a 5 mm, toasty warm in fact, but do a few dives and hang at 10 m or so and you'll probably last an hour before you are shivering.
If you're too warm it's quite easy to flush your suit. Once your cold you're only going to get colder.
I certainly don't know any spearos locally who are diving and spearfishing effectively @9 deg surface temp in a 5mm(emphasis on effectively). Sure, you could do it but I guess it depends on how comfortable you want to be and how effective a spearo you want to be. You definitely won't last long doing 1-2 min + drops into water that's a degree or 3 cooler at depth.
When I started I didn't have the luxury of being able to ask locals for advice as spearfishing wasnt really very common at all - I wish I had as It would certainly have saved me a lot of wasted money on inappropriate gear etc. over the years but at the end of the day its your choice what gear you buy. I started with a 5 mm suit and a 90 - very very seldom would I use either locally now.
If youre still spearfishing in 2 or 3 years time you will have a totally different idea of what equipment you need based on your own experiences.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Hi Foxfish, where did you get you 2mm vest? 10 years ago (when the pound was very strong) I think Elios wanted £32 or £40 for one - almost half the price of the made to measure suit back then - so I passed on that option. I guess I never really needed it: although it might have extended the season a bit, it was the fish leaving rather than the cold than usually ended the season for me
. I'm more of a "fairweather" diver these days.I missed that bit when I first scanned the new posts. Black is fine, might even be as good or better than camo. It is popular now because it has become more readily available and therefore fashionable and...why not. I used a black suit for 10 years, it's fine - very good in fact, can't fault it. I just fancied a change. I figure this might be my last spearo wetsuit - if not then I will likely need something with a zip like OMD used to wear (shoulder problems
) - so might as well make the most of it. Also, by buying off-the-shelf, my Mares camo suit was cheaper than a direct replacement for my made-to-measure black Elios eco-line suit, and it even has rudimentary knee patches (extra cost on the Elios). I've gone for brown camo, as that seems to be what I swim around most - been looking for a good pattern match for several years (for my fins) so I happy when I found the Mare suit. So most likely I will find myself only in green seaweed from now on!
On the plus side: black doesn't reflect much light towards the fish (camo has lighter patches, so if you move a fish will likely see the movement).
On the negative side: it gives you a silhouette like a seal - but then seals manage to survive by catching fish. I once had once hang round with me, even nipped my fins! (Great Whites eat seals sometimes
)I am thinking of mixing & matching my old & new wetsuit parts (e.g. camo pants, black top, camo weight-vest -- movement of black arms & gloves would perhaps be less obvious). I'm also thinking I can have one suit drying while I wear the other, although my old suit got a little chewed up last season.
I think the suit is most important piece of kit for anyone starting out - being uncomfortable and cold is not a fair initiation into the sport! As Grant said, you can last for hours in a 5mm suit that fits well but you will be hauling yourself onto a rock every 5 minutes if your poorly fitting, 7mm suit is pinching behind the knees.
You live in a truly amazing part of the UK Rit, (regrettably one which I have not explored enough) so hopefully you get the bug and post some of your catches this summer
Last edited:
Is anyone in south Scotland looking for a dive buddy? I've been living in South Lanarkshire for about 18 months and want to get more spearfishing in this year. Do most of my spearfishing in north Wales but it's a bit of a drive so I don't get a lot of trips in. Would love to tag along with any day trips or weekends.
Hi. I'm planing to go for my first dive in this Sunday, but i not 100% sure how to set equipment and how to load gun( i seen videos in youtube but that didn't help). Any body, who is out diving this Sunday, is fancy to show me what is what? Thanks, Ritvars