Noob Spearo Podcast

Interview with Valentine Thomas | Part 2 Second Interview with Valentine Thomas! This episode we cover off what's happened to her in the last 5 years including guesting on the Joe Rogan Experience, attending international fishing symposiums, moving to Florida, shooting a huge Marlin and her very own cookbook - you know pretty much just your average person's last 5 year story:) Listen in! Links Mentioned 06:00 How her perspective and life has changed since our last podcast What has changed? Events, discoveries along the way International Symposium of Fisheries Sustainability, organized by the FAO of the United Nations in Rome. New life in Florida | French Fish and Seafood Cookbook How has that been reflected in her life, choices, and habits Confronting attitudes and dealing with BS Freediving and spearfishing progress. Marlin in Cabo, Baja Fish handling | reducing fresh water to clean the fish before bagging or vacuum packing 19:00 Her work in fighting against certain commercial practices RECENT INSTA POST: Markets and fishing | making better choices and influencing others. Perceived value Seafood labeling and carbon monoxide WASTE: Valentine POST on INSTA: Fisheries are discarding and wasting around 10 BILLIONS pounds every year (conservative estimate!). Why is that? 1- To comply with regulations. If they fish over their quotas or if they accidentally caught species they aren’t supposed to (by-catch) 2- The market value of the fish caught is too low This is why varying our diet and why the variety of species we consume is so important. We create the demand, consequently the market Nefarious practices | impinging on National waters, people smuggling Inequality of fishing laws, fishing law enforcement and some countries inability to police their own waters Traceability and Seafood Labeling | Ecolabels Lionfish - Invasive Problem | Creating consumer demand, incentivizing restaurants and changing public perceptions Also countries with very well managed fisheries now importing a huge percentage of their national seafood intake from poorer countries with less well managed fisheries Aquaculture. Seems to be an amazing idea with lots of problems. Enclosed waterway nets of species like Yellowtail Kingfish cause damage with the volume of fecal matter and also seem to attract disease whereas open ocean fish farming seems to mean large nets can be broken off in storms and become ghost nets and lose their capital investment in the equipment. Reduced Transport Footprints | why do people in Australia demand fish from 1000’s of km away when they have amazing fish on their doorstep. Very short shelf life Different forms of fishing and how they impact the environment. Harvesters (Oysters), purse seine, long-lining, trawling Helping bleeding hearts understand the place and utility of commercial fishing and using quota to ensure stocks are maintained. Using the whole fish | sharing the good stuff with others and promoting good practice 56:50 The Blackout Story from the 64:52 Captain Dan Walsh Speargun Story Please Support Noob Spearo's Partners! . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save:) 28-day Freediving Transformation |Equalization Masterclass – Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier – Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ | ‘Spearo Dad’ | ‘Girls with Gills’ | ‘Jobfish Tribute’ How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save!

The Timber Speargun Build Episode From concept to shooting fish with Ed Martin from Killshot Spearguns Important Times 03:30 Ed Martin from Killshot Spearguns Introduction and all about the Florida Keys (his store is in Islamorada). Geography Water Temps Depths and bottom structure Seasonal issues Common species 16:00 The rationale behind this Wooden Speargun DIY build episode + Ed Martins spearfishing background and the Killshot Speargun story 23:25 Errol “What are the pros/cons of Wood VS Pipe speargun in your mind? Duncan Henderson also asks “Why do you choose to work with wooden guns? whats the advantages in your opinion?” 27:50 CONCEPTING AND PLANNING | Making your first speargun advice! What are the crucial decisions to make before you start? SearchingForTheEdge on the spearfishing Subreddit advised prospective gun builders that the number one key is to build your gun around your spear. Don't try to build a gun and then later try to find a spear for it. It's much easier and faster to buy the spear and use it for all the measurements. Is this good advice? Sven Franklin "what is the ideal shaft overhang length as this varies from company to company and personal opinion among spearos?" Joe Pedro "Enclosed track vs open track, how to decide which is best for certain fish targeting setups?" Can we borrow or steal some ideas from the best manufacturers? 48:20 SPEARGUN MATERIALS Composite vs Solid one piece? Wood types? Mahogany, Sepo, Teak etc Glue? Resin? Sealant? Epoxy? What is the difference? Making a test gun What components should I buy rather than make myself? How do you make these choices? Where is a good place for buying components? To safety or not to safety? What tools do I require? What tools do I desire? Clamps, jigsaw, dropsaw, mitresaw, cordless drill, gloves, plastic, straight edge, file, masking tape, rubber for relieving clamping pressure, tape measure, belt sander, verniers, small chisel, router, drill press 66:15 How much time does it take to make a speargun? 69:00 Buoyancy and ballast | How do we work this out? 74:40 Daniel Mann "Why is oil a terrible choice to finish a timber speargun?" 79:00 Care and maintenance 80:30 Duncan also asks “What are the common problems with people's homemade wooden guns?" 92:00 Rubber Powerbands How often do you replace them? Wishbones - the horror of metal wishbones Links Mentioned Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save:) 28-day Freediving Transformation |Equalization Masterclass – Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier – Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ | ‘Spearo Dad’ | ‘Girls with Gills’ | ‘Jobfish Tribute’ How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save!

