The Most Efficient Way to Boat Fish and Share Stories!

I was recently in the Bahamas on a trip of a lifetime! To say the trip was epic would be an understatement. As always, the objective of my spearfishing trips is that everyone goes home to their loved ones. After all, what is a fish story if you can’t tell it?

All too often, spearfishermen have the mentality of being the Alpha hunter and that he/she has to land the fish alone, no matter what it takes. While landing the fish is important, what is more important? The fish being landed by the individual or that the team lands the fish? From an efficiency and safety viewpoint, it’s all about the team!

When I'm out spearfishing, I prefer the 3-man buddy team. Why? Well, you’ll have a guy on the bottom hunting longer, it will guarantee a turnkey freedive safety protocol and ultimately, it will equal more fish in the boat (as long as the fish are there to begin with… it’s still called fishing, not catching!! Ha!).

Here is how it’s done:

• Diver 1 dives, Diver 3 is on safety and Diver 2 is breathing-up.
• When Diver 1 surfaces, Diver 3 is withintactile distance of Diver 1 and Diver 2 observes that Diver 1 and 3 are ok. 
• When Divers 1 and 3 signal that all is good (30 seconds is a safe amount of time after the diver surfaces…. The fish will be there! Be patient!), Diver 2 can start his/her dive and Diver 1 has now becomes the safety for Diver 2 while Dive 3 breaths-up for their dive.
• And the rotation continues….

By following this protocol, it ensures enough breath-up/recovery time and it will actually give the Diver even more bottom time (our dive times are on average, 1:20-1:45) during the course of the day! We are able to sustain these dive times with no problem.

I teach freediving more than I spearfish but when I do get the chance to spearfish, I make the most of it and I’m able to bring home the catch (as long as the fish are there…)! I hope this little blog was able to give you an edge on boating the fish! Again, a fish story is only good if you’re able to share and tell the stories with a friends and family!

Safe freediving!

Errol

errol@freedivinginstructors.com