New to spearfishing, want recommendations

What would be a good starting 'speargun' for a new hunter? My birthday is coming up and my wife wants to know what she's getting me.

I dive in the Puget Sound if that makes any difference.

Q,

It makes a lot of difference. So does how you dive, either scuba or freedive. And then there's what kind of fish you want to target. Also how experienced you are, and finally how much you want to spend.

No one gun can do it all. Do some searches here... you'll come up with quite a bit.

The guns I've seen in Seattle stores were short and stocky. JBL 38 Magnum NW is the one I remember seeing most. I've never dove your area though.

Chad

Hi, welcome to beginner spearfishing 101. Yes it does. Not that I have much room to talk. 1st think about what we here in the Puget Sound are aloud to spear and then move into what you what to spear in the future. Check the fishing regs for seasons and gear restrictions. Now with that said comes price,$100 and up works. A good reef gun works best as visibility is generally low and around the rocks is where the fish are except for flounder and halibut. I see a lot of JBL's being used like the NW 38 Special. I use JBL Explorer 22 because I'm cheap. My son uses a JBL D6 mini Carbine because we bought it for him and we went cheaper. He has shot more fish with that little gun then most will do with a larger and more expensive gun. He even shot a 28 inch Ling. Trust me we go almost every weekend mostly for flounder. As far as buying the gun check every and all web sites for pricing and shipping information. Same new never used gun can be found cheaper. Some nice guns can be found on ebay. Next go to spearboard.com and youtube and pull up as much info about spearfishing here in the Puget Sound as you can be it video or stories. Hope this helps.

Here are a few to consider from JBL:

JBL 38 Special. This gun for small to midium fish.
JBL Woody Sawed-off Magnum. This gun will give you more options as you learn.

There are two things that are important here, shaft diameter in 5/16 work great and gun size.

Best of luck

Except for Chad too many "experts" will respond to your questions.
You must give quite a bit more information about your diving and spearfishing desires before anyone can intelligently give you solid advice.
i would strongly suggest you confer with him.

make sure you buy a gun with rails, rails increase the accuracy of your gun

quentusrex:

What would be a good starting 'speargun' for a new hunter? My birthday is coming up and my wife wants to know what she's getting me.

I dive in the Puget Sound if that makes any difference.

Click to expand...

Everyone is trying to get information about your diving experience so we can help you better. If you are an new diver, we will suggest gaining more experience first. If you are an experienced diver and can find fish, compare features with the 38 speacial, AB Biller in a similar length, Riffe guns in a similar length, I have used all three brands and each price level gains comfort and versatility. The metal tech 0 mid handle from Riffe is wonderful for the fish and conditions I hunt, But, I have been spearfishing for over 35 years, and I hunt the biggest fish where I dive.

If you are a beginning diver. . . start diving a lot, find the small baitfish, and learn to swim with them without disturbing them, smooth out your behavior, such as hand waving, bouncing around on the bottom, breathing erraticly, faceing head on at the smaller fish. These behaviors must be eliminated, and your diving skills must progress before you are ready to hunt fish with success.

All fish of any size have been hunted by other fish since they were born. . . they have learned to fear any animal that faces them, as a threat. A hunting diver can get closer to fish by keeping their body pointed away from the target and turning their head slightly in the direction of the fish. This works if you are using a speargun or camera.

The gun does'nt matter hear in puget sound, The things you do to it, and how you hunt is what you need to learn. The best reason to spearfish is it gets you out diving.

you need to be a self reliant diver, (SOLO) You will chase fish if you wound it to kill it, so not to suffer. take the in the gill out the mouth once the spearhead Is off pull spear out and attache the spearhead. Dog sharks are gonna want your booty cause of the blood trail you leave Dont shoot them Just let them know whos boss.


There are spearfishing books, but Just get out there and start killing is all it takes, you'll learn the tricks that work for you.

Have fun I spearfish almost every day.

The stringer in the gill ,Sorry

Come on hammer a dog fish,not, Ive tried dog fish nothing good to eat on them. Never speared one just get a lot on the hook when salmon fishing.