An update for those that care:
My first time spearfishing on sunday was great. We had two instructors and two students, talk about a one on one. So, we fought the surge for about twenty yards and then set a float line. Dropped down and vis. was incredible. 15 FEET!!! On average this site has 5 feet, but is known for good spearfishing. After about a minute perch were all over, my instructor motioned for me to go at it, so I found a target, took aim and let go of my spearpole, first shot, nailed it. Unfortunately not a kill shot, but I held it against the rock so not to lose it, since my tip would not keep fish from wiggling off. I grabbed for my stringer, but the current felt otherwise. In short I lost the fish and had to fight the current to get back on the bottom. I went back at it and ended up with two fish, one perch and one greenling. Better than nothing, so we switched tanks and jumped back in. An hour later and five more fish, I was very pleased. Especially since I speared to largest greenling and won the t-shirt.
Overall, I love it, and I really like my spearpole.
Oh, and some others were in the area spearfishing, and some idiot went around shooting everything in site, including the only Wolf eel that lived there. He didn't even know the limits when we asked him...my instructor had a little talk with him... apparently he went to the dive shop the day before, bought a 38 special speargun, no instructions on what to do, and went at it. He almost got shot too, I was taking aim at a perch in mid water, when all of the sudden he came up behind it, lucky for him I saw his bubbles.
Between the four of us we got around 30 fish.
Thanks for the advice guys, in came in handy.
I plan to go back soon and get my limit.
Nick