Oregon spearfishing

[Kyle M]

Yeah, it would be great to have a local Freedive instructor, and one we could go shoot fish with!

[Transporter]

Well, it just so happens that you now have another freedive instructor living on the Oregon coast. I've recently had the misfortune of moving up to Astoria from Socal (Ventura) for work. I'm really looking forward to diving with you guys in the cold murky waters of the Pacific NW. I've never dove for dungeness before so if anyone wants to trade some crab knowledge for freediving tips let me know. I have a boat (small and crappy but it works) and a fairly flexible schedule so if anyone wants to meet up for a dive when the conditions are good send me a PM.

BTW - I don't really post much on Spearboard because the California section is such a shitshow. Lest you doubt my skills here are some pics from trips this year. First a limit of 9" abs from a month ago. Next one is the deck of the boat after a friend and I did a days worth of work on on the ridge down in Baja this October. Also, the biggest bug I grabbed this year with a baby thrown in for a frame of reference. Last but not least, one of the tuna I shot this April down in Panama.

Enjoy the pics and I look forward to diving with you guys!

[North Star]

Ian - glad to have you surface up here. Welcome. This is nothing like the california board; we don't put up with that garbage up here, and nobody like them posts here - so post away - we are a friendly and supportive bunch, as you can tell from reading the threads.

Hope you can run a class next summer, (or whenever) as I am sure a bunch of guys would be glad to come.

Nice fish photos. You leave some for us, y'hear?

[possum]

So ive got my living situation all sorted out, but have yet to gain employment so i have a nonexistent schedule and a Y membership.

I am dying for someone to train with and change up my routine, to push myself just a little more, have a longer training session and share different breath-ups.
The mind is a beautiful thing to push

Cheers Ian, while your up here definitely check out some off the freshwater spots. I dove clear lake (McKenzie) this summer and it was really cool using the petrified trees as a line to follow down. well its a little early but maybe spring time we can organize a freedive retreat? no current, 70' visibility, 150' depth

To the Portlanders(Kyle and Mr Slayer) ill let you know the next time i spend a weekend there. A buddy of mine used to dive at the mouth of the Columbia spearing sturgeon

My man MikePierce i sent you a private message but am not sure if it went through. Lets try and met anytime next week at the Y or blow the dust off my cressi 105 and head to the coast

[MikePierce170]

Originally Posted by Transporter

Well, it just so happens that you now have another freedive instructor living on the Oregon coast. I've recently had the misfortune of moving up to Astoria from Socal (Ventura) for work. I'm really looking forward to diving with you guys in the cold murky waters of the Pacific NW. I've never dove for dungeness before so if anyone wants to trade some crab knowledge for freediving tips let me know. I have a boat (small and crappy but it works) and a fairly flexible schedule so if anyone wants to meet up for a dive when the conditions are good send me a PM.

BTW - I don't really post much on Spearboard because the California section is such a shitshow. Lest you doubt my skills here are some pics from trips this year. First a limit of 9" abs from a month ago. Next one is the deck of the boat after a friend and I did a days worth of work on on the ridge down in Baja this October. Also, the biggest bug I grabbed this year with a baby thrown in for a frame of reference. Last but not least, one of the tuna I shot this April down in Panama.

Enjoy the pics and I look forward to diving with you guys!

We only catch 10+" Abs up here . But that's great news. I would love to get out in the water with you.

Originally Posted by possum

So ive got my living situation all sorted out, but have yet to gain employment so i have a nonexistent schedule and a Y membership.

I am dying for someone to train with and change up my routine, to push myself just a little more, have a longer training session and share different breath-ups.
The mind is a beautiful thing to push

Cheers Ian, while your up here definitely check out some off the freshwater spots. I dove clear lake (McKenzie) this summer and it was really cool using the petrified trees as a line to follow down. well its a little early but maybe spring time we can organize a freedive retreat? no current, 70' visibility, 150' depth

To the Portlanders(Kyle and Mr Slayer) ill let you know the next time i spend a weekend there. A buddy of mine used to dive at the mouth of the Columbia spearing sturgeon

My man MikePierce i sent you a private message but am not sure if it went through. Lets try and met anytime next week at the Y or blow the dust off my cressi 105 and head to the coast

I really hope he didn't go spearing sturgeon at the mouth of the Columbia. Or at least openly admit it on here as it's illegal lol. I'm not sure if it was legal back when ever he did it but it's certainly not now. In fact the new 2014 Oregon regulations say sturgeon are catch and release ONLY now!

