Freshwater Anyone?

I am in the northern part of South Carolina. 3 1/2 hours to the beach and just started spearing one month ago on a trip to Fl. I've benn out 2 days in salt and 3 days in fresh so far. I am freediving now I guess thats what y'all call snorkling and then holding your breath while you dive for fish.
1) :06: Could someone give me some advice on grabbing a rock and letting it pull me down faster. I'm a little worried about popping my eardrums if I go down to fast.
2)Would love to here some experiences or tips on freshwater spearing.
3) I am also looking to find someone to spearfish w/ here in SC. I live in Greenville SC, and went to Lake Jocassee "30-40 feet visibility" last Tuesday and shot 3 carp, but I'm more interested in the coast but would enjoy company at the lake also.
FYI:All freshwater fish are legal here except "Game Fish" Trout and all types of Bass.

What depths are FD to?

If I am working approx 15 ft or less I have two choices.
use weight belt 4lbs
exhale on the way down.
I I am going deeper I head straight down past the 15 and exhale on my way up.

I use a dry snorkel from genisis.

I would not carry a rock. How do you set it down quietly?

The above numbers are when I am in fresh water.

Pillow
I'm not sure I understand, if you don't exhale don't you have to work real hard to get down? So far I have only shot from the surface ie with snorkle on. I have dove but have yet to get a shot off while under, Just been 5 times. What do you fish for in Wyoming? Here bass and trout are off limits.
Well I signed up for SCUBA lessons for this weekend. Do you ever SCUBA for fish?
Also would like to here from anyone else with advice or answers to my questions. Or should I post these questions on another place?
Thanks Allen

I have only been spearing (Hawaiian sling) in SW. Grouper, squirrel fish, eel, parrot fish, etc.

I grew up in Monatana and we used to snorkel in the lakes and rivers with a pitchfork for suckers. Believe it or not, smoked sucker is good. Every once in a while, we would takea trout (not easy at all) or bass. Get a 3'-4' sucker on a pitchfork in a river and THAT is a ride!

Dude, you let DNR catch popping bluegill and brim with a spear (they're considered gamefish, too) and it'll be a big fine. Trash fish like carp, mudfish, garr, etc. or okay...hell, maybe not - they change the rules so much. I got the best of both worlds, freshwater 1/2 hour one way, salt water 1/2 MILE the other way.

cahendrick thanks for answer my other post! Don't do the exhale thing chief and don't hyperventilate. I'll contact you about meeting at Jocassee and I teach you proper breathup technic. I'll have you diving on dive training platform at 50ft in no time. You have to have a wetsuit below 30 though, thermalcline-sp.

I only freediver so I'll teach the right way to prepare for a long deep dive and call in fish while on the bottom. Don't get a dry snorkel the just bleed of air as dive deeper scaring fish also as you kick over to start your dive you should pull the snorkel from you mouth, it helps you relax more during the dive. Your not allow to spear bluegill(gamefish) in SC and must have regular state fishing license even though they are non game fish. I'm not really sure you can spear in Jocassee the rangers told me they didn't think you could. I don't think they knew difference between their head and hole in the ground really!!! It would be best to find a DNR officer instead! IT's hard to find those guys but find you pretty quick in the stupidest places!

I'm coming up the weekend of the august 7 to train for my vacation in September of freediving and spearfishing along the NC coast. I'm going to try to use a personel day Friday so I can make it three days. I'll pm you about meeting up that weekend if your interested.

Freediving is the only true way to do some spear slingin

Once I am past 15-18 I am compressed and have lost bouyancy. At 30 I can cruise the bottom with little effort and also little vis.

We shoot carp, trout and walleye.

Yes I do scuba for fish. Kinda. I like to carry a pole spear to use for touching line and things that I am not sure of. So since I have it as a probe it is always there when a fish shows up out of the murk.