The idea behind a spearfishing float is quite simple.
They are either foam or plastic, or inflatable objects that start off around the size of a laptop and move up to the size of a body board! They are attached to a long rope, which is attached either to a speargun or to the spear itself.
A float is a good idea from a safety perspective because you are able to identify divers in the water.
They tow the float around, and you usually have a flag sticking out the top of the float.
This means that boats are warned and as a result have to take more caution around you.
From a functionality point of view though, a float is simply designed to do two things.
The first is to hang fish off when you shoot them.
The second is to make sure that you don't lose your gun! Spearfishing has been said to attract sharks because of the fish being killed.
The idea behind keeping fish on your float line is that they are far away from the diver.
This means that if a shark comes they will eat the fish over the diver, because they are much more interested in seafood! When you shoot a fish you simply take it off, and thread the line of the float through the gills and out the mouth.
The fish hangs at least 20 meters away from the diver and you are much safer.
The other reason you have a float line is to be able to shoot big fish.
Even a 10kg fish can pull a 90kg diver underwater if you don't kill it.
When you shoot a big fish you can just let the gun go (if the float is attached to the gun!) and then you allow the float line to thread through your fingers.
The fish tries to swim away whilst towing the gun and float.
The diver just holds onto the float line or follows the float in a boat.
Eventually, the fish gets tired and you pull the whole lot in.
The other alternative is a reel, much like a fishing reel which is attached to the gun.
You simply let the fish run, and then wind it back in when it gets tired!
They are either foam or plastic, or inflatable objects that start off around the size of a laptop and move up to the size of a body board! They are attached to a long rope, which is attached either to a speargun or to the spear itself.
A float is a good idea from a safety perspective because you are able to identify divers in the water.
They tow the float around, and you usually have a flag sticking out the top of the float.
This means that boats are warned and as a result have to take more caution around you.
From a functionality point of view though, a float is simply designed to do two things.
The first is to hang fish off when you shoot them.
The second is to make sure that you don't lose your gun! Spearfishing has been said to attract sharks because of the fish being killed.
The idea behind keeping fish on your float line is that they are far away from the diver.
This means that if a shark comes they will eat the fish over the diver, because they are much more interested in seafood! When you shoot a fish you simply take it off, and thread the line of the float through the gills and out the mouth.
The fish hangs at least 20 meters away from the diver and you are much safer.
The other reason you have a float line is to be able to shoot big fish.
Even a 10kg fish can pull a 90kg diver underwater if you don't kill it.
When you shoot a big fish you can just let the gun go (if the float is attached to the gun!) and then you allow the float line to thread through your fingers.
The fish tries to swim away whilst towing the gun and float.
The diver just holds onto the float line or follows the float in a boat.
Eventually, the fish gets tired and you pull the whole lot in.
The other alternative is a reel, much like a fishing reel which is attached to the gun.
You simply let the fish run, and then wind it back in when it gets tired!