Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook [Paperback]

B. Allen Patrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1996

Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook covers beginner through advanced spearfishing technique for use by scuba divers and freedivers. The comprehensive 128 page, 8 1/2" x 11" book (lay-flat binding) complements its clear technique and equipment explanations with over ninety photographs and diagrams. In addition to spearfishing, it includes sections on catching spiny lobster and on scalloping, a glossary of spearfishing terms, and a bibliography of spearfishing related articles, videos, and publications.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook fills the long standing void for a general spearfishing technique, equipment, safety, and etiquette guide. -- Ditmar Biller of A.B. Biller Company, Sea Hornet Spearguns in USA

Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook is an indispensable guide for divers wishing to learn about spearfishing; those who have the basics and need a little more information; or active spearfishers that may want to know more about gear options and types of equipment. -- Florida Scuba News, June 1997

Excellent book.... -- Bob Christiansen, Santa Rosa, CA

Great book!! Even an old "Spearo" like me came across a few 'I didn't know thats.' -- Nelson Alvarez, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

This book is the reason I decided to spearfish. I've just bought my equipment. Am waiting to go. Thank you. -- Mark W. Rice, Winter Springs, FL

From the Author

This book presents the best spearfishing knowledge obtained from my thirty-plus years of spearfishing into one concise source. Additionally, it provides tips and tricks from over fifteen other spearfishing champions and experts. It goes well beyond beginning spearfishing by providing advanced gear configuration and underwater hunting technique.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Active Adventure Publishing; 1 edition (November 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890079111
• ISBN-13: 978-1890079116
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good content, but rough, June 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook (Paperback)

Although the content is really good, the book lacks polish. The formatting isn't great, the computer drawings are so-so, and many of the photos didn't reproduce well. Compared to some other books on spearfishing, it looks crude. The book also lacks up to date reference information. I mailed a letter to every manufacturer in the reference section and only about half were still valid addresses. There is no online reference section, either. However, there's lots of valuable information within, and its one of the few books aimed at the beginner.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of questions without the answer, April 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook (Paperback)

The book is easy to read, but you might not like the schoolbook layout with the review questions in each chapter.

I expected more tips about developing the skills of freediving, since most spearfishermen do their sport without the air tank. Dive gear part says about three weighting systems but nothing about buoyancy adjustment, no suggestion of how much weight to put on your belt. The guns part says quite a lot about types and sizes of guns, but it lacks the shot range you could obtain using them, as well as possible catch size data. After reading it you know everything about guns but you still do not know which gun to buy according to your needs.

In my opinion the book lacks also two important parts: 1. The guide of most popular fish with the worldwide zones of presence and seasons of good catch. I also wanted to know where to look for fish - bottom, sand, rocks, vegetation, on the reef? There is no answer to it. 2. The matter of tides! Is it better to go spearfishing on low tide or on high tide? How the fish do behave during the tide? Have you ever tried to freedive near the rocks, when the water level goes up or down 20ft in 6 hours and produces strong currents?

The book seems quite Florida oriented. There are some useful tips and the book gives general view, but I doubt if it is for advanced sperafishermen. I'm a beginner but my several questions were left without an answer. The pcx format graphics are explicative, but look very obsolete. So, still looking for sources of information I would rate the book 2.5 stars, but since this is not possible I incline for only two of them.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Could be better, April 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Spearfishing and Underwater Hunting Handbook (Paperback)

I was quite dissapointed. To many instructions on how to buy hunting gear but only few good hunting tips. The handbook looks more like school book. I had to wait to find that out more than one mounth and the end price for book and taxes and shipping to Europe came out 45$.