Here is a list of my spearfishing gear and helpful tips.
I take my gear very seriously..... as it can mean whether you dispatch a fish cleanly or wound it and let it swim away full of misery and certain death - what a waste of a life.
“Your gear should be an extension of your body- Alexandro Mullings.”
The Omer Line up of masks are durable, they seal great and do not fog while I’m spearfishing. I’ve had this mask for the past 7 years and it’s the same as the first day I got it. I spent $20 for this mask back then and it appears to be a lifetime mask. The straps and the skirt is in immaculate condition. Proper scrubbing with a toothbrush and toothpaste after long periods of non- use will ensure that the mask remains fog free. A black skirted mask ensures that light or glares from the sun do not distract your focus while hunting.
The low volume of the Omer line of mask will ensure maximum efficiency of the use of air in your lungs needed to equalize your mask. I use the OMER Alien Mask, Black Silicone
When selecting a snorkel stay away from flexible snorkels that claim to not interfere with your diving while in a cave as these will be more of a pain than anything else. Also avoid semi dry and dry snorkels that prevent water from getting into the entry hole of the snorkel as these tend to be very clunky and create lots of drag while underwater. Not to mention that they are a pain to clear when water does get inside them. Stick to the classic snorkel and drink salt water from time to time. You will be fine I promise. I use the OMER Zoom Rigid snorkel.
Fins:
The combination of the Omer Sting Ray foot pockets with Blacktech Carbon Fiber competition fins is the best combination for Spearfishing. The foot pockets allow the blades to work effortlessly during your descent. Similarly, during your ascent no power is lacked while surfacing with your catch. I’ve had these fins for about five years and performance has been the same from day one. I’ve purchased 7 different fins before I found this one. Thank me later. Basic rule of thumb is to stick between 70 cm and 90 cm blades. The footpocket is very important and should feel comfortable to you.
I’ve heard good things about the Alchemy Fins and would love to try them.
Gloves:
I’ve found the Dyneema coated gloves on the palm to be the most effective. They allow a solid grip to be applied to a Polespear or Hawaiian sling all while protecting your hands from fish spines, sharp rocks and sea urchins. The neoprene wetsuit like material or anything resembling that is totally useless for primitive style hunting in the Bahamas. It will not protect your hands and it will give you a slippery grip when aiming.
I currently use the Neptonics gloves (Dyneema coated)
Any knife that is under $10 bucks is what you want to get as a dive knife you will often find times where you may ditch the knife, or lose the knife unwillingly. I use the Blades USA Knife. Usually, $9.10 with free US shipping.
Rubber weight belts should be the only choice you go with when selecting a weight belt. Weight belts made from this material will offer an increased comfort while spearfishing. Rubber weight belts will not fall off you while descending as your body begins to compress under pressure. My preference is the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt.
I had the Sporasub 1 ( Sp1) and Omersub 1 (Omr1) for both of these watches the buttons got stuck after the first year despite me soaking the watch in warm water after every dive.
I switched over to the Garmin descent MK1 and have never looked back. The buttons will not lock up on you due to rust or corrosion and there are times when I do not soak this watch at all after a dive trip. I do not have to change batteries every few months because I can charge it. The only thing that was lacking on the MK1 for me was the battery life and the SPO2 (Pulse Oximeter) sensor. Luckily, after two years of having the MK1, Garmin decided to bring out the MK2 which had an improved battery life and the pulse oximeter which can be used at rest or throughout the entire day. I now use the Garmin Descent MK2 as my preferred spearfishing guide dive watch and daily watch. I changed the band from the standard rubber band to the titanium vended band. It never comes off. It keeps a log of all of my dives and spot and past data can be pulled up directly from my smartphone. I use the watch as a journal to all of my past dives and can plan trips based on that data.
