Spear fishing - Vancouver

[Mshuk]

Anyone know of any good beginner spots around vancouver? Looking to get into it this summer.

 

[Dogbreath]

Not too popular around these parts.

 

[Mshuk]

Not too popular around these parts.

I was thinking of around Whytecliff Park or Lighthouse park maybe? I just don’t know much about the tides and current.

 

[Rain City]

I was thinking of around Whytecliff Park or Lighthouse park maybe? I just don’t know much about the tides and current.

What would you be fishing for?

 

[Mshuk]

Fish lol. I have no idea aha. I grew up in Calgary.

 

[absolon]

I was thinking of around Whytecliff Park or Lighthouse park maybe? I just don’t know much about the tides and current.

Years ago I used to scuba dive in that area. The tide flow can be significant.

 

[Stizzla]

Just snag a rod and reel and go catch some trout and bass.
If you want to scuba dive you should try the breakwater and McKenzie bight

 

[Mshuk]

Years ago I used to scuba dive in that area. The tide flow can be significant.

At whycliff or lighthouse?

 

[absolon]

Whytecliff and a small bay on the Howe Sound side to the west of Horseshoe Bay. I assisted in a scuba class and we took the students there for open water dives.

 

[Rain City]

Whytecliff and a small bay on the Howe Sound side to the west of Horseshoe Bay. I assisted in a scuba class and we took the students there for open water dives.

Someone died there scuba diving in the past 10 years if I recall.

 

[michaelb]

Anyone know of any good beginner spots around vancouver? Looking to get into it this summer.

Hey Mshuk, I grew up spearing in Southern California and then lived in Vancouver for about ten years. I would strongly encourage you to look through the regulations, specifically around what you can spear for. In the greater Vancouver area, you’re limited to flat fish that you would find on sandy or muddy bottoms and kelp greenlings, which are not lings/lingcod. IMO the juice isn’t worth the squeeze here— visibility is poor in the summer, fish are small and not super high eating quality, and the scenery that you’re seeing on breath hold is pretty plain. I go to the west side of the island to spear, or western Washington. Some people dive the Sunshine Coast and inside waters near Victoria.

if my post isn’t enough of a downer already, I would also encourage you to look up an organization that does free dive training such as Bottomdwellers. It’s very easy to die while breath hold diving. I have lost three close friends over the last decade while freediving, all experienced, cautious divers. All of those deaths happened in relatively shallow water, when they were on or near the surface— you don’t need to be diving hard in order to drown. Take the courses, learn basic safety techniques, dive with a buddy.

 

[Mshuk]

Appreciate the advice! Yeah Im likely going to sign up for a class in the next few weeks. Don’t want to develop poor habits in such a dangerous sport.

 

[absolon]

Someone died there scuba diving in the past 10 years if I recall.

There have been 4 or 5 over twelve years, varying causes apparently.

 

[Coyote Spooner]

At whycliff or lighthouse?

They’re both parks/rockfish conservation areas. So I’d say no spearfishing is allowed ?

 

[RUBBER BOATER JOHNNY]

My dive buddy shot me from behind, with a '3 prong spear pole' while hunting ling cod. Blood is 'brown', underwater. lol..