Total novice and friends, need advice for up-coming trip in the UK

[AlexAlmighty]

So me and three friends are currently planning a seven day tour around Dorset, spearfishing for primarily bass, but truthfully whatever makes good eating.

The problem is, despite a good collective knowledge of basic fishing and being strong swimmers, we've not a bloody clue about spear fishing.

So throwing caution to the wind we booked the trip and set about buying equipment.
Or that was the plan.
It seems that there is a lot of jargon and variance when it comes to spearfishing, it is obviously a much more specialized technique than simply blasting a steel rod up a fish chuff.

Any and all advice would be greatly recieved.
Examples; what sized gun, any modifications that may be needed, any insider tips on actually putting a spear on target, safety tips...etc.

As I say, we know nothing of the sport. Thanks in advance for your much needed guidance to a group of speargun illiterate rookies.

 

[foxfish]

Welcome to the forum Alex, looks like you have plenty of reading to do!
Have a look at the Dorset thread.

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, and the Dummies Guide To Spearfishing part I & II threads - both are "sticky" thread in the beginner area: http://forums.deeperblue.com/forums/beginner-spearfishing.61/

After those, try this one on Hunting Techniques: http://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/hunting-technique.19700/

You mention swimming - how is your snorkelling/freediving? Something you can practice ahead of time in the pool if necessary.

What time of year are you planning to go? Ideally you'll want weather conditions to be calm & flat for a few days before you go. Dorset often has a milky - or sometimes murky - "bloom" which can spoil visibility for a few weeks in the Spring. Portland Harbour might be a good place to start -- it is unusually well sheltered and there is a gentle beach entry.

Only load your speargun in the water & unload it before you leave the water - don't trust the safety catch, loose-bands is the only way to ensure the speargun is unloaded. Don't fart about.

Speargun - I'd recommend that you get a 75cm band-powered speargun for starting in Dorset (although I expect at least one of you will get a 90cm speargun instead!). You don't need a reel. You will need a buoy with a diver-down flag -- the cheap, inflatable ones work very well & are easy to pack & carry. You will need a float line - para-cord isn't much cop, you ideally want something that is fairly stiff to avoid tangles and that floats; polypropylene washing lines can work well if you can find the right stuff (similar to Rob Allen's cheaper float lines -- which are good) or aquarium air tubing, sealed at both ends.

A mask (suggest: black spearo style with 2 lens, £18-£28), a snorkel (suggest: simple-J in black, ~£10), fins (suggest: splash out for large full-foot spearo style fins but settle for inexpensive plastic blades, by somebody like Beuchat, Omer, Picasso or Seacsub, around £24-£68). Spearo wetsuit (suggest open-cell inner & nylon outer, ~£100-£200 new), weight-belt (suggest: rubber, prefer Marseille-style buckle but not essential), gloves (2-4mm), socks (2-4mm). A fish stringer (£4-£18) & a means of attaching it to your float. Suggest that - to start with at least - clip your speargun (e.g. using an Orcas-clip or similar) to your float-line.

Sounds like a good adventure

 

[AlexAlmighty]

Thats really helpful thanks folks.
Presumably the rules of finding my target are going to be similar to that of rod and line fishing right?

I.E, if I'm looking for bass I want to be looking off the rocks in shallower waters, yes?

My free diving isn't up to much. I'm from the midlands so we are in pretty short supply of water. I am however a week into quitting smoking and increasing cardio exercises as I imagine lung capacity is pretty important.

We are heading out in June, it's for my birthday, but also a good time of the year to fish bass. Or at least it is if you're using a rod.

At what point would you make the choice to not use a reel? I mean, any penny saved is a bonus but surely any fish has the capacity to give me the middle fin and piss off to mexico with both my shaft and my dignity surely?

 

[AlexAlmighty]

Also, as a beginner I don't want to get ripped off and I don't intend to dump all my cash on a gun when I'd rather invest in better equipment, like the weight belts and blades... etc.

Is the Cressi Comanche 75cm a good starter gun and is 72 quid a fair price for this lovely looking critter?

 

[MozSpearer]

At what point would you make the choice to not use a reel? I mean, any penny saved is a bonus but surely any fish has the capacity to give me the middle fin and @#!*% off to mexico with both my shaft and my dignity surely?

Hi there. If you have your floatline attatched to the gun, you can shoot the fish let go of the speargun and just hold on to the floatline and you should still have your gun and fish. Or did I interpret your question wrongly. Tell us how your trip goes.

 

[AlexAlmighty]

Yeah I'll keep you all posted with the gear I but and then hopefully lots of pictures of the fat grey mullets and juicy bass that I catch

So are you saying the float line should be attached to the projectile?

I mean, it would make sense but surely if I misjudge the line it would pull my shot horribly off target?

 

[MozSpearer]

No. There should be a clip on the bottom of the gun(muzzle) to attach the float line to. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about. Ignore

the pouch in the middle(its for storing line when hunting big open water game fish of 50kgs +, nothing for you to worry about). You'd probably just need 10m-15m of normal line(those you find in a hardware store). Hope this answers your question

 

[AlexAlmighty]

Well yeah, but I meant a reel and line to attach my spear to my fish.
Mr. X said I won't need one. Why is that?

 

[Apneaddict]

The spear is attached to the muzzle of the gun with a line of monofilament.

It'll go 15' before hitting the end of the line.

So it's Spear-Mono line-gun-float line-float, all attached / joined in a row.

Best case, you can insert "fish" on the front of that sequence.

 

[AlexAlmighty]

Haha! Now I get it. Spot on gents.

 

[MozSpearer]

That's a spot on description apnea! Thanks.