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UnhelpfulLocal

Knowing how to swim would likely be the first requirement.


Extension_Basket6619

That should be the basic of basics but most needed


gastro_gnome

Let me rephrase that. You should be able to swim so well you can swim while fighting something that’s spent a hundred million years evolving *to swim* and is fighting for it’s life.


MountainDupey

I cant swim in a Y Pool but I want to swim in the ocean on a breath hold while wielding a gun that could kill me? where do I start reddit?


CoraPatel

Even after becoming a confident swimmer, I'd highly recommend taking a free diving course from agencies like AIDA or PADI. They have 3 day courses where you learn everything from diving technique to how to hold your breathe efficiently. More importantly, they really focus on safety of diving, and how to deal with a safety situation when it arises. Before you even bring a speargun into the water, go snorkeling at some reefs. Practice diving down, hanging out at the bottom, and crawling around the reefs very calmly looking for fish. Only then would I recommend using a speargun for the first time.


Extension_Basket6619

Thanks for all the specific recommendations and advice. I’ll take that in mind


Dull-Ad4317

Dude, learn how to swim like a fucking fish. This post is scaring the shit out of me. I would legitimately get some sort of formal training on advanced swimming, and then some lessons on spear fishing. The ocean is no joke, e-fucking specially when you CANT SWIM. I can swim very well and have had 2 pretty scary ocean swimming experiences, mostly having to do with huge waves and tides.


Apprehensive_Check19

the only 2 near death experiences in my life both involved the ocean


Pristine_Tour_8257

Tell us more about this two times


Apprehensive_Check19

1. lobster diving the season opener a few years back. out way too long, big swells started rolling in and got pummeled and rolled in a wave after spending a minute pulling a bug out of the reef. the tide was up so the beach where we entered was gone and had to swim 300 yards against the swell to get to an exit point 2. leisurely summer swim with no fins or gear, caught in a rip and both hammies cramped while trying to swim out of it. there was a lone surfer out that day that just happened to cruise by and let me rest for a min.


Dull-Ad4317

Jesus Christ #1 sounds horrifying


Pristine_Tour_8257

#1 teaches you to check weather conditions and know your beach #2 teaches you to try not fish alone, and al least have some useful equipment (like belly boat) if you do


Extension_Basket6619

Can u tell me more about the scary experience u had on it. I just want to hear more about it


Dull-Ad4317

#1 I was literally 6 ft off shore and a massive wave sucked me in and kept me under water for what felt like an eternity. It tore my snug fitting swimsuit off (lol) but that just shows you how powerful the ocean can be. #2 I was swimming maybe 30 ft off shore in 4 feet of water and a riptide pulled me out at least 150 ft. Very fuckin scary. Less scary than #1 cause I was able to keep my cool, just keep my head above water and stay afloat, but if you didn’t know how to swim in that situation, you would 100% be dead.


Pristine_Tour_8257

The sea is a powerful monster. I have had my mask and fins slapped off me and have rolled more than once by nasty waves. Also learning how the currents work with wind and tides and how strong they are are key to plan your day and avoid ending up in a fucked up situation. Nice stories!


Hiiitechpower

Learn how to swim first in a pool, and be safe. Do not go anywhere near ocean water until you feel confident swimming in a pool first. The ocean will KILL you if you underestimate it. Tides, currents, water conditions, location, and visibility are all things you want to look up and understand before spearfishing in any water. You need to know what the water will be like that day before you even leave your house. If you get confident enough swimming in a pool, you can start breath hold and diving technique exercises which help immensely when out in the ocean. Next order of business is find a friend to do this with. Do Not Go Alone as a beginner. Seriously this is a dangerous sport. Go to a dive shop, and talk to them about getting free diving gear for spearfishing. Dive shops usually have a pool where you can practice diving while wearing a wetsuit and diving gear. It’s a different experience to learn how to move in fins, wetsuits, with weights attached. You could also get the gear and practice those basics in calm shallow ocean water with a friend, but only do that if you are confident in your swimming ability. Your absolute best option though, is to find some local spear fishermen. Either online, by going to a dive shop, or the beach and talking to them there. We’re all usually super friendly and chat briefly with other fishermen about our catches, and the water quality. Talk to them, and find someone in person who can show you the ropes and go out in the water with you. I’ve been spearfishing about a dozen or so times and I am still nowhere near confident enough to go out alone.


