By Mailan Nguyen
Circulation Editor
Breathe, relax, think. These are the words that go through Costa sophomore Josh Terry’s mind while spearfishing 40 to 70 feet deep in the ocean.
Terry first became interested in spearfishing at the age of 14 when a Junior Lifeguards instructor gave him and his group of friends some ideas on their last day, one being spearfishing, to make their summer more fun and enjoyable.
Click here to learn more about spearfishing and how it works
“When I went into the dive shops and looked around and talked to the guys that worked there it was almost like they were inspirational.” Terry said. “They gave me a few pointers and a baseline for what I needed to do while also making it seem like a super fun thing that was irresistible to try out.”
To Terry, spearfishing is so interesting because he never knows what’s going to happen because there is always something new to be explored. Nothing is ever the same no matter how many times someone has gone spearfishing down there in the ocean, Terry said.
“Spearfishing is always so exciting for me whenever I go because you concentrate on going down, holding your breath and staying relaxed, while also trying to find the best hole, or underwater cave.” Terry said. “Even for the same spots we have mapped out, new fish and sealife go in there every time.”
Terry can hold his breath underwater for around three minutes and 45 seconds but sometimes longer because it is known to be unsportsmanlike to use an oxygen tank since it is considered cheating and unfair. He uses equipment such as his speargun, the Hammerhead Evolution 90, a surf wetsuit, a weight belt, gloves booties, fins and goggles.
“A lot of people think that the people who spearfish are always on oxygen tanks because they can’t imagine someone staying underwater for so long to catch a fish, but most people usually don’t,” Terry said. “The thing that makes it super hard is being able to calm down since we go 40 and sometimes even 70 feet deep which requires us to stay down for as long as possible.”
Terry usually stays in the Southbay area to spearfish. He usually goes anywhere from Palos Verdes to Malibu where there is coral reef structures, his favorite spot being the artificial reefs in Palos Verdes and Redondo Beach. He has also been spearfishing in San Diego and different locations around Ventura.
“Between regular fishing and spearfishing I have always found spearfishing so much more fun and exciting because for regular fishing, all you do is throw a hook in the water and wait,” Terry said. “For spearfishing it is much more selective and you can go down there with an idea of what you want to catch or what you would like for dinner.”
Click here to learn more about the differences between net fishing and spearfishing
Terry mainly catches fish such as Yellowtail which are best to catch in the summer, Calico Bass and other types as well, he also catches lobster by grabbing them since it is illegal to spearfish them. To just catch fish in clear waters the best time is in winter, Terry said.
“I would like to be freediving and spearfishing for as long as I can because it is a great way to go out in the ocean, which is basically our backyard, while also getting food that is super tasty,” Terry said.
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