Spearfishing is arguably the most sustainable form of fishing, there is no bycatch, and every fish is intentionally harvested. But, how much does it cost to get into spearfishing? Spearfishing Rhode Island has put together this price guide for you, and the reward is a lifetime of being able to harvest your own food. Keep reading. We've also opened our own store after months of sourcing the best possible gear for spearfishing in the North East, and you can use discount code "coldtribe" for 20% off Northernspearfishing.com.
How expensive is spearfishing
A general set up for spearfishing gear is $885.00. This price may fluctuate depending on the environment and fish you are targeting. For example, thicker millimeter wetsuits are more expensive. Doe the water near you require a 7mm wetsuit, or can you go in a 3mm? Is shore-diving possible where you are, or is a boat required to access the spearfishing areas? The answers to these questions will change the price, but we've put together a list of everything you need for a general spearfishing set up.
Spearfishing gear cost
Here is a list of all the gear you may need for getting into spearfishing. I've used all of this gear, and can verify it all works very well. There are no affiliate links here.
Wetsuit - $100.00
Freediving fins - $120.00
Freedive mask - $20.00
Snorkel - $25.00
Weight belt and weights - $120.00
Dive knife - $60.00
Spearfish gun and shaft - $320.00
Spearfishing gloves - $30.00
Dive flag and float - $50.00
Float line - $40.00
Total price: $885.00 There items here that I did not include, such as a dive light, stringer, booties/socks, anti-fog, etc. I did this because while these things are helpful in many scenarios, they are often not needed to get you started.
The first gear I chose to upgrade was my gun, followed by my wetsuit. The header picture in this post features an Ocean State Speargun, which I currently use with my clients and myself personally. They are made locally in Rhode Island. This is not a sponsored post, I love the feel and spirit imbued in these hand made wooden guns, and I believe in spreading the word about a company doing great work. They are true craftsman.
Here's our hand selected set up from Northspearfishing.com, and you can use the code "coldtribe" for a 20% discount. Your total for this entire set is $764.00 with our discount.
Do you need a boat to spearfish?
The short is answer is no, a boat is often not required to spearfish. I spearfish in Rhode Island from the shore, and in Florida I often spearfish from my kayak. Check your local regulations to see if spearfishing from the shore is allowed. For example, in parts of the Florida Keys, you must spearfish 3 miles away from land.
Watch this video of Captain Jack Spearo spearfishing from a Kayak.
Is spearfishing worth it?
Other than being an amazing hobby, spearfishing rewards you with access to incredible seafood. If you are spearfishing for Tautog in Rhode Island, and you catch 5 lbs of Tautog, that's a retail value of about $150.00! A 20 lb grouper can yield roughly 8 lbs of filets, which often sells for $30.00 per/lb, there are other delicious parts of the fish beyond just the filets. In Florida during lobster season, divers are allowed to catch 6 lobsters per person per day, and we all know how expensive lobster tails are. Spearfishing might be expensive, but a lifetime of being able to harvest your own fresh seafood is worth it.