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Alright then....where do I start?

14K views 44 replies 11 participants last post by  RedPhoenix 
#1 ·
Free diving off my yak is something that I am very interested in but completely new to. I was hoping that someone more experienced than myself could paint a picture of yak free diving and what would be involved e.g.

-What kit is needed?
-what depths and bottom seascape should be targeted?
-How deep is it realistic to dive to in order to target fish and other bottom type stuff (obviously largely based on fitness levels)?
-What sort of safety precautions/kit should one observe/acquire e.g. I would think that having a pony (small emergency breathing apparatus not a little horse) strapped to your leg could be beneficial?
-I understand that spearfishing is illegal with a tank?
-what sort of entry level spear gun/spear features should one go for?
-Techniques, tips and diving secrets of the rich and famous?
-Species to target etc etc?
-Best way to position the whole thing so that the wife buys all the kit for me for christmas :D ?

I reckon this would serve as a general guide to anyone interested who has very little to no experience.

Any input appreciated :D

JT
 
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#2 ·
I wear a full length wetsuit more for sun protection than warmth, a cheap 2-3mm one is more than adequate for this.
You'll also need a weight belt with enough weight to let you stay afloat on the surface with a lung full of air but you should be easily able to duck-dive to 2-3m and be neutrally bouyant.
Mask, snorkel and flippers of course. I use the long bladed Escalpez fins, they really work well.
Speargun wise, I like a wood gun like the Sea Hornet Magnum. It's fairly easy to load and can take a couple of rubbers for more punch. A few of my mates use the pneumatic powered Mares Cyrano guns and they really pack a punch but are expensive.
I have tried a few Ali guns and really hate them, you need a gun that floats so when you hit a fish and am trying to bag it your gun isnt going to sink to where you cant get it or cant find it. With a floating gun the stock will either be on the surface or sticking up in mid water with the spear on the bottom. You also want as long a gun as you can operate, the longer the gun and spear the better the accuracy and more power you have.
How deep you can dive will come with practice, there is no point targeting fish in 10m of water if you barely struggle to stay at that depth for a second. Best thing to do is go for a snorkel off the beach and practice your diving technique to conserve energy and increase depth over time.
Nothing worse than hunting a fish out of your depth then pushing for the surface wondering if you'll make it before you black-out.
Its good practice to have a mate on the surface to roll you over if this happens too. :roll:
There is an awesome book worth getting out of the library called Freedive! by Terry Maas and Bluewater Hunting by Terry Maas is a must have.
 
#3 ·
Gatesy said:
John

This means any bities will take the fish and not me :D

would be very keen to come along with you a few times John as i am not too experienced either. I have done ok once or twice with black fish and a nice big fat drummer. Geez they eat well :twisted:

Let me know and we can try and organise something
Nice theory on the bities Michael :roll: :D

There was a fella that was taken by a shark in NZ years ago when he was spear fishing. The conclusion drawn as to how and why was that he was threading the fish just as you advocate but was basically keeping them attached belt style around his waist. Talk about ringing the dinner bell! I reckon the fish dropped into the back of the yak in a leak proof bag or cooler or something would be the way to go.

Very interested in doing some trips with you mate. There are some decent places that spring to mind. One was off Balmoral. As you pass the Navy base and go around the point there is a little tiny beach/bay. The water looked very clear as it was open water and there was plently of rock ledges etc. I was also thinking Lake Macquarie in places like the sand flats.

I used to free dive for Paua (abalone to the non-Kiwis) with a butter knife off Makara in NZ amongst the kelp beds and rocks. You gotta get that butter knife in real fast before they work out whats happening and suck to the rock (it takes them a moment to come to terms with the fact that some idiot is actually using a butter knife to try and pry them from the rock). From the water straight onto the bbq!

Anyway..there is simply nothing like being that close to nature. I am not a religious man but I do think you are closest to God when immersed in the elements. The sea, salt air, sea breeze (listen carefully for the violins) and being down amongst the inhabitants of the sea is what appeals.....oh and also a free feed afterwards :D .

Any further insight by the more experienced is appreciated.

Let's plan a trip Gatesy...again all welcome.

JT
 
#4 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#5 ·
As always a supurb response Red. Well thought out and well constructed. Thank you very much for taking the time and making the effort!

A question on hand spares. How far do they shoot and are they attached to you? I know they have a rubber but don't they actually shoot a very small distance? More a case of stabbing the fish?

I am thinking about getting something with some distance....if Gatesy has a rail gun down there and it all turns ugly underwater with some sort of altercation over a kingy or crayfish or something I want to be aqually armed :twisted: :D :D

Again...thanks for your great response Red.

JT
 
#6 ·
Hello, first time poster long time reader :)

I have just moved to Lake Mac and i'm yet to get a Kayak, so i havent speared out of one ...yet.

I have an escalapez(sp?) challenger 1.1m speargun it was a couple of hundred dollars but it seems like a decent gun for the money.
I also have one of those cheap aluminium handspears which is good fun to learn with but the prongs do bend easy and some fish tend to get off.

i agree with getting a mask that fits you, i got one for $100 but the difference it makes compared to a cheap one from say Rebel is amazing, much more comfier which is important if your in the water for a few hours. (squashed nose etc).

i have a 3mm 2 piece wetsuit custom made from overseas and also use ski rope and a ronstan float with flag. I also have a knife attached to my leg (important if you get tangled etc).

