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5 Things to Know Before Spear Fishing from a Kayak

Posted: 05.08.2018

spear fishing kayak

5 things to know before kayak diving
by Kris Cortez

The first and most important thing you should know before kayak diving is safety! Make sure you have your PFD, radio, and cell phone. I also carry a tourniquet incase you have a run in with the tax man, better to be safe then sorry. I also bring water and a couple of protein bars with me if I know its going to be a long day of diving. Dehydration is definitely a factor out there even though it doesn't feel like it because your in the water most of the time.

Know your gear! If you know that your speargun rubbers are a little old or on the edge of snapping, either replace it or bring an extra gun with you. I usually bring my polespear and an extra gun with me just in case something breaks. This goes with all the gear you have, double check that everything is in good working condition before leaving the house. Kayak diving sometimes require a lot more gear then shore diving so I also recommend have a checklist if your just getting into spearfishing. I've seen a lot of new divers (including myself) forget a fin or gloves or paddles.

This kind of goes with knowing your gear but remember to bring a kelp clip AND anchor. You need a way to secure your kayak when your diving. Even if I know there will be a lot of kelp to clip on too I still bring my little 1.5 pound anchor with a 100ft line incase we want to dive a new spot of find good structure without any kelp around.

Know the general area you will be launching from. Will it be a long haul from your truck to the water? Will you need wheels for your kayak? Take only what you need with you out on the kayak to reduce weight if you need to venture far from the truck. When I first started kayak diving I used to bring a lot of things and I owned some big and heavy kayaks. Now the only kayak I use is my WS Tarpon Ultralite and I am a minimalist when it comes to gear, only what I need.

Last but not least, bring someone with you! Always dive with a buddy never dive alone and know your limits. I highly recommend taking a freediving course and having your dive buddies be properly trained as well. Also, going back to knowing the general dive area is important because you need to let your loved ones know where you will be diving just incase something does happen they know where to direct the proper authorities. Have fun and DIVE SAFE!