Interview with Rosie Sharman, Blair Herbert and James Beckman In early March, 2020 I traveled to New Zealand with James Beckman to chase fish at the Three Kings Islands. I was invited by Nat a few years ago to head over and this year (thanks to Patron listeners) I was able to make it happen! This episode is a trip debrief after 4 days on the water.... and 5 hours driving.....and at least 3 beers each:) Needless to say, it required a wee bit of editing. Thanks Pat;) Important Times 04:00 Introductions and thoughts on the New Zealand Three Kings experience 10:30 Rosie Sharman's spearfishing journey 15:00 First dive at the Three Kings. The weather, islands and conditions 29:00 Mokohinau Islands, Pink MaoMao. Porae and NZ Snapper 35:30 Bait and Spearfishing 51:30 Rosie's Raw Fish with Three Kings Trevally | Boat Surprise Links Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save:) How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save! 28-day Freediving Transformation |Equalization Masterclass - Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier - Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ | 'Spearo Dad' | 'Girls with Gills' | 'Jobfish Tribute'

Rochele Davey (Potter) is a multiple spearfishing world (and NZ) record holder for many species. I was privileged to spend 4 days with her, Nat (her husband), Rosie and James for a dynamite spearfishing trip in New Zealand. Late on the second day after diving all day, I sat down with Rochele and had the privilege of listening to her spearfishing journey. From adapting a purchase system on roller spearguns to being dragged behind a 107lb Yellowtail Kingfish through a dangerous channel, this interview has plenty of awesome moments! Listen in:) This episode was recorded on the back deck of Florence Nightingale IV, a 60 Crayfishing Boat at the Three Kings Islands, New Zealand in early March, 2020. Thanks to who funded this (and every) Noob Spearo trip!   Important Times 05:00 Rochele Davey nee Potter introduction and greetings 11:40 A few of Rochele's Spearfishing World Records. 48.8KG (107 lb) Yellowtail Kingfish Battle 17:50 How the spearfishing journey began for Rochele 23:25 Beuchat Spearfishing Wetsuits | Orange Safety Spot feature 26:00 Rochele's favourite species to hunt and how to hunt them effectively | New Zealand Snapper (Pagrus auratus) 30:00 Scariest Moments in the Ocean 36:15 Struggles learning to spearfish Planning a hunt from the surface Adopting a hunters finning technique Working through speargun reloading and adopting a roller with a purchase system 49:45 Rochele's Underwater Photography Journey 56:30 "Don't feel you have to shoot the fish in the head. Just shoot it!" Links Mentioned @rochele.potter and Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save:) How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save! 28-day Freediving Transformation |Equalization Masterclass - Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier - Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ | 'Spearo Dad' | 'Girls with Gills' | 'Jobfish Tribute'

This episode is an extremely wide ranging chat recorded on Blair Herbert's Matakana porch. It was awesome to arrive in New Zealand and partake of Blair's awesome hospitality and record this first interview at his place. The conversation focuses on Spearfishing Conservation and related topics but we digress.....a lot. Blair is an avid spearo with a background is Fisheries Management. David Dupavillon is an experienced spearfishing guide and Splash Spearfishing Team Member. ET is knowledgeable and well researched in many facets of the worlds oceans and it's inhabitants. She is currently completing a degree in Marine Biology and is a shark conservationist. James Beckman was my travel buddy and he's also been a past guest on the show Everyone loves spearfishing:) I really enjoyed this chat and my entire trip to New Zealand in early March, 2020. Thank you to the who made it happen! Important Times 05:25 Introductions and background information David Dupavillon Etoile Smulders ET Blair Herbert James Beckman 19:44 About New Zealand Spearfishing. Species, Biomass and Variety 25:00 Kina aka Sea Urchin | Pest or Delicacy? 