Category: Tips and Tricks

What Went Wrong – The Ear That Threw Me Off

From the start, I felt tense. The surface was rough, and I was already on edge. It was a new spot and I just jumped in. Then I noticed my right ear wasn’t clearing properly. I kept trying, but it just got more painful — and that pain made me even more tense.

A few times after my duck-dive I found myself spiralling down into the murky depths, kicking and feeling lost under the water is a scary place to be in.

Suddenly I wasn’t just trying to dive — I was trying not to panic. Not the best headspace to be in when you’re meant to stay relaxed and controlled underwater.

What Helped – Slowing Everything Down

Eventually, I had a little chat to myself and slowed everything right down.

1. I gave myself more time to breathe up — resting on the surface longer before each dive to feel properly calm and ready.
2. Ease into it with smaller, gentler dives as you make your way to your spot — treat it like a warm-up, not a race.
3. If something feels off or starts to hurt, pause. I stopped trying to “push through” and instead focused on relaxing and resetting.
4. The goal is to enjoy it — not just endure it. When you feel confident in the water, everything gets easier, especially staying relaxed.

I realised I was putting pressure on myself without even noticing. Donning my sexy new Aspetto wetsuit, I wanted to dive like pro — going deep and staying down for ages. But skills like that take time. He’s been doing this for ten years. I was trying to match a level that I hadn’t trained for yet, and it was stressing me out. Letting go of that pressure was a turning point.

It’s funny — I thought equalisation was all about technique. But the biggest change came from relaxing my body, calming my mind, and easing back into the water.

Final Thoughts: Go Easy On Yourself

Spending time in the water made all the difference. Seeing the sea in all its states — calm, choppy, rising, or still — helped me build confidence and a deeper respect for the conditions. Getting in when it was a bit rough made me realise that when I’m fit, healthy, and feeling strong, I give myself the best chance of working with the ocean rather than against it. In the early days, I was tense in the water because I didn’t feel strong, and that made it hard to relax and equalise properly.

Checking out the spot beforehand really helped with peace of mind too — I liked going when the tide was low so I knew it was coming back in, which made me feel safer, like I wouldn’t get washed out to sea. Finding a spot I loved and returning to it again and again also helped; getting familiar with it in different conditions broke down fear and built a real sense of comfort. Even diving in pea-soup visibility days — where you can barely see your hand in front of your face — taught me a lot.

Those murky sessions made me appreciate the crystal-clear days even more. Over time, what once felt intimidating slowly became something I could genuinely enjoy, not just endure.

Spearfishing in the UK offers a diverse and exciting challenge for both experienced spearfishermen and beginners alike. The country’s unique coastal environments, from the cooler waters of Scotland to the more temperate shores of the south coast, host an array of fish species that can be targeted throughout the year. Understanding the seasons and how they influence marine life is crucial for planning successful spearfishing outings.

This guide breaks down the best times of year to target different species and offers insights into the UK’s varying marine conditions.

• Grey Mullet (Chelon Labrosus): Right up in the shallows the mullet move in with the first calm sunny days in spring.  Especially in the vicinity of estuaries, large spawning aggregations can be found and they will be full of roe until May.  Mullet are a resilient fish and do not mind the cold, but they do seem to prefer feeding in the shallows when the waves and swell drop and the sun shines!
• Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Bass begin moving into shallow kelp forests as early as late March. By May, their numbers increase significantly, especially along the southern and southwestern coasts. They are then abundant in shallow waters until November / December when they will trickle offshore to deeper water.  Targeting bass during these months is highly rewarding as they come closer to shore, feeding on smaller fish and crustaceans.  Although they can be found all year round, pay attention to the closed season which usually coincides with their spawning period over winter. 

• Pollock (Pollachius pollachius): Another springtime favourite, pollock are found near rocky areas and kelp forests. From March, they start moving closer to the coast, making them a prime target for spearos in the west and north of the UK.  Larger examples tend to be found a bit deeper in around 15 to 20 meters of water, but double figure fish can be found in a kelp forest 3 meters deep!  In winter, these fish move to offshore pinnacles and wrecks to breed.  
• Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa): This flatfish species is often abundant in sandy, shallow areas in spring, especially in areas with good tidal flow. The waters off Sussex, Hampshire, and Norfolk are ideal hunting grounds during this period.  Plaice can be thin in February and March, but by May and June time some lovely fat examples can be found.  

Summer wetsuits

5mm wetsuits are the perfect neoprene thickness for diving through summer.

Spearfishing Equipment Tips

The changing seasons in the UK also mean varying water temperatures, so ensuring you have the right wetsuit is key to a comfortable spearfishing experience. In spring and autumn, a 7 mm wetsuit is typically sufficient, while in summer, many spearos opt for a 5mm wetsuit. Winter spearfishing, however, demands thicker suits, with 7mm wetsuits more being necessary for enduring the cold.