Spearfishing is fast becoming one of the more popular fishing activities enjoyed in Cape Town, and with Cape Sea Safaris you will be guaranteed a memorable spearfishing trip. Spearfishing is an exciting sport which uses spear guns and slings to hunt fish, either for consumption or for catch and release purposes. There are various types of spearfishing, each with different levels of difficulty and experience, from the expert, to the novice. There are various types of spearfishing, each with different levels of difficulty and experience, from the expert, to the novice.

How to do it:

This challenging sport is the act of hunting fish, either while scuba or by free diving. Spearfishers use a device, either in the form of a speargun, pole spear, or Hawaiian sling, to impale the fish underwater and then bring it back to the surface. This underwater sport requires a certain degree of skill and knowledge. Know what you are in search of, and do not shoot just for the sake of shooting. The number of fish in the ocean has decreased in recent times, so please respect the ocean.

When spearfishing with us, we target the Yellowfin tuna, a popular type of tuna used for consumption throughout the world. Yellowfin tuna is a popular sport fish and their speed and strength make them a challenging catch indeed. Do not worry if you are a novice, a registered, experienced and enthusiastic expert in the field of spearfishing will accompany you in your adventure.

Spearfishing Equipment:

Spearfishing is a specialised sport; therefore the right equipment needs to be used for a successful spearfishing trip. The most important piece of fishing equipment is probably the speargun, polespear or Hawaiian sling. A wet suit, a weight belt or vest, fins, a knife and a snorkel and diving mask and a floatline is also required. Cape Sea Safaris will make sure that you are provided with all the fishing equipment needed during your spearfishing trip.

• Speargun - a 1.3 metre barrel rail gun with a 1.7 metre spear or standard 1.2 metre barrel with a 1.7 metre spear
  
• Polespear or hand spears - this is a long shaft with a point at one end and an elastic loop at the other for propulsion.
  
• Hawaiian slings - these consists of an elastic band attached to a tube, through which the spear is launched.
  
• Wet Suit - These wet suits are specifically designed for spearfishing and includes a jacket and 'long john' style pants. There also have camouflage patterns, blue for the ocean, green and brown for reef hunting.
  
• Weight belt or weight vest - This is used to compensate for the weightlessness of the wetsuit and helps descend the diver deeper into the water
  
• Fins - Fins for freedive spearfishing are longer than those used in scuba spearfishing. This helps with fast accent
  
• Knife - it is always a good idea to carry a knife as a safety measure in case the diver gets tangled in his spear or floatline.
  
• Iki jime or kill spike - This is a sharpened metal used to quickly and humanely kill the fish upon capture.
  
• Snorkel and diving mask - Masks are designed with mirrored lenses that prevent the fish from seeing the diver's eyes tracking them.
  
• Buoy or flat - A buoy is an instrument tethered to the speargun or directly to the spear and helps subdue large fish. A buoy is also used as a safety device, warning boat drivers that there is a diver in the vicinity.
  
• Floatline - A floatline connects the buoy to the speargun or directly to the spear.

Spearfishing Package:

On your spearfishing trip you will be targeting Yellowish tuna, one of the most popular and challenging fish to capture. Your spearfishing adventure begins with a hotel pick up by a representative of Cape Sea Safaris. A Continental breakfast will be served en route to your spearfishing destination. Upon arrival you will partake in a quick briefing before enjoying several hours of spearfishing on the open sea, where you will target the majestic Yellowfin tuna.

You will be accompanied by an experienced and registered fisherman, who will be happy to steer you in the right direction. For lunch, you enjoy a seafood feast, complimented by local beverages. Your fishing trip ends with you receiving a souvenir cap and t-shirt, followed by a return trip to your hotel. If you like, it will be our pleasure to arrange with your hotel or guest house for them to prepare your 'fry', a piece of freshly caught fish.

Please note that all fishing equipment, tackle, bait and gear are included. Beginners and those who are not in the possession of a recognised sport diving qualification or proof of diving experience would be required to do a 3 hour free diving course. This course can be done at your hotel, guesthouse or at the nearest facility. Transport would be included in the course fee. For experienced fishermen, there will be an opportunity to accompany South Africa's legendary Tommy Botha, a 19 world spearfishing champion.