When i shoot a fish, i kill it then unclip the gun slide the speed spike(i think) through the gills and out the mouth and then clip the gun back on. as i swim forward the fish moved along the rope up to the float.

might see you out there sometime
 
#7 ·
Gidday Driftr and welcome to the forum. Have you ever spearfished in Lake Mac and if so where and what species? Gatesy and I spend a bit of time up around the Lake, specifically me at Catherine Hill Bay and Gatesy at Chain Valley Bay. Also Raw Prawn (Greg) lives up that way. We should go for a fish when you get your yak. Now tell us about your spearfishing experiences in the Lake?

JT
 
#8 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#9 ·
Thanks Red. It appears then that stealth is an important ingredient if max range is 5 feet. Behind, sideways or above the fish then as most fish will do a runner if they see you approach to 5 feet I reckon.

John
 
#10 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#11 ·
JT said:
Gidday Driftr and welcome to the forum. Have you ever spearfished in Lake Mac and if so where and what species? Gatesy and I spend a bit of time up around the Lake, specifically me at Catherine Hill Bay and Gatesy at Chain Valley Bay. Also Raw Prawn (Greg) lives up that way. We should go for a fish when you get your yak. Now tell us about your spearfishing experiences in the Lake?

JT
Hey JT,
Sorry i'm yet to spear in the lake, so i will also be trying to find some nice spots. I've only lived in wyee point for 2 weeks and havent had a chance to go out spearing(although i got a decent flatty on line).
I have speared norah head and also toowoon bay areas up here and balmoral (nice and easy), long reef, north curl curl and freshwater down in sydney.

when i find some decent spots i will let you know, if you guys come across any let me know :)
I've never yaked before but im saving my pennies to give it a try.
I might hire one a few times from lake mac kayaks to see how it all works.
 
#12 ·
Perhaps you might want to hire one sometime in the next 6 weeks. I reckon there will definately be a day that Gatesy, Raw Prawn and I (and anyone else handy) will go for a fish on the lake over the Chrissy period. You would be most welcome to come out. You could even take the old yak for a spin when I am up there next if you like :D

JT
 
#13 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#14 ·
JT, i'll keep an eye on the forum for when you guys are organising a fish there. I have never been in a yak before so it would be good to get some tips from experienced people.
Thanks for the offer, i'd love to take the old yak for a spin if you dont mind.

Thanks for the welcome Phoenix :lol:
 
#15 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#16 ·
Wow sweet result Red. Thanks for posting.

Did you use the hand spear you were telling us about? Can you also give us an idea of the environment i.e. structure, bottom conditions, swell, how far from the beach or stucture etc?

Also how are you finding the Olympus 725 now that you have used it in anger under water? I too have one and am finding that the shot type setting actually has quite an effect on the outcome of the pic, particularly if you use the wrong one at the wrong time e.g. scenery taken on a protrait setting.

Also how long did it take you to gather the above collection and were you off a yak or boat of some kind?

Cheers,

John
 
#18 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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Attachments

#19 ·
I go for a week and look at all the action I have missed.

If you want to start spearing seriously join a spearfishing club cause the old hands will be able to teach you heaps.

A hand spear is a good start cause it will teach you the basics about spearing. You can potentially spend $1000's on gear .... But if you don't like it it won't be much fun.

Wetties are great they make you more comfortable in the water But I think the most essential part of kit is:

Mask
snorkel
fins
Spear
Gloves
Knife

You should be able to get that or borrow it and still have plenty of pennies in the bank. Don't buy expensive gloves unless the water is freezing cause you wear holes in them from rocks and barnicals. I buy 2 dollar cotton/ rubber flexy gloves from bunnings. Buy a cheapish knife (less than 30) cause you loose them by dropping them in deep water or getting smashed up on rocks.

If you want to ask questions about spearfishing on a dedicated forum try (order of usefullness)...

Extremespearfishing.com.au
spearfishing.com.au
spearfishing.net.au

Cheers

Jesse
 
#21 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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#22 ·
I understand about the eustations, I had a bit of trouble equalising on my last scuba dive due to a blocked nose, but pushed through it (probably shouldn't have). I'll eat my dive booties if there aren't a few crays in that spot :D

redphoenix said:
perhaps I should attach it to the yak with a 5m line.

Red.
That's a good idea. Although I reckon the 5m is probably a fairly conserative figure. Do you need to do any special cleanup to the camera after using it in the salt?

I think the rounder of the 2 jackets you speared is a mosaic leatherjacket - they are so pretty underwater, unfortunately we don't see many of that species in Vic.
 
#23 ·
Squidder said:
I think the rounder of the 2 jackets you speared is a mosaic leatherjacket - they are so pretty underwater, unfortunately we don't see many of that species in Vic.
Are those Leather Jackets good eating or crappy? Also what are the little strippy fish in the photos?

John
 
#24 ·
I haven't found a leatherjacket yet that didn't taste good, and I think Ive caught and eaten at least 8 different species so far (horseshoe, reef, toothbrush, six-spined, mosaic, fan-bellied, chinaman, yellow-tailed). They all have that distinctive, 'rubbery' flesh and delicate sweet flavour :D
 
#25 ·
Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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