Speargun for a teenager?

[Rick Murchison]

Everyone I know that started diving in the 60's and early 70's took spearguns on their first dive, and on every dive for quite a while. The reason to dive was to hunt.
It wasn't a disaster.
Nobody shot anybody.
- But -
We were all skilled hunters schooled in weapons safety from pre-school days.
We had all been "spearing" with gigs & poles for years.
In answer to the question then, if the teen's a good hunter with rock solid weapons safety sense, great.
If he isn't absolutely safe and comfortable around weapons, teach him that first.
Diving skills are needed, true, but weapons safety trumps all else.
Rick

 

[willembad]

I agree with the posters who recommends freediving. I have a 10 yr old that is certified and his sole reason for diving at this point is to spearfish. He is only allowed to spear while freediving though. It gives a great incentive to practice his scuba skills. You can see him with his first fish in the "Post your Boast" thread.

To "MR Reefgay" (I apologize if Im insensitive, but it might be a typo you'd like to correct before you have some 'splainin' to do )

Here's what I'd do. Get a spearo or two and take a trip to a local lake. Buck lake would be perfect.

The first thing to teach a future spearo is the rules. I'll quote the 2007 edition of the "Florida Fishing Regulations" on page 10. "Effective July, 2001, spearfishing of marine and freshwater species in freshwater is prohibited. Possession of a speargun in or on freshwater is also prohibited."

Just in case you didn't know.

Willem

 

[ONESPEED]

Ok. I have a question. In spearfishing, if the gun is already loaded, all the diver has to do is pull the trigger (at the right fish and size of course). With a pole spear doesn't the diver have to pull a band like a sling shot? And, wouldn't that take more effort as far as bouyancy control goes?

Aside from the obvious benefits of teaching the teen to be a better stalker/hunter one clear advantage of a pole spear is he isn't swimming around with a weapon that is constantly loaded.

I have tought many SB'ers to hunt and started them all out with pole spears no matter how anxious they were to get a gun in their hands. All have thanked me for it in the long run. Don't skip steps in his training, he will thank you for it one day and you will benefit from his hunting skills with seafood dinners.

I also can not stress enough what others have said here, the teen needs to get his bouyancy and basic dive skills down before he is distracted with a speargun. You have to be a proficient diver before you can become a proficient and more importantly, safe hunter.

 

[Rick Murchison]

While I tend to agree that a pole spear is a good way to start, there's a sub-theme floating through this thread I just have to comment on.
Do not just swim around with a loaded (that is, bands pulled or "cocked") speargun.
My personal rule is to pull the bands only when a target has been sighted, or at least wait until "on-site" and settled. Even then the safety stays on until the target's the first thing in front of the gun.
We also decock the guns for the ascent.
Been doing it that way for forty years, and sure, we've missed an "opportunity" shot every now and then, but not enough to change the safety rule.
And no, a cocked gun isn't an advantage when keeping sharks at bay.
Rick

 

[fisheyeview]

While I tend to agree that a pole spear is a good way to start, there's a sub-theme floating through this thread I just have to comment on.
Do not just swim around with a loaded (that is, bands pulled or "cocked") speargun.
My personal rule is to pull the bands only when a target has been sighted, or at least wait until "on-site" and settled. Even then the safety stays on until the target's the first thing in front of the gun.
We also decock the guns for the ascent.
Been doing it that way for forty years, and sure, we've missed an "opportunity" shot every now and then, but not enough to change the safety rule.
And no, a cocked gun isn't an advantage when keeping sharks at bay.
Rick

Absolutely right. The gun should be un-cocked for entry and decent, and asscent and exit. The safety should always be on until you are ready to take the shot.

More than likely all you will do is piss a shark off if you use the gun on it.

 

[ReefGuy]

To "MR Reefgay" (I apologize if Im insensitive, but it might be a typo you'd like to correct before you have some 'splainin' to do )

No need to apologize . The tag, however, has served it's purpose and I have no problem removing it.

The first thing to teach a future spearo is the rules. I'll quote the 2007 edition of the "Florida Fishing Regulations" on page 10. "Effective July, 2001, spearfishing of marine and freshwater species in freshwater is prohibited. Possession of a speargun in or on freshwater is also prohibited."

Just in case you didn't know.

Willem

http://floridafisheries.com/pdf/200708Regs-print.pdf

Well, here is the 2007-2008 version of the Florida Fishing regulations as listed on myfwc. Please find your quote for me. I can only find the following:

(on page 10)
"It is illegal to possess any freshwater fish along with gear that cannot legally be used to take freshwater fish, including gear types listed above or below for taking nongame fish or bait.

(on page 11)
under "Prohibited gear for taking Marine species in fresh water"

 

[CBulla]

http://floridafisheries.com/pdf/200708Regs-print.pdf

Well, here is the 2007-2008 version of the Florida Fishing regulations as listed on myfwc. Please find your quote for me. I can only find the following:

(on page 10)
"It is illegal to possess any freshwater fish along with gear that cannot legally be used to take freshwater fish, including gear types listed above or below for taking nongame fish or bait.

(on page 11)
under "Prohibited gear for taking Marine species in fresh water"

Heyyyyyyy... nice, you beat me to it. You can have the gun, you can have milk jugs or styrofoam fishes, just not a nice bass stuck to the spear

 

[willembad]

I can not explain why this reg is in the Saltwater edition of the regs when it pertains to freshwater but read it here

Spearing

I haven't tried my luck yet, but if you do please let us know the outcome. I would not mind collecting a few tilapia for dinner .
They're not even a native species, so I don't personally see the harm but there it is.

Willem

 

[Hank49]

Do not just swim around with a loaded (that is, bands pulled or "cocked") speargun.
My personal rule is to pull the bands only when a target has been sighted, or at least wait until "on-site" and settled. Even then the safety stays on until the target's the first thing in front of the gun.
Rick

Nice hat Rick. I don't understand the concept of only cocking the gun once a target has been selected though. Is it really safer to all of a sudden see a big snapper (for instance) and be in a hurry cocking the gun instead of slowly pointing the cocked gun at him and taking dead aim?
Plus, I'd miss a lot of the pelagics that come cruising out of nowhere and are only in range for a few seconds. (OK, I miss them anyway but at least I get a shot at them)

 

[Rick Murchison]

Nice hat Rick. I don't understand the concept of only cocking the gun once a target has been selected though. Is it really safer to all of a sudden see a big snapper (for instance) and be in a hurry cocking the gun instead of slowly pointing the cocked gun at him and taking dead aim?
Plus, I'd miss a lot of the pelagics that come cruising out of nowhere and are only in range for a few seconds. (OK, I miss them anyway but at least I get a shot at them)

- "on site and settled" - so, if I'm on the way down and see a likely target, I'll cock during the descent, otherwise, wait until on-site and settled (settled - under good control, spacially oriented, buddies accounted for, field clear, etc) then go ahead and cock.
Pelagics cruising out of nowhere... beautiful to watch. Mid/blue water shooting is, shall we say, a subject beyond the scale and scope of a beginner's field? As are detachable heads, steel lines, floats, sea anchors, riding straps and other toys for big stuff. You are evoking memories of good times past, however
Rick