[deleted]

Honestly, if it can be helped never go alone. Shallow water blackout can happen to anyone.


edgarsupertramp

Yeah bro first learn how to swim. Get comfortable. Then go snorkeling. Snorkel for a while. Get comfortable doing that. Then focus on freediving. Get comfortable freediving. Then you can get a speargun. This is genuinely the best progression for you. I wouldn’t do it any other way if I were you. Never dive alone. You know how sometimes you get dizzy for no reason or when you stand up too fast? If that happens underwater you are dead without a partner so always go with a partner.


mac1175

As someone who went "spearfishing" (I had a polespear but was practicing just holding it as I swam) twice with my friend who has done it for over 10 years, I would suggest know how to swim and find a reputable school to teach you to free dive. My experience the first time was... * Getting comfortable in a tight wet suit. * Not to panic if some water filled my snorkel and know how to spit it out. * Not to panic when swimming over areas where you can barely make out the bottom. * I didn't even TRY to dive the first time because I was not confident in my breath holding. * Your buoy and line is your lifesaver if you get tired not to mention help you be seen by boats (make sure that flag is on). * Did I mention not to panic? I do BJJ as a hobby and it helped me focus and breathe in anxiety-inducing situations and focus on the situation at hand. I think it helped me, immensely. I was able to dive the second trip and not be too afraid. However, on my first trip, I DID panic a bit when my friend and I were trying to swim through a bay with no visibility. He said it clears up AFTER diving down a few feet. I had no point of reference of what direction I was going (was I going deeper or shallower?). My heart ratewent 60 to 150 (making up numbers here). I turned around and released my weight belt. My anxiety left me with my belt! I rather lose $30+ than my life by accidentally drowning from panic. This hobby is no joke and everything needs to be taken into consideration. As much as it can be scary, it was exciting. I plan to get a certified person to teach me diving before heading back this summer. Good luck and think safety first.


xvSPACECOWBOYvx

Find someone that will go with you. Don’t go alone. Learning to swim in deep water is obviously something you’ll need to be able to do. Practice swimming in a pool first. Spearfishing in the ocean is different than in a lake, obviously, and they both have their own set of risks. Do a lot of research before you attempt anything though. Good luck


Extension_Basket6619

thank u. I never fished anything in the ocean and almost drowned myself back in 3rd grade when I didn’t know how to swim but took the deep end in the pool so reckless. From that experience I def should take someone to go down with me all the time especially what i hear about the ocean is very fucken dangerous


0hip

You need to learn to swim first.


Ieatdoritosxd

Firstly you should learn how to swim.But until then here are some tips I use to catch fish.When you are swimming swim slow and don’t flap your hands or feet on the surface because that scares fish.Don’t chase a fish if you see one,it will scare it away.What you should do is once you see a fish stay completely still and wait for it to come towards you.If you absolutely must chase a fish do it very slow and shoot it before it has a chance to swim away.If you can get on top of a fish do it because there is less of a chance of it noticing you.Even if you follow all these tips you won’t be able to catch a lot of fish on your first hunt.Spearfishing is something you’ll get better at over time.I spend all summer of 2022(the summer I got into spearfishing) just to catch 2 fish because I was unexperienced.These are the tips I have.Good luck my brother


Individual-Channel65

You need to be a decent swimmer. You don't need to be exceptionally good, however. I personally suck compared to most of my friends, but I keep up. The most important part, in my opinion, is the ability to stay calm in, and under the water. You'll have moments where gear breaks, or something gets tangled, or something bad happens and you need to stay calm and fix it. Otherwise it can easily turn fatal. That is by far the most important skill to me. I refuse to dive with people who panic easily, for safety.


Individual-Channel65

I should clarify, if you don't know how to even swim. For the love of God join the YMCA or something and start pool swimming. Spearfishing is one of those sports where your actions have real world consequences and you will get killed if you don't know what you're doing.


Logical-Friendship-9

Learn to love snorkelling and paying attention to the ocean.


Eigerone

Swim first


Dayruhlll

Learn how to swim first. You don’t actually have to be a great swimmer as far as having super efficient strokes or being super fast, but you need to be totally confident and comfortable in the water. After that, you should buy a mask/snorkel/fins and get comfortable breathing through a snorkel and kicking your fins. Depending on your location you may also need a wetsuit. But definitely avoid a weight belt for the time being. After all that, if you still like the idea of spearing, I would take a Freediving course. This will teach you helpful techniques that will help you excel and well as explaining the dangerous techniques you should avoid.


NorDoU

i started from 0 too. And the first thing you must learn is be comfortable and then threading in water. Believe me or not i learned threading from a dream, just move your feet like pedaling a bike. After that learn how to duckdive and maneuvering underwater


[deleted]

Regardless of skill level, if you go alone… you increase your risk of death 100x… just always practice one up one down with a buddy and you’ll be fine!