Gear Guide for Pelagic Fish
At some stage most spearos will eventually test their skills by hunting pelagic species - this includes Yellowtail Kingfish, Bluefin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel and Mahi Mahi to name a few.
Pelagic species are typically found in deeper waters, and hunting them requires not only advance spearing techniques but also specific gear that is durable and designed to withstand this mammoth species. To help increase your chances of landing a pelagic fish, we've pulled together a gear guide with our favourite and most trusted spearguns, floats, flashers and more.
Speargun
An Inverted Roller or Double Roller Speargun - 110cm to 130cm
Pros:
- Short & manoeuvrable with power. A 110cm to 130cm speargun should give you enough range without limiting your manoeuvrability, and give you enough power to punch through a solid fish.
If you're using burley to attract, sometimes they will along hang around at the burley level for short increments. If the fish are behaving like this a short inverted roller or double roller gun is in a league of its own. As the fish can be tracked and shot on the move. - Easier to use. Takes less practice to get used to this style of speargun.
- A cheaper option - most spearguns can be converted to a roller or inverted roller.
Cons
- Limited by shaft size and thickness. Typically the heaviest spear you would use in a roller would be 170cm with an 8.5mm shaft. Because of this, your ability to take on a bigger fish (50kg+) might be limited
- Prone to rigging issues. Inverted Roller or Double Roller Spearguns are often more prone to rigging issues and can also be more complicated to rig.
Speargun Shafts
Selecting a speargun shaft.
When selecting a shaft to spear pelagics, we recommend a minimum of 8mm shaft. We also recommend going to a double flopper or slip tip shaft over standard single flopper shafts for the increased holding ability. The shaft should be rigged in a breakaway configuration directly to the float line to reduce the number of weak points/connections in the setup. Mono, Dyneema, and stainless cable are all suitable options for rigging the shaft if done correctly. Bluefin tuna will typically fight cleanly and are often shot in deep water so the potential for cut-offs on the reef is low.
Double Flopper Shaft
Pros:
- Super easy to rig.
- Excellent Accuracy.
- Less expensive than slip tip and shaft combo.
- Simple and easy to maintain.
Cons
- Less holding power.
- Limited availability
- Will often bend shaft on big fish.
Slip Tip/Drop Barb
Pros
- Excellent holding power.
- Often saves the shaft from bending.
- Less leverage for the fish to tear the shaft out,which is excellent if the shot placement is poor - something than can be common with a fast-moving fish.
Cons
- Longer time to reset and load.
- If not properly maintained, the cable can fail.
- More expensive than the double flopper option.
A note on rigging
Kingy's will find any weak spot in your gear,so be sure to give your mono,crimps, flopper and shark clips a thorough check or upgrade before heading out.
Float Systems, Flashers & Burleys
Selecting a float
We highly recommend using a float when hunting pelagics, particularly during peak s targeting bluefin tuna, one or two high-pressure floats connected in series with a PVC or spectra float and bungee is the best option. A bungee line should be used between the floats to reduce the pressure on the shaft and rigging, a Riffe bungee will help significantly in fighting large Tuna.
Selecting flashers
Spearfishing flashers also known as teasers, are designed to attract fish and make the task of finding and shooting them easier. The way flashers work is by reflecting light through the water, making larger fish species think there is bait in the area or feeding occurring. When it comes to attracting pelagic species here are our top flasher recommendations:
Spearfishing flashers also known as teasers, are designed to attract fish and make the task of finding and shooting them easier. The way flashers work is by reflecting light through the water, making larger fish species think there is bait in the area or feeding occurring. When it comes to attracting pelagic species here are our top flasher recommendations:
- Mirror Flashers:These flashers are best used when the visibility is good. They puts out a super bright flash of light, which is great for attracting pelagic species such as Mackerel, Wahoo, Kingfish and Tuna.
- Spinner Flasher: Typically these are the most widely used flashers by spearos. With a spinner flasher there is less chance of a shark or pelagic getting its head caught and you completing losing your flasher!
- Mirror Ball: Mirror balls can be added to a flasher. They fill with water when submerged and go up and down with the wave action. Mirror balls also put out heaps of light and vibration and are great for attracting fish - particularly Dog Tooth Tuna.
- View more recommendations here.
A note on burley
Burley is a great way to attract in hungry pelagic fish. You can either shoot fish for burley whilst you're in the water, or even consider using old fish frames from your last catch to lay a slow stream of burley with your dive buddy.
Note that burley won't only attract in pelagics, but most likely some curious sharks as well - so make sure you and your dive buddy have a strong plan on how to work together to ensure you don't lose your dinner!
Wetsuits
When it comes to a wetsuit, a good two-piece wetsuit is a must for long days on the water, especially for hunting pelagics during the colder seasons. A closed cell suit like the Adreno Tunaor SPEARO two-piece 3.5mm wetsuits provide an internal smooth-skin lining on your extremities, which stops the cold water from flushing in.
Be sure to throw a jacket on between drifts to minimise wind chill.
