Links to video lessons.

What you need for spearfishing

The right equipment can save a hunter from possible health problems or even save a life.

Wetsuit

A hunter needs a good wetsuit to avoid overheating in the summer and to avoid freezing in the winter. Experienced hunters have several suits, but for new hunters it is wise to limit yourself to one. Experienced hunters advise taking a separate suit (jacket and pants), 9 mm thick without zippers.

Mask and breathing tube

The mask should fit snugly to the hunter's face. You should not buy masks with different effects and coatings. Do not forget that the main task of the mask is to keep water out and create a good view. The average length of the breathing tube is 40 cm.

A novice hunter does not need tubes with various devices: hinges, balls and valves. They will not affect the quality of spearfishing in any way. It is best to take a soft tube. The soft tube will not tear the mouthpiece out of your mouth and will not tear the mask off your face if during the hunt it gets caught on an obstacle, such as rocks or stones.

Flippers

Fins should be selected so that they fit comfortably on your feet. It is better for a novice hunter to opt for short fins (up to 65 cm). To use long fins you need the correct technique and developed muscles that drive them.

There are a huge variety of underwater guns. Many beginners try to find the “best” gun in the world. Each type has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. For beginner hunters, a crossbow or an air gun with a receiver length of 55 cm is suitable.

Weight belt

With the help of a weight belt, the hunter regulates his buoyancy. For effective diving, a belt with ballast is attached to the diver's belt. This piece of equipment is also used to carry additional equipment (knife, flashlight, cucumber). Many divers also use weights for:

Unloading systems of the “backpack” type, if it is necessary to distribute a large load (9-10 kg -12 kg) along the spine.
Unloading vests (allow you to carry additional equipment on the shore).
Weights attached to the legs (used for hunting in shallow water).

Spearfishing on the lake - video

What could be better than our lakes in the middle zone! Among them there are many that look completely overgrown, but reveal all their charm to those who plunge headlong into their waters.

Fishing on lakes of this type is usually always exciting and successful. There are a lot of fish in them, but due to the algae stretching upward, which constantly interfere with the tracking of the gun, you can miss a worthy specimen, even if you collide with your noses. Although you will never be left without decent pikes, perches, tenches and other white fish.

This is all confirmed by this film.

Tips for beginner underwater hunters

Many beginners make similar mistakes that prevent them from enjoying the hunt. They fuss and forget that:

You need to dive lightly so as not to scare away the fish.
Wear fins while in the water.
Shoot and reload the underwater gun only in water.
You need to monitor the time of immersion and rest so as not to exhaust the body.
You should hunt with a calm face, otherwise water may get under the mask.
Being in water at the limit of holding your breath is fraught with sudden loss of consciousness.
Swimming devices, fishing hooks and gear should be avoided.

It is best for a novice spearfisher to find a group of experienced divers. With them he will take the necessary lessons in underwater hunting and learn the basics in practice. Experienced mentors will show you the correct foot technique, point out possible errors in behavior or equipment, and teach you how to act correctly in emergency circumstances. With their experience, the beginner will gain confidence in his abilities and will be able to float away from the worries of the everyday world, completely losing himself in the hunt. Happy spearfishing!

Spearfishing in the lower reaches of the Volga - video

Autumn. Astrakhan. Fishing. The film is about these three things. And this, in principle, is enough to evoke in some underwater hunters pleasant memories of the days spent here, in others envy and a great desire to visit here.

The film was shot by Muscovite friends who travel from the capital to the Volga in their personal car twice a year. It contains a detailed account of the journey to their favorite place, the delights of the local nature and much more that will be useful to all lovers of this method of fishing.

Spearfishing: instructions for beginners

If your hunting instinct has awakened in you or a “brazen” crucian carp has torn off your favorite lure while fishing and you need immediate satisfaction, then a speargun will help you achieve what you want.

Of course, for those who have never engaged in such an exciting activity, starting to master it on their own will be very difficult. If it is not possible to use the services of an instructor, then the recommendations in our article will help you master the basics of spearfishing for beginners.

Spearfishing (video) in Belarus

Underwater hunting in Belarus, and in other regions, is more perceived by us as a search for suitable prey among piles of stones, sunken trees, snags, under overhanging banks.
But Dmitry Vasilkov’s film shows something completely different. It turns out that in our huge country there are reservoirs that are not only full of different fish, but also have a flat and almost clean bottom for many kilometers in all directions. It turns out that you swim among the fish stock until you meet a worthy specimen. For example, as the author of a 10- or 12-kilogram catfish. It’s just a shame that you and I won’t be able to get there - the author either forgot, or for some reason doesn’t talk about such a wonderful place.

