Spearfishing Equipment

We will learn about the equipment and the value of getting them. We will also learn how valuable and effective the whole set is because having the speargun only is not enough for the diver.

Having the speargun, without the other pieces of equipment, will allow the diver to catch only one fish and end the dive. We will know the reasons behind that when we learn about these pieces of equipment.

Diving Suit

The diving suit is used to protect the body from the stings expected from some stinging corals or creatures. It is also used to protect the diver’s body from wounds and injuries caused by rocks and coral reefs. In addition, the divers will not get sunburn if he or she wears a diving suit. Diving suits play an important role in keeping divers’ bodies warm. They are available in different types that varies in their thickness and thus in their quality of protection and insulation. The thicker the suit is, the more resistance of water and positive buoyancy you have.

Regarding fishing diving suits, there is a special type that provides all of the qualities mentioned above. There is also a loading pad that protects diver’s chest. It should be strapped on his/her chest over the suit for easier and more comfortable speargun loading. You will get painful bruises that will last for at least two days if you do not use your loading pad. Be careful!

• Your diving suit must fit you properly. It should not be loose to prevent filling with water and air.
• Do not use a very tight suits, so that it will not interfere with the pressure of arteries and blood vessels, especially suits that have hoodies at they seriously interfere with the arteries in the neck.
• Do not wear your suit for a long time after your diving or fishing trip. Take it off and rest. Wear it again when you decide to dive again.
• At the end of the day, wash the diving suit well and place it in a dry moderate-temperature place. Avoid putting your suit under the bag or under anything heavy.

Diving Boots

Divers need the diving boots to walk on the rocks before diving. They need them to protect their feet from scratches and wounds caused by sharp rocks and to protect them from slipping on the boat. They also protect the foot from being exposed directly to the fins and thus protect them from skin abrasions.

Diving boots shall be made from rubber and shall have some space to prevent the filling with water and that is to allow the diver to dive comfortably.

Diving boots should have rubber belts at the back to prevent the fins from moving. Moreover, full-foot fins have thin boots that almost look like socks, but they are not safe to walk on rocks. They are used only to prevent the foot from touching the plastic directly while wearing the fins.

Diving Mask

Diving masks are what allow the diver to see under the water. They must have a proper size. They should not be so tight, as that will cause some bruises, nor too loose, as that will not prevent the water from entering the mask cause and thus make the visibility bad.

The best type of diving masks, that are recommended for fishing, are the masks have glasses that are close to the eye. In other words, the space between the lens and the eyes will not be that huge. So, the visibility will be good and the hunt will be successful.

The masks used in fishing are known as ‘low volume-close to face’. These masks have all the qualities we mentioned and are easy to be cleaned under the water.

Before diving, make sure to clean your mask by rubbing some special soap into both the lenses and the skirt. If that soap is not available, do not use any soap or shampoo, but use your saliva, as it is better to clean your mask with it. Consider the following things when you buy your mask:

• The edges of the mask should not be flat and that is to protect the lens from breaking and scratches that occur from put the mask on hard surfaces.
• Nose-pockets should be made from medium plastic to facilitate the process of equalization during the dive.
• Lenses should be made from tempered glass, so that they would not become fragments when they broke.
• The mask’s strap should be made from synthetic rubber or silicone elastomer to support the frame and lenses and create a watertight seal with the diver’s face without pressuring it when you wear the mask for a long time.

Fins

A diver needs a momentum force that makes his/her movement faster and save his/her effort. Fins are the force that helps divers to swim very fast. There are many types of fins. There are fiber fins used for free diving, thick rubber fins used for technical diving and split fins used for fun diving.

All types are good for fishing, but free diving fins need more practicing and knowledge on how to fin because they will be hitting each other due to their long length and thus disturb the fish and make them flee.

With regard to the technical diving, it is recommended to use fins and flutter like a butterfly, so that the momentum force becomes greater. They are excellent fins when there are currents because the spaces that they have allow the diver to dive with less effort and merge with the current movement to give him/her a greater momentum force.

Snorkel

A snorkel is often available with the mask. It is a device that allows the diver to breathe at the surface comfortably and continuously without needing to lift the head to breathe fresh air. When choosing the snorkel, consider its length. Do not choose too long or too short snorkel. It also should not be heavy.

Furthermore, the diver should choose a comfortable snorkel mouthpiece. Finally, always remember that the right snorkel will prevent jaw and neck pain.

Buoys

Buoys are one of the most important underwater fishing equipment. However, %90 of divers do not use them despite their value and importance.

“Before two days from writing this text, I was on a fishing trip that I had to end because I did not bring my buoy and there was no space to hook more fish on the fishhook, so u had to leave the site. When I got back to it, the shoal of fish was gone already, and I got nothing…”
-Isam

A buoy is important for:
• Hooking one or more fishhooks on the edges of the buoy.
• Keeping extra rubber of the spearguns.
• Keeping a flashlight or an extra battery.
• Tying the speargun to the buoy during fishing to avoid losing it when large fish pull.
• Being used as a sign that tells the passing boats that there are divers.
• Not carrying fish as it could sometimes attract sharks.

Fishhook

A fishhook is an efficient equipment. It could be hooked on the buoy to hook all the fish you caught.

Spears do not always kill the fish, so avoid taking the spear out before hooking the fish on the fishhook.

Always remember to hook the fishhook on the buoy instead of hanging it on your waist if you want to avoid sharks’ attacks.

Wood Protection Oil

It is used to paint the wooden gun from time to time. It has been mentioned earlier in the section of spearguns.

Some companies sell this oil. If it was not available in the store next to you, look for teak oil. It is going to be an excellent choice if you want to protect the wood of your gun. Teak oil cannot be replaced with anything else.

Speargun Reel

The speargun reel is located in the centre of the gun. Its line is connected to the spear line.

The diver can easily rill in a large fish after he/she makes the reel longer, so that the fish can run away and get exhausted.

If you hit some types of fish that pull the diver, you can keep making the reel longer until the fish dies and then rill it.

Or if the diver needs to go up to the surface, he/she can hit the spear and reel it to the surface.

The diver should get used to using the reel.

Some people spend a long time trying to deal with their tangled reels.

The reels that are made from rubber are not recommended for beginners.