1 Day Spearfishing Course

Intro to Spearfishing Course

Learn the foundations of spearfishing in a safe, supportive, and hands-on environment. Spearfishing is so much more than just a sport, its a lifestyle and the most natural way to connect with the ocean, gather your own food, and share it with those you love. It’s a skill that brings joy, meaning, and constant growth, and with our guidance you’ll gain the confidence to practice spearfishing safely and ethically. 

We're so excited to share over 15 years of knowledge from our freediving & spearfishing instructors, with the most in depth, safest and hands on 1 day spearfishing course in Australia. 

Location

• Nelson Bay, Port Stephens, NSW

Duration

• 1 Full day (approx. 8 hours)

Group Size

• Maximum 6 participants (3 per instructor) for a more personalised experience

Prerequisites

• Must be a confident swimmer and able to swim 200m unaided in open water

• A freediving course is not required, but we highly recommend completing a Freedive Intro or Wave 1 Course beforehand to get the most out of your training. This is so you're able to focus on the hunting aspect of spearfishing rather than trying to learn the freediving parts (such as equalisation and relaxation) at the same time as the spearfishing components. 

Who Is This Course For?

• Complete beginners who have never spearfished before

• Divers who’ve only tried spearfishing a handful of times

• Anyone with “all the gear and no idea” wanting structured, professional coaching with no ego!

• Those wanting to learn the full process, from hunting techniques to filleting and storing their catch

What’s Included

This interactive, full-day course combines theory, video analysis, a dive session in the ocean and a hands-on fish filleting and fish storage lesson. 

You’ll learn:

• Spearfishing gear basics

• Basic freediving techniques for spearfishing (breath-hold, equalisation, duck dives)

• Fish identification, ethics, and NSW spearfishing laws

• How to safely load and handle a speargun

• Hunting tactics to increase your success rate

• Fish/bottom approach and securing your catch

• Spearfishing safety, including shark behaviour and buddy procedures

• Cleaning, scaling, gutting, and filleting fish (and when to use each method)

• Safe fish storage for freshness

Course Structure:

• 3 hr theory session – everything you need to get started in an interactive lesson including video examples

• 2.5 hr ocean dive session – target practice with a speargun, duck diving with a speargun, how to load and unload a speargun, and hunting technique practice

• Post-dive session – hands-on fish preparation and handling

Gear Requirements

• Freediving gear + gloves (including a warm wetsuit, weight belt and dive weights)

• You do not need your own speargun – training spearguns provided

• Gear hire available ($40pp per day if needed)

Your Instructors

You’ll be coached by freediving and spearfishing instructors with over 15 years of experience. They spearfish for the love of hunting and gathering their own food in the most ethical way possible, without the ego sometimes attached to the sport!

Our team is passionate about helping others discover this lifestyle, and we’re confident you’ll feel safe, supported, and leave the course having learned skills that could otherwise take years to figure out on your own.

Important Info

• You must hold a current NSW fishing licence before spearfishing! (This will be checked on the day) A 3 day fishing licence is $7. 

• Download the FishSmart App (nsw.gov.au) to check local fishing regulations and marine park zones before heading out