Spear fishing Enthusiasts

[Mantas]

Hello!

I was wondering if there are any freedive spearfishers here or even a community in Metro Vancouver? I have recently moved to BC and have done spear fishing for over 10 years now. I would love to continue on with my hobby with people who are fond of this activity the same as I am.

 

[Percy Stipec]

Hey Mantas! I'm turning 18 next month and have been doing it since I was 15. Spearfishing in BC is sick once you get your technique down. I've gotten a bunch of various rockfish greenling flounder cabezon almost got a ling but I think I'll get one this summer. Look for rocky structure and reefs 15-50 feet deep and some current. I've found some good spearfishing around Gabriola island Egmont Sechelt Inlet Howe Sound (although lingcod and rockfish are closed) and at Thrasher at slack tide (only during slack tide though or you'll get swept away. Unfortunately late spring and summer are the only times you can go unless you get a dry suit. Best of luck to you, once you get into it, it gets pretty fun. Cheers.

 

[Fixit]

theres a few spearo's on the board here. i usually scuba in vancouver, and freedive in the tropics. always used a hawaiian pole spear type. my biggest poke was a 1.4M wobbygong shark

 

[Big_Shank]

I freedive/spear on the west side of the island from about otter point north. After trying out a friends Hawaiian pole spear, I've decided it is the way to go for me and I will be buying one this season. I have a cressi 100cm gun and it can be tough to see the fish when the gun is held out to aim unless visibility is 100% clear.

You can get away with a good 5mm or 7mm wetsuit all year round, no need for a dry suit. The trick is to bring 2 thermos' of hot water with you. One to pour into the suit while you are getting into it, and one to warm up with when you are getting back out of it. To keep from drifting away in the current, anchor a kayak or small boat with a dive flag, 50-75ft up current from the structure you are fishing and keep a high vis oh crap rope hanging off the stern around 200-300ft long with a 12" scotchman at the end. Most important, pick your days...

Another great forum to look for dive partners is Deeperblue.com

 

[kaelc]

I freedive/spear on the west side of the island from about otter point north. After trying out a friends Hawaiian pole spear, I've decided it is the way to go for me and I will be buying one this season. I have a cressi 100cm gun and it can be tough to see the fish when the gun is held out to aim unless visibility is 100% clear.

You can get away with a good 5mm or 7mm wetsuit all year round, no need for a dry suit. The trick is to bring 2 thermos' of hot water with you. One to pour into the suit while you are getting into it, and one to warm up with when you are getting back out of it. To keep from drifting away in the current, anchor a kayak or small boat with a dive flag, 50-75ft up current from the structure you are fishing and keep a high vis oh crap rope hanging off the stern around 200-300ft long with a 12" scotchman at the end. Most important, pick your days...

Another great forum to look for dive partners is Deeperblue.com

Westcan Spearos on Facebook has a couple hundred members. https://m.facebook.com/groups/345997292082236

Big Shank it would be great to get out with you if you have an extra spot. I'm in Victoria and have never anchored up for freediving or spear fishing. It sounds like you have it figured out and have some great tips. I took a Freedive course in Thailand last week and I'm pumped to get out. Looking for a set of fins (10 or 11) and a good used medium suit but have enough dive and surf gear to get out now. Where can you get a pole spear?

 

[Big_Shank]

I ordered my pole spear and my gun from Amazon. I'm going to be in Europe most of June on a family trip so I won't be able to take you out until late June-July. I've picked up some of my gear like fins, knife and wetsuit on usedvic. The fins and knife were used but the wetsuit was brand new. Somebody won it with a cooler and a bunch of other junk from a liquor store draw and had no use for the suit which fit me well, like a glove. HTO had a pole spear last time I was in there. Frank White's had the gloves, belt, weights, and boots for a very reasonable price.

Don't even bother looking at the Ogden point dive shop, they are really only geared towards cruise ship customers with lots of $$$, and are not particularly helpful towards spearos in any way. They are also not fans of us land based hook and line anglers out on the breakwater either lol...

 

[kaelc]

Thanks! I went by HTO and almost choked on the cost of fins. Guess I'll use my old dive gear, til something comes up on usedvic. Does your pole spear have the rubber sling shotish thing on one end?

 

[Big_Shank]

Yeah I find a lot of local shops are quite expensive and are actually doing a great job of pricing themselves out of the market, but I guess that's the price you have to pay if you want to buy local. A very large amount of goods sold locally are cheap Chinese products marked up over 5-10x their actuall value.

I think most all pole spears will have the bungee as it is the spears power force.