30:17 Social Media and Spearfishing | Are we converting people to a better way of life? 38:38 Great fisheries initiatives | Melbourne Crayfish Tagging 47:30 Exploitation of people as slave labour on International Fishing Vessels 52:30 Sharks and Fishing | Why can't we hunt them? 62:30 Fisheries Management | How could it be done better? 76:40 96:20 Words of Wisdom Links Mentioned Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save:) How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save! 28-day Freediving Transformation |Equalization Masterclass - Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier - Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ | 'Spearo Dad' | 'Girls with Gills' | 'Jobfish Tribute'

Interview with Barret Harvey | African Spearfishing Diaries This interview with Barret Harvey starts off with the background behind several recent videos on the 'African Spearfishing Diaries' YouTube Channel. I was curious as I had seen the 2-3 of his latest videos and they are froth-makers. He has continued to pump out a new 8-12 minute spearfishing vid every week. We also chat about locations and species with plenty of practical tips and ideas along the way. At the 59 minute mark we get right into the skillset required to become a spearfishing videographer. Listen in and subscribe. A Bit About Barret Harvey Barret Harvey is a South African spearo probably best well know as the creator of African Spearfishing Diaries. He started Spearfishing at 15 years of age when he moved from Johannesburg to Durban on the east coast of South Africa. He has been spearing for 29 years. Barret first filmed himself and others spearing when he was 21. So he has been filming Spearfishing for around 25 years. He’s married and now lives and dives in Qatar in the Middle East. He works on a live broadcast team as the specialist Drone pilot but works on both drone and camera for most sports. Important Moments 04:18 Barret Harvey Introduction 07:00 All About African Spearfishing Diaries 12:00 Spearfishing French Polynesia 37:00 Favorite Spearfishing Hunting Technique 41:30 Shot placement discusion 47:50 What has been your toughest moment in the water? Old School WW1 solution for wound cleaning - EUSOL 59:00 How to Make a Living as a Spearfishing Photographer Diving Competence Camera Equipment and Application within the Spearfishing environment. Production Skills Customer Skills and Safety | Building Trust Defining Roles Working with Professional Guides Ultimate Goals and Longevity Passion and Belief Equipment Bag 98:00 Funniest Moment out Spearfishing 103:00 What's in your Divebag? 105:00 Spearo Q&A Connect With Barret Harvey African Spearfishing Diaries Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions Ted Harty’s Roadmap to Frenzel – Get full access to the Roadmap to Frenzel equalizing class (If you can’t frenzel in 30 days, get a full refund!) 15% Discount Code go to NoobSpearo.com/Ted . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save! Immersion Online freediving classes @ 28-day Freediving Transformation Equalization Masterclass Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath!

