where should i go/tips for a begginer?

[karatekid]

hey guys, im kinda new to spear fishing and id like some help finding the right places to fish. im using a polespear and am located around oceanside, carlesbad , encinitas and am starting out w/ just fins and a snorkel. id love any input on good places to fish and any gear that would be helpful.
-thanks,
mike

[ralphthehalibut]

am starting out w/ just fins and a snorkel.
-thanks,
mike



Tips:

Buy a mask :D

try tamarak - if its clear its a good beginner spot.

[mnguy]

Tips:

Buy a mask :D


A weightbelt and stringer would be useful too. ;)

[ralphthehalibut]

A weightbelt and stringer would be useful too. ;)


Only if he was planning on wearing a wetsuit - we dont wanna drown the poor guy.

I just figured he was going old school - diving naked :lol:

[mnguy]

Only if he was planning on wearing a wetsuit - we dont wanna drown the poor guy.

I just figured he was going old school - diving naked :lol:

Lol I still wear 5lbs in boardshorts

[OutofBreath]

Wetsuit, mask,knife,ringer,and prob some kinda float if ya are shore diving. Sorry no spots though to far south for me....NOR CAL BABY.

[rhyne]

i've been out in the bays down there a couple times. we found an area in mission bay that had some kelp and it was actually a descent place to get your fins wet for a newbie. it was nice not to deal with any surf/swell/surge. good practice for stalking bass. la jolla is always another good spot to try. Point loma/OB could be good also, but the visibility is usually kinda tough down there.

[Prodigal Son]

There's a spearfishing club in San Diego called the San Diego Freedivers. You may want to hook up with them. I'm sure they have guys who are willing to show you the ropes.

[Chinny33]

Ok, glad you asked while starting out as a newbie. Wish I knew what spearboard was when I first started. DONT BUY CRAP, just because its the cheaper way to go. you buy cheap gear, you are going to have cheap problems.

1) mask [dont spend less than $30, and more than $60, low volume, low profile freediving mask only...no scuba junk]
2) snorkel [they're cheap, omer zoom pro is $20, make sure NO PURGE]
3) fins [$120ish for picasso black team]
4) gloves and booties [$20-$50 for both]
5) wetsuit [$280-$450...omer, picasso, yazbek, apnea...dont buy a scuba suit, unless ure going for scuba]
6) weightbelt [rubber belt $25ish...only buy weights in 2lb increments...you want the weight distributed across your back...dont know how much it costs...I have crazy friends that pour their own lead for me]
7) THE SPEARGUN [$200-$1000+...i suggest you get a euro 110cm. good all around gun, say no to JBL or AB Biller guns for freediving]
8) dive knife [$10-$80...you dont need a $80 titanium dive knife]
9) stringer [you can make your own if you know what you're doing or pay $10 for one]

i think thats it...did i miss anything anyone?

total minumum suggested investment....$800-$1,100.

I learned the hard way by firstly buying cheap gear that never lasted more than a season. Get the good stuff and you wont be sorry.

hanapaahawaii.com
spearfishinggear.com
blueh20.com
austinsdiving.com
freediveshop.com
picassoamerica.com

[YakAtak]

2) snorkel [they're cheap, omer zoom pro is $20, make sure NO PURGE]


Upon seeing some very seasoned friends...(Freedro and Seacrecher) using one, I got one...Riffe Stable Snorkel...and I must say...It's the best snorkel I've owned, the purge doesn't scare anything and when you get to the surface, your snorkel is clear. After seeing this I'm inclined to say that the whole purge thing is a bunch of ballyhoo, as long as you flood at the surface it's fine.

AL

[mnguy]

Ok, glad you asked while starting out as a newbie. Wish I knew what spearboard was when I first started. DONT BUY CRAP, just because its the cheaper way to go. you buy cheap gear, you are going to have cheap problems.

1) mask [dont spend less than $30, and more than $60, low volume, low profile freediving mask only...no scuba junk]
2) snorkel [they're cheap, omer zoom pro is $20, make sure NO PURGE]
3) fins [$120ish for picasso black team]
4) gloves and booties [$20-$50 for both]
5) wetsuit [$280-$450...omer, picasso, yazbek, apnea...dont buy a scuba suit, unless ure going for scuba]
6) weightbelt [rubber belt $25ish...only buy weights in 2lb increments...you want the weight distributed across your back...dont know how much it costs...I have crazy friends that pour their own lead for me]
7) THE SPEARGUN [$200-$1000+...i suggest you get a euro 110cm. good all around gun, say no to JBL or AB Biller guns for freediving]
8) dive knife [$10-$80...you dont need a $80 titanium dive knife]
9) stringer [you can make your own if you know what you're doing or pay $10 for one]

i think thats it...did i miss anything anyone?

total minumum suggested investment....$800-$1,100.

I learned the hard way by firstly buying cheap gear that never lasted more than a season. Get the good stuff and you wont be sorry.

hanapaahawaii.com
spearfishinggear.com
blueh20.com
austinsdiving.com
freediveshop.com
picassoamerica.com

I'm still of the camp that a newbie can get by on a polespear and a cheap old surf suit rather than the freediving suit and gun, because even going out with a polespear you will know if you are going to like the sport or not. If you go out and don't shoot anything, or nothing that's worth mention, but still enjoy the experience and want to keep going then you will stick around in spearfishing. If all you care about is getting huge fish and/or bragging rights then, unless you are the luckiest dude alive, you will be disappointed a good portion of the time and will be tired of spearfishing before you know it regardless of how good your gear is.

That's why I say go out there and enjoy it with whatever you have already or acquire the basic gear such as the mask, snorkel, any cheapo fins(shitty US divers snorkeling kit with mask, snork and fins wil do), polespear(avoid the cheapest fiberglass ones and pay 5 or 10 more bucks for the aluminum JBL), belt, stringer, and wetsuit if you wish.

The only thing that I have to say about dive knives is the price of the knife is directly related to how easy it is to lose. No need for fancy locking mechanisms and all sorts of other crap that fails when a grain of sand gets inside of it. Something like the spetton(same knife as the riffe at half price) is good and at $30, it is even better.

The only upside to a newbie getting all the expensive gear off the bat is that we get that expensive gear at a discount if they are the 2nd kind of person that I mentioned and they quit and sell it all.

[karatekid]

thanks guys, im glad to have your input. i just went out kinda over by salona beach and the waves didnt look fun so i walked around in the surf and got a good size(foot and half) corbina so im pretty stoked. so far im realy liking spearfishing and am gonna go out a few more times before i realy comit to all the gear. keep comin with the locations if you can. i cant wait to try out some of the places mentioned allready. tamarack is the only one ive been to before out of those.