At some point in nearly every fisherman’s day they have looked just beneath the surface of a clear, tranquil pond and became convinced that if they only had a spear, they would have fish by the barrelful. Maybe that fisherman will give it a try sometime, maybe not, but before you wade into the water, you should know several things about spear fishing. Number one on that list is this: It is not as easy as it looks!

Spear fishing requires even more patience than any other type of fishing requires, so if standing still for any length of time does not appeal to you, skip this as a hobby. Once you are in position, you may very well stand with your spear in hand for hours on end without a single fish in the area.

Once the fish do come back to check you out, you have to remember that the minute you make that first run, you will have to wait for hours again for the fish to forget what just happened to them.

Spear fishing requires not only extra patience and some coordination, but it also requires some additional knowledge and some proper equipment. Safety becomes even more important when dealing with this potentially dangerous type of fishing.

Because spear fishing puts you directly in the water, heavy-duty boots is an absolute must. Not only will you be wading in potentially dangerous water with unknown dangers lurking along the bottom, you will also have the added danger of a sharpened spear being hurled sometimes very near to your own feet.

Make sure that your boots are waterproof with traction providing soles and if possible, steel toes. A day spent fishing from a boat or on the bank and not getting any bites may be a bad one, but a day that includes a trip to the ER is even worse.

Know the actual depth of the water that you will be spear fishing in, especially if there are darker spots or nearby rapids. Any river or lake has the potential for serious drop offs so always approach with extreme caution. If you do not know the depth of the water a few feet ahead of you, do not go in further.

If you do find yourself in water too deep to safely stand in, drop the spear and recover your footing. Do not try to swim with spear in hand. Spearing a fish can be a very rewarding, almost primal feeling, so it is definitely worth trying. But remember you will have to be extremely patient and extra careful.