Show notes   NSP:118 Ricardo Raposo | The BrasilaSpearo   This episode covers Ricardo’s spearfishing experience from soup to nuts. Ranging from his Father teaching him some original spearo concepts to tossing his children a mask and snorkel, you’ll have to listen to learn about everything in-between!   Big thanks to Ricardo for sharing his spearfishing experience with the NS community!   Important Moments   05:00 Introduction Rio De Janeiro, and what being a spear there implicates. His father is a prominent figure in his early spearfishing experiences! Ricardo has been spearing since about 10 years old! He’s currently passing on the talent to his daughter starting with a snorkeling trip to Mexico in Playa Del Carmen! If we could all be so lucky to have a Pops like that!   10:00 Early struggles spearfishing Learning hunting techniques – practice, trial, and error Diving in an informed location – marine conservation in Brazil is relatively new Learned early on to look for groups of spearos – a tip from Noob Spearo! Learning how to hunt Parrotfish! Learning how to deal with sharks…!   26:00 Memorable catches The fish I’m most proud of, a hunt in Indonesia, staying at a Surf Resort. Giant Trevally, no reel, no buoy, the fish was pulling me down. It was an absolutely epic fight! Ricardo also enjoys hunting (and eating) Grouper; they’re a big target species in Brazil.   35:00 Veterans Vault: The Importance of Being Safe “I never knew about the risks involved when I started, but listening to other spearos and spearo communities has really informed me about how unsafe my diving actually was.” Keeping the snorkel out of mouth during dives Tips Concentration and rest – “When it’s too easy, it’s time to stop” Meditate/relax prior to, and during dives. Lower your heart rate. Proper knife positioning is important – you never know when you’ll have difficulty accessing your tools during a dive Always dive with safety-conscious buddies! Even though we always know we are supposed to do so, we often slip into bad habits Pay attention to your bottom times, and always, *always* exercise proper top time Sustainability – a proper code of ethics is always a good idea. Look after your environment, pick up after yourself, and above all be a good steward of wildlife and natural resources Be selective about hunting, follow your instincts and only shoot what’s legal and proper Use the whole fish (Whole fish cookbook made by some blokes in AUS)   52:00 Equipment Bag New Hammerhead Mask w/GoPro mount on the top. Had some issues initially, but I finally got it working properly. Composite OMER fins, generic dive knives, and recently got a new gun. RIFFE travel gun that deconstruct with a threaded shaft that also comes apart.   57:00 Connecting with Ricardo Find me on Instagram! Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions Ted Harty’s Roadmap to Frenzel – Get full access to the Roadmap to Frenzel equalizing class (If you can’t frenzel in 30 days, get a full refund!) 15% Discount Code go to NoobSpearo.com/Ted . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS!   Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available!   Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range .   . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing     How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save!   Spearo Immersion Online freediving classes @ 28-day Freediving Transformation. Want to increase your bottom time? Want to lower your comfortable operating depth?  Want to increase your breath hold? In 4 weeks, you can transform your physiology to improve your performance as a free diver.  Learn the proven strategies competitive free divers use to strengthen their performance. Equalization Masterclass.  If you are free diver who struggles to equalize your ears in the 15-30 ft range this course is the answer. 14 videos discuss every equalizing problem and coach you through the difficulty. Say goodbye to Valsalva and hello to Frenzel and make equalizing easy. Tuesday Ted Talks Freediving. 19 one-hour live Instagram episodes where I discuss a variety of freediving topics and answer peoples question live on Instagram. Free online courses – How to take a 20-30% bigger breath and how to make the mammalian dive reflex work for you. – Free online safety resource. View all of Ted’s online freediving classes @