Flashlight:
I have found the Neptonics 860 Lumen Dive Light to be the most portable, versatile and effective underwater flashlight for Spearfishing. The flashlight is small enough to be clipped on to a weight belt without unnecessary bulk. It can be placed on your wrist with the built-in strap, and it is bright enough to get the job done. The seal on the flashlight has not failed me yet and I’ve had it for 3 years. I have even thrown the flashlight as a throw flasher in depth of up to 50 ft and it still works!
Floatline:
When looking at floatlines, make sure you are using a floatline that has a spectra core with substantial poundage in case the outer coating of the line happens to be cut or breaks. Should you be shooting big Pelagic or substantial reef fish, you must use a bungee. When using a polespear with a direct clip to the band you must ensure to use a bungee the length of the polespear so that when you release the Polespear your range is not limited because of the floatline attachment.
I would like to give the Gannet Dive Co. Floatlines - The Skinny with Gannet Bullets a try. I currently use the Neptonics Bluewater Pro Floatlines.
Float:
Ensure that you are using a 2 ATM Float in case you happen to shoot a nice pelagic while out in the blue water. The float of your choice will depend on if you require that the float be portable or durable. A hard float will last a lifetime and will not compress under pressure while the more portable floats can be stored away and can take up a lot less space.
I would love to try the Gannet Dive Co. Spearfishing Floats or the Redtide Spearfishing Floats. I am using the Neptonics Spearfishing Float.
Polespear:
You are going to want to use the correct polespear best suited for the target species that you are going after. Fast moving fish will require fast polespears while slower moving fish, the speed is not usually a factor, but penetrative power will now become the factor. The majority of the time a slip tip is the preferred tip to use on your polespear. The type of bottom that you hunt on will determine if you use cable or dyneema as your tether to your tip. The slack in your slip tip is very important because you want to allow your slip tip to be able to toggle off freely but at the same time you do not want the slip tip to allow a fish to swim around rocks with ease. Too much slack in your slip tip will allow fish to swim and tangle your gear very badly. Balance is also a very critical component of a polespear. A polespear when fully loaded in your hand must be able to track a fish from left to right or right to left at a full 180 degrees while still allowing the user to have complete control and accuracy of the polespear.
The only polespear I recommend and that I use at this moment is the Billfish Republic Slayer Model Polespear (traditional space band). For fast moving pelagics you can use the Sniper Model with the roller band to make quick work and full penetration on the thickest of fish. The best all around polespear is the Slayer Model as it hits fast but also is very durable for fish 70 + pounds. I have used the Billfish Polespear for 5 years and it still works the same way as the first day I got it. The only replacement part you will need is polespear bands as they tend to lose power the more you use them and slip tips as sometimes the dyneema can become chaffed.
I am looking forward to trying the new line of polespears from Redtide Spearfishing soon.
Wetsuit:
I was always in love with the Omer Blackstone wetsuit I have no idea why. You can not go wrong with wetsuits as long as you pick a wetsuit that is open cell and a two-piece. The open cell conforms to your body and allows a great level of flexibility and comfort. The two-piece allows you to be able to remove the bottom when the water in which you are hunting is too warm. Generally, a two piece is a lot easier to take off and put on. Always remember to lubricate the inside of your open cell before putting it on. I like to place my left hand in and then my right hand while sticking my head into the wet suit all at the same time. I then put on my wetsuit bottom and latch the beaver tail. You never want to pull or touch the inside of your wetsuit with your fingernails as it can tear very easily.
I currently use a Sporasub 3mm wetsuit top and a Rob Allen 1.5mm wetsuit bottom. During the summer months I tend to swim without the bottom (Diving in the Bahamas). The top is usually a must for the jellyfish.
I don’t really have a preference for dive weights anyone can do the job. I have found that the Sea Pearls Vinyl Coated Lace Thru Weights have a slimmer profile and generate less drag while ascending and descending.
If you've made it this far Thank You for reading my first blog post !
I hope this helps you achieve your spearfishing goals.
I'd like to hear from you.. Have you tried any of these items? If so how did they work out for you? Any other recommendations?
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