Voiage · Fishing Techniques
The most direct connection between hunter and fish.
Spearfishing — hunting fish underwater on a single breath with a speargun or pole spear — is humanity's oldest fishing method reborn as its most selective: one diver, one breath, one chosen fish, zero bycatch.
Overview
Spearfishing is underwater hunting: the freediver descends on a single breath, reads the reef or the blue, and takes a chosen fish with a speargun or pole spear. It is the most selective method in existence — the hunter sees exactly what is taken, passes on juveniles and breeders, and produces no bycatch whatsoever.
The discipline spans reef hunting at 10-25 metres and the extreme end — bluewater spearfishing, hanging in open ocean on a float line, breath-holding past three minutes to intercept yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and amberjack in their own column.
Its selectivity has made spearfishing a conservation conversation in its own right: practiced well, it is arguably the most sustainable way to take a fish from the sea — and the freediving skill it demands has built a global culture of watermen and women for whom the diving matters as much as the fish.
History
From ancient practice to modern sport — the evolution of the technique that defines spearfishing today.
Technique
The core techniques, methods, and approaches that define spearfishing across different species, water types, and destinations.
Relaxation breathing, an efficient duck-dive, and a slow descent conserve oxygen for the hunt. The freediving is the foundation — the shooting is the last five percent.
The diver lands quietly on the bottom and waits motionless — curiosity draws reef fish into range. The classic Mediterranean technique and the heart of reef hunting.
Hanging at 10-20 metres on a float line in open ocean, often behind a chum line — waiting for tuna, wahoo, or amberjack to materialise from the blue. The most demanding discipline in the sport.
Reflective flashers deployed in mid-water draw pelagics into range — the bluewater hunter's equivalent of a teaser spread.
One up, one down — the buddy protocol is absolute. Shallow-water blackout is the sport's real danger, and disciplined surface intervals and dive watches are non-negotiable.
Where to go
The world's finest locations for spearfishing — from the most celebrated to the genuinely undiscovered.
Hawaii, USA
Deep cultural roots and world-class hunting — ulua, uku, and pelagics in clear Pacific water with the sport's most developed island culture.
Croatia & the Mediterranean
The competitive heartland — dentex, grouper, and amberjack in the clear Adriatic, with Europe's deepest spearfishing tradition.
Mozambique
Dogtooth tuna and GT in lightly pressured Indian Ocean water — Africa's premier bluewater destination.
French Polynesia
Bluewater hunting in the Marquesas and Tuamotus — wahoo and dogtooth in some of the clearest, wildest water in the Pacific.
New Zealand
Kingfish (yellowtail) hunting in kelp and current — a proud local spearfishing culture and healthy fisheries.
Florida Keys, USA
Hogfish, grouper, and lobster across accessible reef — America's most popular spearfishing grounds.
Target species
The primary and secondary species targeted across the world's spearfishing destinations.
Gear & Equipment
The essential tackle, equipment, and gear that defines spearfishing at every level.
Spearguns
Band-powered guns from 75cm (reef) to 150cm+ (bluewater) — roller and multi-band configurations extend range and power for open-water species.
Wetsuits
Open-cell spearfishing suits in 3-7mm with camouflage patterns — warmth and stealth for long hours in the water.
Freediving fins
Long carbon-blade bi-fins maximise propulsion per kick — the efficiency that extends bottom time and depth.
Float systems
Floats, float lines, and breakaway rigs manage big fish and mark the diver's position — the safety and fish-fighting system of the bluewater game.
On VoiageRelated techniquesSearch topics
Spearfishing operations and freediving-focused lodges are catalogued on Voiage in Hawaii, French Polynesia, and Mozambique. Filter by Spearfishing to find dedicated operations.
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