Full shownotes https://www.noobspearo.com/noob-spearo-podcast/catherine Interview with Catherine Sayce Catherine Sayce is a Kiwi airline attendant/insta speara star renown for her sharp sense of humour and self-deprecating wit. She's also New Zealand most disqualified female spearo - and we talk about how to avoid this in the Veterans Vault and have some good laughs along the way. Listen out for some great info on hunting Wahoo. Links Mentioned in this Episode Noob Spearo Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/noobspearocommunity/ Noob Spearo on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/noobspearo North Florida Shootout Spearfishing competition Freshwater World Spearfishing Competition Interview Guide + time stamps 08:00 Catherine meet and greet. Background and banter 11:30 Introduction to spearfishing. "Grabbing my fear by the balls" - Catherine Sayce 15:00 Awesome dive buddies 15:40 International spearfishing trips | Forrest Gallante 24:00 Most Memorable Fish Capture | Wahoo - get closer! "(With Wahoo) Don't make eye contact with the fish but check out all the detail in the fish's eye" - Catherine Sayce 32:00 What does THOT mean? Duncan Henderson 34:20 What is the toughest situation you've had out spearfishing? 44:00 Veterans Vault: Avoiding Disqualification in Spearfishing Competitions Paying attention at briefing Monitoring times (particularly time back at ramp, time at briefing) Time management (wear a dive watch) Read the competition rules 51:00 Fish Identification | Learning the species, the rules and regulations governing their capture. Also how to identify in water and spend the time to correctly identify the fish before squeezing the trigger 55:00 Shark Controversy Discussion 62:00 Funniest Moment Spearfishing | Poo Rock and Prizes 65:00 What's in your spearfishing dive bag? 68:00 Spearo Q&A Who have been the most influential people in your spearfishing? What is your next fish goal? 72:00 Concluding remarks and wisdom:) Connect with Catherine on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cattrin_/ Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable. Use the code:NOOB to save! | Softcover available here EVERY Online Immersion (Ted Harty) class available at 28-day Freediving Transformation – Want to increase your bottom time? Want to lower your comfortable operating depth?  Want to increase your breath hold? In 4 weeks, you can transform your physiology to improve your performance as a free diver.  Additionally, learn the proven strategies competitive free divers use to strengthen their performance. Equalization Masterclass – If you are free diver who struggles to equalize your ears in the 15-30 ft range this course is the answer. 14 videos discuss every equalizing problem and coach you through the difficulty. Say goodbye to Valsalva and hello to Frenzel and make equalizing easy. Tuesday Ted Talks Freediving – 19 one-hour live Instagram episodes where I discuss a variety of freediving topics and answer peoples question live on Instagram. Free online courses – How to take a 20-30% bigger breath and how to make the mammalian dive reflex work for you. – Free online safety resource. View all of Ted’s online freediving classes @

Interview with Adam Freediver Stern Adam Freediver Stern is the Steve Irwin of freediving. His contagious enthusiasm has inspired thousands of people to discover the joy of freediving and freedive spearfishing. It was with much excitement that I got on this call with Adam and we had a great time exploring his freediving journey including his struggles overcoming the 'hard charger' mindset and dealing with the resulting issues. We also get into a heap of questions from the Noob Spearo Community and really get into equalizing issues. There is a tonne of info in the interview that smashed some of my ideas and I found this conversation sensational. Love to hear what you think about it in the comments! Adam Stern lives on the Central Coast, NSW and is an Australian 8 x Australian freediving record holder. Time Stamps 5:00 Welcome Adam to the show 9:00 What is the difference is between freediving and spearfishing? 11:00 Adam's non-romantic but quite intriguing introduction to freediving 18:00 Adam Freediver Stern age:31 19:00 Overcoming the 'Gung Ho' and reprogramming the mind 30:00 Kurt "Can you give us a rundown on what the various freediving course levels are?" 37:30 Sven "How can we level out properly when at depth without causing issues of lung squeeze etc (leveling out at depth goes against everything we are taught to do for deeper dives)?" 39:30 Jason "Fantastic, I love Adam's positivity and mindset. Maybe any questions regarding tips on how he enters a state of calmness during a dive to increase bottom time. I feel like I get caught up in the moment sometimes and get too erratic." 43:00 Discussion about Deepweek and what I think about it 45:40 Todd "Adam stern was and still is huge inspiration for it just myself, but everyone in our dive group SinkPhase. We all started out watching his YouTube videos and that’s how I learned to Frenzle. Some of us are part of his Patreon. Please thank him on our behalf of us. The dive group was talking about breathe ups we learned while getting certified. We all had a slightly different breathe up. I started with a 4/1/8/1 but went to a 3/1/10/1 after my course. What breathe up does he personally think works best? We are spearing if that changes it." 52:50 Cameron "I suppose this is a pretty common question but would be interesting to hear Adams opinion: What can a beginner do to see the most improvement in their breath hold?" 56:40 Kyle "How can duck dive effectively with a gun in hand?" 58:00 Adams spearfishing life 73:00 Veterans Vault: Equalizing Masterclass The Basics. What is equalizing and why do we need to do it? Most common equalizing issues and how to approach them. What to do when one ear equalizes but one doesn't. Luke asks "I’ve been struggling with Sinus infection past few months. What is the best way to recover from Sinus / cold symptoms to get back out diving?" Kelly "Hands free equalization. I got his course. I just can’t do it 😩" How do you clean your ears? How do you keep your ears ok for multi-day diving? "Be patient with equalizing as you are trying to do something really weird with your muscles to do a really weird activity." - Adam Stern 98:00 What is one of the funniest things you've experienced out spearfishing or freediving? 