Spearfishing

Spearfishing

Price
$375
When
8am–4pm
Where
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Level
Certified freedivers

Dive into spearfishing with this introductory class. Build on your freediving ability to learn underwater hunting skills, speargun loading and rigging, fish filleting, and species-specific regulations. Class will end by cooking up your catch, to enjoy a meal you sourced straight from the ocean!

Class schedule

  1. 8am
    Meet on shore, introductions, goals and safety briefing
  2. 8:30am
    Practice rigging and handling your speargun
  3. 9am
    Underwater target practice
  4. 10:00 - 12:00
    Underwater hunting
  5. 12:30
    Learn knife skills to clean and filet your fish on shore
  6. 13:00
    Cook up your fish on the beach and enjoy a feast!
  7. 16:00
    Class graduation

Where

Class location

This class takes place at Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Gear

Included

Spearguns are provided.

Bring

  • A 7mm, open cell wetsuit
  • Weight belt and at least 14 lbs of weights
  • Mask & snorkel
  • Fins & socks
  • Gloves
  • Knife

...plus swimmers, towel, sunscreen, snacks and water.

Prerequisites

You don't need any spearfishing experience to take this class, but you must be a certified freediver. If you don't have your freediving certification yet, you should take the Fins and Foam Beginner Class before booking this class.

FAQs

What do I need to bring apart from my freediving gear?
Bring swimmers, towel, sunscreen, snacks and water.
How deep will we need to dive to find fish?
You don't need to dive deep to find fish in the waters of Northern California. Rockfish are abundant at 10 to 25 feet, and lingcod often sit on the tops of pinnacles as shallow as 5 feet.
What safety rules will we follow?
We'll follow all the fundamental safety rules of freediving, including diving in buddy pairs, relaxation breathe ups, and recovery breathing.

Other safety rules you will learn include the proper handling of spearguns while loaded, and how to handle fish.
What hazards are there?
  • The water is typically 50-60F so you must wear a sufficiently warm wetsuit otherwise you will get cold quickly.
  • Currents are not strong compared to some other parts of the world but you must be comfortable swimming with fins in the open ocean.
  • There can be some swell when entering and exiting the water.
  • Don't touch sea urchins.
Spearfishing is a primordial activity in which we participate in nature at its wildest. Come mentally prepared for dangers both known and unknown.

Questions?

Ask us anything!