Spearfishing tips and tricks

I'm curious about what the ideal gun size is for a beginner, and I'd also love to know the fundamental differences between using a sling and a pneumatic speargun.

copperbison93 said:I'm trying to figure out the ideal gun size for a beginner and what the main differences are between slingshot guns and pneumatic spearguns.

If you're just starting out, you really can't go wrong with a 90 cm slingshot gun. It’s one of those versatile pieces of gear that stays in your kit forever because it works as a perfect all-around tool.
In terms of value, I’d highly recommend picking up a Picasso Century. It’s a total best buy—reliable, precise, and straightforward enough to last you a long time.
Honestly, slingshot guns offer so many more advantages over pneumatic models, especially if you compare them to those outdated pneumatic designs that frankly aren't even worth considering anymore.
The only exceptions would be the Cyrano or the mambo, but those are specialized tools meant for seasoned divers hunting larger pelagic fish or toothy predators.

Check this out www.submania.hr

Thanks, man. It’s all good—everything we have is already ours.👍

Greetings, everyone.

My apologies for reviving an old thread... I’ve developed a fascination with spearfishing and am wondering if anyone with actual experience could walk me through the process. I spend every summer down in San Francisco—so I was thinking about joining a local sports fishing club to secure a permit—but from what I can see, those groups are intense. It’s all competition and high-level commitment. That isn't my speed; I’m not a competitive type. I'd much rather just head out solo for the pure thrill of it. So, what are the actual requirements for these clubs, how does one go about getting licensed, and so on? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Look, I can tell you a few things about this.
The gear turned out to be exactly what I needed—everything fits perfectly.
Camouflage gear.$430(Beuchat Mundail)
The Marlin 95 speargun measures roughly 47 inches in total length.$450
60 cm compressor.$200.
-Gloves-$53
Socks.$60
Lead.$83
-Mask-$117(omer)
-Jester-$67 (omer)
Peraje $217
Freediving is such an intense sport—it’s dangerous as hell, but honestly, it's incredibly gripping. You need serious mental toughness and physical conditioning to handle those descents. It's not like it used to be where you could just find fish at 30 feet; nowadays, you really have to push down to 50 or 60 feet if you actually want to catch anything. To get your permit, you have to head over to the Port Authority. They forward everything to the Department, and then you usually get your paperwork back in about a week. The cost is around... $40That covers your annual permit and your club membership fees.

Thanks for the input! I’m planning to head down to the Department this Monday to look into getting my permit—if all goes well, I’ll try to pick up some budget gear to get started. I’ll grab a speargun and a basic wetsuit from Walmart, but I already have my mask and fins. I won't be needing any weights since my plan is to hunt by stalking from above—though I did read that carrying a buoy is mandatory. It might be too late in the season, though; the weather is shifting, and who knows how much longer it'll stay warm enough to dive. If not, then it’s next year!

Anonymous said:Look, I can tell you a few things.
-The total cost for all my gear was this much.
-Camouflage wetsuit$430(Beuchat Mundail)
-Speargun (Marlin 95), about 120 cm long.$450
-60 cm compressor.$200.
-Gloves.$53.
-Booties.$60.
-Weights.$83.
-Mask$117(omer)
-Snorkel$67 (omer)
-Fins $217
It's an expensive sport. Dangerous, too. But interesting. You need serious mental and physical prep for these dives. There's no fish left at 10 meters anymore. Now you have to hit 15-20 meters just to catch anything. For a permit, you go to the Port Authority. They send the paperwork over to the Department and you get it in about a week. It costs about $40. (That covers your annual permit and club dues).

You could probably find better deals...

But definitely start with a sling gun...👍
I recommend the Mares Phantom FV 95cm...🙏🙏🙏

Casey Turner2 said:Thanks for getting back to me! I’m actually planning to head out this Monday to check on the permit situation—so if all goes well, I’ll try to pick up some budget-friendly gear to get started. I'll probably grab a speargun and a shorty wetsuit at Walmart, but I already have my mask and fins. I don't think I'll need weights since I'm planning to hunt by stalking from above, though I did read somewhere that carrying a float is mandatory. It might be too late for this season, though... the weather is shifting, and who knows how much longer we'll have decent water for diving? If not, then it's next year!

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend a shorty. I was just chatting with a buddy of mine who's been doing this for years, and he's totally against them. Between not being able to stay in the water very long, being stuck hunting only in the summer, and the risk of getting scrapes if you're crawling along the bottom near reefs and stuff... it's just not worth it.
As for the license, if you're a club member, your spearfishing permit is $167 annually—I'm not sure where you heard $50. For land-based pole spears, it's $50 (though I can't say for certain myself).

So, I'm looking to find out where I can pick up some buoys to actually mark my position while diving or spearfishing.
Does anyone know where I can grab these in the Chicago area, and what kind of price range am I looking at?
Thanks a lot!🙂

Bio Port of Chicago
28 Port Road
10250 San Francisco
USA

Telephone: +1 415 555 0199
Fax: +1 415 555 0198

Inventory:
Oakley and Havaianas diving gear

Pastor
90A Rural Road
10000 San Francisco
USA

Telephone: +1 415 555 0122
Fax: +1 415 555 0121

Inventory:
diving gear

Apnea Arbanas
14 Kaptol St
10000 San Francisco
USA

Telephone: +1 415 555 0144, +1 415 555 0145
Fax: +1 415 555 0145
Mobile: +1 555 234 243

Inventory:
diving gear - specialty shop for diving and spearfishing equipment

Thanks a million!!

Nothing much, just typed it into Google and this popped up. 😁

The thing is, I’m a bit sketched out by this Pastor brand since they mostly make firefighting gear. 🤷

I don't know about this apnea gear... they're alright, I guess...

Bumping this thread after 10 years.

I’m hunting for a new speargun for $1000. I don't care if it's a classic setup or a roller—just want something for quick shots within 4-5 meters where the shaft doesn't drop or pull to the side like crazy.

Anyone got some solid leads?

One option I looked at was the Pathos Sniper Roller

But honestly, the build feels half-baked—like they couldn't decide between one material or another. They should've just gone full length with one consistent build. Plus, that trigger locking system on Pathos guns is a joke; it never actually works. I have no clue why they even bother including it, and I'm definitely not dropping 3k on a gun with flaws like that.

Quick heads-up for all the spearfishing folks out there.

And honestly, anyone else who lives for a day out on the water.

You’ve got about 15 days left to grab your annual saltwater fishing licenses.

The only real headache? Once you pay through the bank, you gotta manually send the receipt over to the vendors. If you don't—and I mean actually send it—the confirmation won't hit them for maybe 10 or 15 days. By then, you'll be stuck without an active permit.

So, do yourself a favor and hurry up—don't wait until the very last minute.

I know plenty of people who got burned by banking delays last year and ended up stuck buying daily or three-day passes, which ends up costing way more "in the long run."