102:00 Spearo Q&A What does the spearfishing experience mean to you in one sentence? Who has been the most influential person in your freediving journey so far? What is the single best resource for spearfishing or freediving? Connect with Adam Freediver Stern; for lots of instructional videos   Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing | Simple, Effective, Dependable. Use the code:NOOB to save! | Softcover available here EVERY Online Immersion (Ted Harty) class available at 28-day Freediving Transformation – Want to increase your bottom time? Want to lower your comfortable operating depth?  Want to increase your breath hold? In 4 weeks, you can transform your physiology to improve your performance as a free diver.  Additionally, learn the proven strategies competitive free divers use to strengthen their performance. Equalization Masterclass – If you are free diver who struggles to equalize your ears in the 15-30 ft range this course is the answer. 14 videos discuss every equalizing problem and coach you through the difficulty. Say goodbye to Valsalva and hello to Frenzel and make equalizing easy. Tuesday Ted Talks Freediving – 19 one-hour live Instagram episodes where I discuss a variety of freediving topics and answer peoples question live on Instagram. Free online courses – How to take a 20-30% bigger breath and how to make the mammalian dive reflex work for you. – Free online safety resource. View all of Ted’s online freediving classes @

Interview with Philip Van Zijl - Godfather of The "Spearfishing Mafia"! This episode covers Philip’s spearfishing journey from the jump to competition diving starting in Cape Town, South Africa to New Zealand and plenty of places in between. He’s a champion of the sport, an absolute legend. He’s a major contributor to the spearfishing community, and a big proponent of paying it forward. Something he’s coined “The Spearfishing Mafia”. Our community, sport, and the hobby are niche. It’s even more niche than SCUBA diving. Take advantage of it, and build your network.  Big thanks to Philip for taking the time to “pay it forward” on the Noob Spearo Podcast! This episode is provided to you through the support of  Time Stamps!  10:00 Introduction Philip Van Zijl began diving in Cape Town in 1968 at the young age of 16, without wetsuits and just basic gear taking the train to get to where he needed to be. Yellow tail, crayfish, and other good species were some of his earliest accomplishments, always a good feed! A master of limiting out on crayfish during his years in school. He even paid for a year of his time at university from the fruits of his diving! A strong proponent of speargun awareness, make sure you listen to find out why…  Philip personally procured one of his 120cm spearguns from the legendary Rob Allen, what a story! Think you’re bad about keeping old gear? Philip still has his first catch bag he bought in the 60’s.  26:00 Early struggles spearfishing Personally, rigging your own speargun was a bit more difficult without YouTube… “If you give out kindness, it comes back to you.” – Pay it forward! Learning new spots, on your own – pays dividends later on! Sharing your expertise, and knowledge, doesn’t necessarily mean sharing your spots Proper weighting, weight secure locations (Harness vs. Belt)  31:35 Most memorable catch His last dive in Tauranga, NZ with a mate who brought him to a secret honey hole. 15-20 meters visibility, perfect conditions. Kingfish, historically uncommon for the area but are making a comeback. He was diving with some friends, stomach started to sour, and then returned to the boat. After viewing a bait ball of Kahawai, he grabbed his gear and jumped back into the water. Viewing a school of Kingfish, he pulled the trigger and bagged a PB weighing in at approximately 27 kilos! To hear his second most memorable catch on a “popgun”, tune in to 35:43!  38:50 Favorite species to hunt Snapper, hands down. A challenging quarry, requiring a combination of burly and stealth. 