Usual Spearing Session Duration

[Baur]

Hey People

How long do your spearing sessions usually last?

Do you stop because of limits you have set for yourself, having caught enough fish, or out of fatigue when you cant swim or dive another meter?

 

[Roan]

As far as bottom time goes, the first 45 minutes or so of my session is pretty much throw away, or getting "warmed up." My job, significant other, poor ocean conditions or a dive buddies' considerations might compel me to do a 1 hour dive or so. But if the conditions are right and I'm properly fed and hydrated, I've been in the water over 3 or 4 hours at a time. Usually though, I'd say sessions run about 2 hours. Often I stop because I have the fish I want. In my purely snorkeling days, with rests on beaches or rocks, I've been out there the better part of all day.

 

[rcerdena]

I agree with Roan.....if the water/weather conditions are optimal, fishing all day would be the best!

RCC

 

[fuzz]

Boat diving is also a lot different than shore dives. I've done boat & kayak dives from sun up to sun down & have done shore dives along stretches of coast that were 8+ hours(without water or food!).

My favorite dives are those where I park & get dropped off a couple miles down the beach upcurrent. Then I can leisurely drift around back to the car.

 

[Baur]

Yeah it would be the best. It has happened a few times. You know youve gotta stop cause there is not enough light anymore

I would like to say that I discipline myself to stop before I get tired, or when I have caught enough, or resigning that I wont get enough that day. But the truth is I push my limits big time and often find myself out at sea negotiating with God "Please let me make it back to the beach/boat and I promise this is the last time we talk about this". This has been taking place for about 15 years now (incorrigible!).

So for me unfortunately the stopping factor is fatigue.

 

[Snorkel Bum]

Usually because the owner of the boat wants to go home! I could stay all day!

 

[Murat]

As a shore diver, i go to diving empty stomach, generally last meal taken 8-9pm while diving start at 7-8 am. I carry water bottle with me but never find a time to stop and drink it because both me and dive buddy swim non stop. I stop hunting when i belive that i could not see any more fish, actually i can be convinced that very easily after 4-5 hour non stop swim-dive, generally up current, but never give up before 4 hours if the water conditions is right.

 

[miles]

Hiya

I only get to dive one day a week. Normally a Saturday or Sunday. If viz is 6m+, we'll dive from sunrise to sunset, boat or shoredive. Only thing that cuts a dive short is when the tide turns and the viz deteriorates or a GW is seen in the water.

Hell, i've seen guys shooting yellowtail at cape point with a white less than 50m away. This in very bad viz., less than 4m viz. Skipper of their boat knew the shark was there, but the two divers still continued shooting fish!!!! Insane!!! Needless to say, we went home..........

Oh, we've also got a rule on the boat that skipper decides when you go home. Just hope you don't get sea-sick on MY boat...................

Regards
miles

 

[Pablo]

Eat muesli at 3, and dive the must of he day, but plenty of kayak to get to the best spots. Drink about 2l of balance liquid.

Boat diving is not the same: more people, engine fumes and find harder to relax and spend long h under. But good to find new buddies or get to far away spots.

On a normal day about 2-3 dives of 2-3h and paddle a few miles between the spots. If I got two days: I slow down to have something left for the second one.

If enough fish and crays, I just freedive for the rest of the day... those are the best moments !

 

[ajwaverider]

Where i've been spearing lately is not very deep so I just stay longer to get a better workout.The last time I was out i lost my dive flag so i was forced to leave (to much jet ski traffic)but if i
wouldn't have lost it i'd stayed all day.I only shoot as much fish as I want to clean , afterwards i just look around and work on my breathhold.

 

[ivan]

hi

Back home it was usually over 8 hours, however we didnt dive every weekend because of weather, so when we get out there we make the most of it

cheers

 

[Baur]

Hello People

Could those that give a 7-8 hour or more period specify whether this time is in continuous spearing in the water (like Fuzz and Pablo mentioned) or includes intermittent breaks (resting on boat and having a snack, moving to different places etc.).

I ask this because some people voting and who do not have boats might be perplexed by the difference in their session duration and others'.

Safe Diving

 

[StretchArmStron]

usually a minimum of 3 hours.

 

[Pablo]

I use to get in trouble: disappear along the coast for more than 8h, and hardly be able to walk or speak once out... try that with your mum! A good day was a day spend under water, and dry land will no longer exist until dark.

That doesn't have change, a good weekend is drive on friday to my spot, and spend the weekend under. With a kayak I may spend 3-4 h max paddling, but the rest is under as soon and long as I got light.

Anything attract my attention, and a cave is a marvel of live forms to observe. An friendly octopus is an endless entertainment of shapes and colors. A moray eel, a ray, a crayfish, an anemone... anything get me down for hours, and time flow unconstrained.

Spearing is about the same, get good fish takes time, try to see or shoot an exceptional fish takes for ever. And 6h is not usually enough... I may be getting softer, but is never time to get out!

 

[ivan]

hi

8 hours was in the water spearing time. The actual day time on the water is longer, if Im going to the costal islands it will be a 20min boat trip each way with around an hour break sometimes less for lunch. So the total time out there would be closer to 10hours.

 

[Murat]

You guys are nuts, or perhaps machine calling themselves "spero" ?

Anyway is it non-stop action/spearing or you lay at the surface and wait for the fish to aproach/show up? I am feeling myself incapable:head

 

[skarz]

My record for staying in the water, 11 hours Caffeine does wonders.

 

[Dogmatrix]

In the water as soon as it's light... only get out to change spots.. lunch while changeing spots or sometimes sit in boat for hour and digest while talking/planning the next assult

Rob

 

[ste]

Hi everybody,
Average is 3 hours, 2 in winter times and 4 in summer time.
In winter or when you go aspetto fishing, i usually hunt at sunrise or sunset so 2 hours is plenty. In summertimes water is warmer, visibility is better and the hunt is deeper so 4 hours sometimes more gives you the time needed to go deeper.

 

[portinfer]

A rather lame hour and fifteen - by then my toes are ready to fall off and I start getting cold water shakes.... still haven't bought a new suit but saving up for a Picasso Dark Termic 5mm which should mean at least 2 hour sessions.
Ed