Spearfishing kit - What and where? (part8 - Gloves & Dive Knife)

We have covered our feet with fins and socks, we have covered our body with a wet suit and we have covered our face with a mask. One of the only things left exposed is our hands and this brings us to the need for gloves. The sea has some pretty abrasive and sharp things just waiting for your exposed flesh!

When diving in a decent swell you might find the need to hold on to a rock. When handling a fish you have just caught you would want to protect yourself form the sharp dorsal spines and gills common on many species. So there are many logical reasons to don a pair of gloves, but what gloves?

Most wet suit manufacturers also produce a few variants of neoprene gloves of varying thicknesses. Although these do their job in protecting you from the elements they come at a sacrifice. Wearing a pair of 5mm neoprene gloves is like trying to thread a needle while wearing a pair of boxing gloves, you loose allot of your hands sensitivity and accuracy. But when you are hanging on a rock encrusted with sea urchins you might see the sacrifice as worth the effort. 

Neoprene Spearing Gloves

One of the most noticeable areas effected by the loss of sensitivity is your trigger finger, you don't want to be swimming along and accidentally pull the trigger of your gun. For this reason I opt to not wear a glove on my right hand (trigger hand). I can hold on to the reef with my gloved left hand while still maintaining sensitivity and accuracy with my right trigger hand.

These neoprene gloves are not cheap. You can expect to pay in the region of about R500 - R600 for a good pair. It's for this reason that I opted for a cheaper option. I am sure you can remember your mother pottering around in the garden with a pair of fabric gloves? Well these double up as a very good alternative. You could also use a pair of crayfish gloves as these have the added benefit of a non-slip palm surface that might assist you in holding on to your catch while stringing it. These gloves you can pick up from your local fishing tackle store for as little as R30!

Crayfish Gloves

Another item that should be in every spearfishermans kit is a dive knife. Almost all the areas you will dive will also be frequented by traditional line fisherman, many of them leaving the remnants of their efforts by means of   fouled fishing line. Many of the deeper reefs are also frequented by commercial long-liners, their line is substantially thicker and stronger than average and can pose a serious danger to a spearfisherman especially if there are hooks still attached. Find yourself caught up or entangled in this line and you will be ever thankful for your dive knife. Another use of a dive knife is to kill the fish before stringing them. This is not only humane but it also avoids the now distressed fish attracting sharks.

If a whale can become entangled so can you!

There are a few variants of dive knives out there, but most of them will suffice. I like the feature on my Kershaw dive knife that has a line cutter at the top of the blade that makes it easier to cut fishing line. Make sure the knife has a decent sheath that is easily attached to the inside of your leg or upper arm. Make sure the knife is out of harms way as your float line can easily become entangled in it.

A knife also doubles up as a tool, be it a screwdriver or just to pry off a muscle to use to chum the water, it is a very versatile and useful part of your kit.

Kershaw Dive knife with line cutter