3-4k tops, but no monsters like on the GBR. Slow movements, be calm, don’t look directly *at* them, and let them get within target range. Maintain gun awareness so that when the shot presents itself, it can easily be taken. Learned from losing a 6k Trevally years ago. Learn about the duality of the gun safety discussion here!  42:50 Scariest moments in the ocean While shooting a Blue Moki, the bugger got off the spear and high-tailed it into a crevice. Meanwhile, a surge came and pushed Philip into a crevice in which he was stuck. Every spearo’s nightmare. Trying to remain calm, he considered that a surge which can push you in, can also pull you out. Going for broke, he expelled the air in his lungs to reduce his physical profile and was able to get pulled out on the next surge out to sea. Probably the scariest moment of his life. Lesson learned – be very careful when working a crevice while fishing for crays or otherwise.  48:00 Veterans Vault: The “Spearfishing Mafia” Giving back to the spearfishing community is as important as the sport itself. Hospitality within the spearfishing community is unique to the sport – PAY IT FORWARD! Bring your gear as often as possible when traveling so you never miss an opportunity! Reaching out on social media prior to travel and networking can be an incredible asset When traveling with spearfishing equipment, keep “gun” out of your vocabulary. Just refer to it as fishing equipment. It can save you valuable time Cooler bags can be worth their weight in gold when traveling Sharing spearfishing equipment when mates are traveling can not just save on cost but strengthen relationships Be a good host – it comes back around; when you aren’t, well then it won’t will it? How to avoid losing a knife - use some paracord or dyneema, tie it off to a pencil or other instrument, then tie that to the end of the knife. This way, when you drop the knife (not if, but when) it will stay secured  75:00 Equipment Bag Catch-bags are a must, saves you from going back to your plat “float boat”. Avoid harassment from sea lions, seals, or the tax man by simply using a catch-bag. Actually, saved a fishing competition by using one as the sea lions were going from float to float getting chubby on the hard work of humans. Carry two knives – one on thigh and one on arm. To avoid losing knives, use some paracord or dyneema, tie it off to a pencil or other instrument, then tie that to the end of the knife. This way, when you drop the knife (not if, but when) it will stay secured.  1:06 Spearo Q&A Describe what the spearfishing experience means to you? “My Happy Place, oh and the food.” Single best piece of advice ever given for spearfishing? “Dive to your capabilities, don’t overdo it. Have fun, enjoy it, recharge yourself.” Most influential person in spearfishing to you? Jacques Cousteau, major influence. Spearfishing/Freediving library? 99 Tips to get Better at Spearfishing! Had to start all over, what would you do differently? Get a decent wetsuit, a lot earlier. It makes such a difference. A decent speargun too. OMER fins, good foot pockets. Being comfortable when diving is more important than you think! Carbon fins have made a huge difference, but hey back in the 60’s we didn’t have a choice. Don’t look at the brand, look at the fit, and you’ll appreciate it later. You don’t need to spend a fortune to have an effective dive kit. Who is the best person to go spearfishing with now? I’ve got a Band of Brothers here now. I tell my wife it’s my Portuguese adopted son. There’s a few spearos around here and we all go spearfishing together.   Where can people connect with you? Philip Van Zijl Sr. on Facebook, message me and let’s connect for a chat or a dive! Any parting guidance or wisdom for the community? Set the example. A lot of people have different perspectives of spearos, 90% of us are ethical and moral hunters. Don’t publish death piles. It just gives ammo to the greenies. Pay attention to the size of the fish. If there’s a doubt, don’t shoot. If it’s marginal, don’t shoot. If it’s huge, then its legal. Noob Spearo Partners + Promotions Ted Harty’s Roadmap to Frenzel – Get full access to the Roadmap to Frenzel equalizing class (If you can’t frenzel in 30 days, get a full refund!) 15% Discount Code go to NoobSpearo.com/Ted . Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range . . Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing How to Spearfish : use the code NOOBSPEARO to save! Spearo Immersion Online freediving classes @ 28-day Freediving Transformation. Want to increase your bottom time? Want to lower your comfortable operating depth?  Want to increase your breath hold? In 4 weeks, you can transform your physiology to improve your performance as a free diver.  Learn the proven strategies competitive free divers use to strengthen their performance. Equalization Masterclass.  If you are free diver who struggles to equalize your ears in the 15-30 ft range this course is the answer. 14 videos discuss every equalizing problem and coach you through the difficulty. Say goodbye to Valsalva and hello to Frenzel and make equalizing easy. Tuesday Ted Talks Freediving. 19 one-hour live Instagram episodes where I discuss a variety of freediving topics and answer peoples question live on Instagram. Free online courses – How to take a 20-30% bigger breath and how to make the mammalian dive reflex work for you. – Free online safety resource. View all of Ted’s online freediving classes @