I am definitely not the world’s best spearfisherman. I love it more than just about anything — I often find myself wishing it would be flat for a few days on a surf trip (remember those?) so I don’t have to feel bad about trying to shoot a fish instead of surfing — but I’m average, at best. I can’t hold my breath all that long, struggle to get past the 50-foot mark for any usable amount of time, and almost always get way too excited and scare everything within a 100-mile radius away. Having a good teacher means everything.
A lot of learning how to spearfish is trial and error. Much like line fishing, it’s an exercise in patience. It becomes more about enjoying the act of simply exploring the ocean. Often, a single fish can take a few hours to catch — and often, a few hours of hunting results in exactly nothing except a great time swimming around. It’s a slow learning curve, and it helps to have someone who’s been doing it for a long time (or, if you have the chance, a world-champion) to show you the ropes. A few tricks of the trade go a long way. I’m lucky enough to have a few friends who are stupidly good at it, so they take me by the hand and tell me when I’m doing something dumb. They often tell me in the bluntest way possible, but at least they’re telling me.
Mark Healey knows most of those tricks. He’s a world champion. When it comes to spearfishing, he’s one of the most accomplished hunters in the world, so his rundown of how to set up a Jet Ski for spearfishing will likely come in handy.
Learn more from Mark in Mark Healey’s Guide to Heavy Water, designed to help you push yourself, keep calm, and build confidence in the ocean and heavy surf. Enter code INERTIA15 at checkout to save 15%.