I did get your PM though. PM me back or text me for a faster response.

[Kyle M]

Ian and "possum", welcome to Oregon!

As Max said, we are a very friendly and supportive group up here. You should find "down to earth" people on this forum.

Looking forward to diving with you both someday.

[cchen]

Welcome aboard guys! As everyone mentioned early, we are a pretty chill and nice crowd. I don't think we have ever even seen any drama on here before!

Look forward to getting wet with you guys!

[Transporter]

Clear Lake sounds pretty cool. I'll have to bust out the Gopro and get some video of diving in the petrified tree forests. Can't say I'm super pumped up on diving it this time of year though. 46 degree water at the coast is bad enough, diving a close to frozen lake in the winter sounds miserable. Maybe I just need to toughen up if I'm going to survive up here

[quote=possum;1907879]So ive got my living situation all sorted out, but have yet to gain employment so i have a nonexistent schedule and a Y membership.

I am dying for someone to train with and change up my routine, to push myself just a little more, have a longer training session and share different breath-ups.
The mind is a beautiful thing to push

Cheers Ian, while your up here definitely check out some off the freshwater spots. I dove clear lake (McKenzie) this summer and it was really cool using the petrified trees as a line to follow down. well its a little early but maybe spring time we can organize a freedive retreat? no current, 70' visibility, 150' depth

[Kyle M]

I once dove Waldo Lake. Apparently it holds the world record for fresh water visibility at something like 145'. Looking at my dive partner, he appeared to be floating in space. Definitely worth doing, and I'd recommend the summer time and sunshine to get the full experience.

[Liveclean]

Any of you OR guys still out there? Headed to bend at the end of the week here. Will be hitting brookings a bunch this summer for abs and ling

[possum]

Wow, between school and a full time kitchen work ive been in need of a holiday. i have two more weeks of school and then ill have a little more time on my hands to play i.e. kill fish. Liveclean where do you live? Im still in eugene and was hoping to check out florence due to its proximity, but im still new in this area and would appreciate any pointers/partners.
Live Clean- Good luck in brookings this past summer i got a ling off the getty and picked crabs up off the ocean floor : )

[ferradinho]

Hey everyone... I just recently got back into spearfishing and wanted to post up on here and introduce myself. I did some freediving and spearfishing when I lived in Puerto Rico quite some time ago. Right now I mostly scuba. I did some spearfishing last weekend with my dad while we were in Newport for the weekend and I'm hooked again. If anyone wants a buddy to go with I'm open to go spearing anytime my schedule permits. I have my own gear and keep it ready to go whenever. At some point I'd like to start freediving again but my lungs aren't quite what they used to be right now.

[originalsin]

Aloha everyone,

I currently live in Hawaii, however will be moving to Bend Oregon in the first part of next year.

I grew up in Port Angeles WA, but never got into spearfishing until I moved to Big Island. I'm hoping I can adapt and keep spearing in lakes and rivers around Bend, and do some missions to the coast from time to time. Anyone in the area, it would be great to touch base and rally up in the near future.

What kind of wetsuits and spearguns are best for the conditions? I'm guessing I will have to leave my 60" Wong Hybrid in the closet, along with my 3mm suit. Surfing on the Olympic Peninsula I used a 5/4 Hotline wetsuit for surfing with 7mm booties. I'm thinking something along that thickness and around a 42" to 50" speargun?

Shoots!

Tyson

[quattroluvr]

Mako "open cell" free-diving-specific 7mm wetsuits are the most common. 5mm in summer is workable. Don't get a lined scuba suit with zippers! They're too water intruding. Mike P likes a lined free diving suit forget the brand.
There is no legal fresh water spearing except for carp. Mike bagged a 31 pounder earlier this year.
Speargun - about 38" plus or minus a couple inches is optimal for Oregon coast viz, which can range from 1 ft to 15 ft on Oregon coast, average 6-10 ft when it's not crap. very occasionally 20 ft. Single-wrap setup is usually fine, though I use double-wrap for the occasional great viz day.
Once a year or so sometimes people organize an albacore trip (your Wong would be useful then, otherwise yes, useless.)

[originalsin]

So... let me get this, you can't spear or 3 prong any rivers or lakes in Oregon?