Spearfishing Float
A Spearfishing Float is either an inflatable rubber or plastic object or a foam item which sits on top of the water. Most floats come with a large diving flag to warn other divers and more importantly boats and jet skis that there is a diver below. If you see one of these flags, you need to stay more than 50 meters away from it otherwise you risk running over a diver. Spearfishing Floats are not usually that expensive, depending on the size and type that you get. A rope is attached to the Spearfishing Float, which ranges from 15 – 50 meters long, depending on how deep you can dive!
The rope attaches onto either the spear (for huge guns) or the speargun. The idea is that when you shoot a huge fish, you let go of the gun. The fish then tows both the gun and float around until its tired, and then you go down and kill the fish, and slide it onto the rope. It then drifts back towards the end of the float so that you don’t have a dead, bloody fish around you if a shark comes along. Alternatively, if you have a boat you are better off throwing it straight in there. It truly is amazing the strength of even smaller fish. For example, if you weigh 75 kg and you shoot a 15 kg fish it has more than enough power to pull you under. Having big fins as part of your Spearfishing Gear is a huge advantage though.
If you don’t have a float, your only option is to swim to the surface to get another breath, which not only puts a lot of stress on the line holding the spear, but it can be risky if you can’t swim faster than the fish. In the case of not being able to get to the surface, you can either chop the line and lose your spear, or you can let the gun go and risk losing a gun. Neither option is very attractive, which is why people use floats. If you shoot larger fish you may need several floats, and a boat to chase them. Some larger fish will take a Spearfishing Float out several kilometers, so be prepared to chase them!
Of course, the ideal solution is for you to shoot a fish and paralyze or kill it instantly, and although you may try your hardest this doesn’t always happen. Fish move quickly and even if you make the perfect shot it doesn’t always hit them where you want it to! When you buy a Spearfishing Float, try to get some rope which is strong but floats. There is nothing worse than diving around reef with rope that sinks, as you will be forever getting tangled up with the rocks.
The alternative to a Spearfishing Float is a Reel, which bolts straight onto the gun and acts in a similar way to your fishing reel. When you shoot a fish, it can take off and will just take line out of the reel. You can slow the reel from running, and wind it back in just like you would when fishing. These are popular for people who use Spearguns from the boat, as you can reel them in and throw them straight onto the boat. Of course, some people use both, or they just take the reel off when they don’t want it.