what do i need to know???

[scubajoh44]

I don't know ANYTHING about spearfishing. I've never even seen one till now. My Dad just gave me an OLD.....what he called an "Hawaiian sling." What do I need to know about it? Where can I learn a few spearfishing tips? What do I need to find out or practice before trying it out? Thanks.
Jo

 

[Ironhed]

well start out on smaller fish. basically you wont have a line so your shot placement will need to be good so fish dont swim off your spear and so they dont swim away with your spear. you want to stone the fish with one shot hopefully. aim behind the eye and try to hit the brain where it meets the spine of the fish this way you have 2 ways of stopping the fish either cut its spine or hit its brain.

 

[scubajoh44]

Is there any trick to not letting the fish run off with your spear? Lines or anything?
Jo

 

[erikharwell]

use a 3 pronged tip on it and shoot small fish.

 

[H2Andy]

What do I need to find out or practice before trying it out?

introduction to spearfishing: don't shoot yourself.

advanced spearfishing: find out what fish look like. find out what divers look like. shoot the fish. don't shoot divers.

technical spearfishing: you have to bring the fish back for it to count

eyebrow

 

[Chad Carney]

First let's be sure it is a sling and not a pole spear. Pictured is a Hawaiian sling. It shoots a freeshaft, with no lines.

Like Ironhed said, a kill shot is best, but as long as you are shooting a bottom fish, one that will rock up, not swim away, like grouper & snapper, then it very possible to retrieve the fish even if you don't stone it on the first shot.

Of course for this to work you need to have a bottom within your diving range, which is not always the case in Texas, especially on rigs. You also need abnout 15' or more of visibility, hopefully alot more than that.

If rigs are your best dive sites, I'd say you will need a line speargun instead.

I'd look for some spearfishing training. I don't know of any in Texas, but if you ever get to Tampa Bay, look me up.

Capt Chad

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Go through your local regulations and see what fish are game and what size they need to fall over/under.

I personally like a double swivel barbed, rotating tip.

 

[scubajoh44]

I don't know what a pole spear and a sling are, but mine does not look like yours. It just has a pole that you can make different sizes, then pull back on the band. Nothing facy at all. It came with 3 spear heads. One is a three prong (he told me to use that one) and two other "regular" ones.

I live in the Texas panhandle. Don't get to the ocean too much. I'll be trying it out on freshwater (really small) fish first. Spearguns scare me since I don't know anything about them. I want to learn though. Just not sure where to get local info bout em'.

Thanks for the tips!
Jo

 

[bamagreg]

To me a spear gun is safer than an hawian sling, you accidently let go of the shaft and the sling will shoot. Most spear guns have a safety, like on a gun. Be careful where you go for fresh water fish. I don't think it is legal to hunt in fresh water in Texas, at least not for most species. The dive shop (Hydorsports Scuba) in Lake Jackson Texas, 1 hour south of Houston near Freeport offers a spear fishing class. It consists of classroom instruction and gulf water instruction. Spearfishing is a fun, challanging and addictive activity, good luck.

Greg

 

[Ironhed]

what u describe is a pole spear not a hawaiian sling. polespears are great for getting flounder and fish that let you get close enough to hit them. my advise to you was based on the fact I thought you said you had a hawiian sling. as far as being afraid of a speargun.... well I too had never used one before but I met up with Chad carney who posted on here and he gave me my first try at a speargun. there really isn't much to know really. you need to be familiar with how to load as well as unload. you need to know how to safely handle one just like any gun do not ever point it in the direction of any divers EVER. never come up and hand someone a loaded speargun always unload it. if using a line on the gun you need to understand how to wrap the line and do it underwater not hard to do once you understand your gun. you need to know your fish species and size limits. this one is really important. the first few times spearing I passed on lots of fish because I simply wasn't sure what to shoot at. you need to understand air consumption if scuba spearing. you will breathe alot more air at first when you have a gun in your hand. alot of divers run out of air because they forgot to check it with everything going on. in my opinion spearboard.com helped me get to where I am at with all the experienced spearo's on there always willing to help out new comers to the sport. I owe alot to chad for helping me into the sport and guiding me to spearboard for sure and he is only one of many like him on there.