Selecting a location

Seas and oceans are most suitable for this type of hunting. In such places, spearfishing is divided into pelagic and rock. In the first case, the hunt is for fish that are located in the water column, in the second - for the inhabitants of underwater reefs and rocks. In such places the water is always clear, which easily allows the hunter to find prey.

Make it a rule, on every fishing trip, the first thing you do is start.

In rivers, oddly enough, it is much easier to get a trophy specimen than in stagnant lake water. There is a logical explanation for this. There is almost perfect silence in the lake, which is disturbed by the movement of the hunter underwater, and the cautious large fish strives to leave the dangerous place as soon as possible. In the river, the fish are accustomed to the constant movement of the water mass, and it is possible to sneak up on the prey unnoticed, against the current.

Spearfishing in Astrakhan - video

Crayfish and spearfishing. The film is about this, and about how the romantic activity of tracking down worthy prey underwater turned into a process of mass procurement of underwater inhabitants. There is simply no other way to describe what the author presented in his video.

The video was filmed, judging by the picture surrounding the “underwater hunters,” somewhere in the channels of Astrakhan. Although, in fact, such “prey” can, unfortunately, often be seen in the Moscow region.

Everyone should watch the film. To see yourself (maybe) from the outside, to think about the fragility of the world around you, to think before breaking and crumbling everything that was not built by you, to take care of those who cannot answer you.

Basic Rules

The requirements apply to other types of fishing, the only difference being that the fishing gear is different from “land-based” fishing. It is allowed to use only those devices that are permitted for this type of hunting, and also not to engage in underwater fishing during fish spawning. In addition, hunting for “Red Book” fish species is prohibited.
In order to fish in accordance with all the rules, a person must have with him the “Underwater Hunter of the Russian Federation” certificate, which can be obtained from the branch of the Russian Underwater Fishing Federation - such a certificate gives the right to participate in underwater hunting competitions.

Security requirements

This type of fishing is an extreme activity. The safety measures that a person must observe are aimed primarily at preserving the life and health of the shooter.

Safety requirements are divided into:

Rules for handling a gun.
Rules for staying in the aquatic environment.
Risk factors associated with the hunting process.

Basic rules for handling a gun:

Firearms must always be loaded and unloaded in water. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in personal injury and mechanical damage to the gun.
It is prohibited to let go of a loaded gun even for a short period of time. Even if you are 100% sure that the gun is not loaded, you should not point it at people.
If any part of the gun fails or requires replacement, then repairs can only be made by replacing it with an original part. It is prohibited to “modify” the gun or change its technical characteristics.
It is forbidden to hold the gun by the harpoon or line; when fired, you can get serious damage.
The safety catch is removed only immediately before firing.

Rules for being in the aquatic environment:

All kinds of watercraft equipped with an engine pose a great danger. In the water, it can be difficult to determine from which direction the boat is approaching. Even a bright buoy, which must be used when underwater hunting, does not always allow, at modern surface speeds, to notice in time the place where the underwater hunter is located.
When hunting for large fish, in cases where a successful shot was fired, you should stay at a considerable distance from the shot fish, and not engage in hand-to-hand combat with the prey until it becomes weak. If you ignore this requirement, then during the fight you can be seriously injured by the harpoon protruding from the fish’s body.
The weight belt must have a mechanism that allows you to easily release this load in a critical situation.
Snags are also very dangerous, because they attract catfish or other large fish in such places. In addition to trophy prey, there may be torn off gear and poacher’s nets that an underwater hunting enthusiast can get caught in. Also, during an emergency ascent, you may not notice the logs overhead and get injured, which can lead to loss of consciousness.
If fishing is carried out in cold water , then hypothermia can occur even in a wetsuit. Therefore, when plunging into the cold waters of mountain rivers, or in winter, it is necessary to monitor your well-being, use a wetsuit that must have sufficient thickness of material to retain heat, and if signs such as severe chills, shortness of breath, increased heart rate appear, you should immediately stop hunting , and go ashore to warm up.
You should not stay under water for too long, to the point of holding your breath. You should also not dive when you are very excited or experiencing negative emotions; this will result in a manifold increase in oxygen consumption in the brain.
Spearfishing is a very energy-intensive hobby, so for proper relaxation, it takes twice as much time as was spent diving.
It is strictly forbidden to shoot at unclear targets. This rule applies to both underwater and wild animal hunting.
When hunting on a mountain river or at a sufficient distance from the shore in sea water, you can get carried away by the process and not notice the current, which can carry the unlucky fisherman far into the open sea. On a river, strong movement of the water mass can cause a collision with stones, followed by loss of consciousness.
A sharp knife must be present in your equipment. Cases where experienced athletes died after becoming entangled in fishing nets occur every year.