A common question that many beginner and intermediate spearfishing participants have is how to pick the right spearfishing gun. There are several factors that come into play that can help determine what the right option might be for a particular person. There is a great variety of spearfishing guns available, so by knowing what to look for in a spearfishing gun it can help narrow your search and help you find the best one to suit your needs. The size of the spearfishing gun you want to use will largely be determined by the type of fish you are trying to catch.
The first thing to consider when looking for a spearfishing gun is how it is powered. The most common spearfishing guns are rail guns, which shoot the spear using rubber to propel it, and guns that are powered by air. Rail guns are typically used most often, but in the event you are cave diving or doing your spearfishing in shallow waters, an air gun would likely be the preferred choice as they are especially useful in catching smaller fish. For those who prefer blue water hunting for larger fish, the spearfishing gun you will want to use will be a larger rail gun.
Another consideration is comfort. You want to choose a spear gun that you can hold comfortably and will not impede your movements when trying to catch the fish you seek. Perhaps the only way to do this is to experiment with different spear guns until you find the one you are most comfortable with. When trying out these devices it is important to pay attention to the type of spearhead being used, the length of the line, and the grip of the gun. Because there is such a wide variety of spearfishing guns available, you may find that you like the grip of the gun but may prefer the spear head and line length of another gun. Once you have determined what specifics you prefer, you will then be able to find a spearfishing gun that has the grip, line length, and spearhead that you prefer.
Those who are only able to to dive fifteen meters or less will not need as big of a spearfishing gun as someone who is deep sea diving. Starting off with a smaller spearfishing gun will be a wise and more affordable choice, because you won’t need a really big gun to catch the fish you are able to catch in shallow waters. In the event your diving skills improve and you want to start spearfishing in deeper waters, you can purchase and add more rubbers and loops of line to improve the power of the gun and the length of the line to suit your needs.
Typically, spearfishing guns are made from timber and the spear is made from high tensile stainless steel. You will also find guns made from plastic, nylon, aluminum, and other materials. Wooden guns tend to be a bit more cumbersome in the water, but many experienced spearfishermen prefer these guns because they are stronger, which means they will be able to hold more rubber and thus enable you to catch bigger fish.
Another thing you will want to consider is buying a spearfishing gun with a float. This will be connected to your spearfishing gun by a rope and will enable you to let go of your gun after shooting a large fish without losing your spearfishing gun. To reel the fish in you will then simply pull on the rope that is attached to the float and retrieve the fish by sliding up the float line or waiting until it tires, removing it from the line, and throwing it in the boat.
You can find spearfishing guns for less than one hundred dollars and more powerful options for more than a thousand dollars. The right gun for you will depend on the type of fish you want to go after, the depth of the water you are fishing in, and the personal comfort that the gun you are using provides.