Better Spearfishing: Recent Episodes
Nick Croukamp
Everything you ever wanted to know about spearfishing....and more! Nick shares the tips and tricks he's learned over 30 years of spearfishing around the world to help you get more out of your spearfishing...along with some tall tales and amusing adventures along the way. Enjoy!
For the last 20 years I've mostly used reelguns. I started using floatlines again this year, and to my great surprise I'm loving them. In this episode I share what I've learned about floatlines, and why I'm now using them. Plus my new favourite gun combination
Feedback, thoughts, suggestions or requests? Message me here!!
I share some tips and tricks on how to prepare for spearfishing competitions if you want to place well. Enjoy
Something a bit lighter in this podcast. I share a secret tip that everyone can use to catch great fish, using the gear they already have, and diving to the depth they are comfortable at. Enjoy
Don't dive alone! It's the best safety advice we have. In this episode I share details behind this, as well as the different risks between spearfishing and freediving, plus some extra safety tips to keep you safe in the water
I share what I learned from competition diving and how "micro" diving can help you catch different fish even on heavily dived spots
Keiren is a top level diver competing both nationally and internationally for Australia. We dove the Australian national titles together, then Keiren sat down to share his story and learnings, as well as his spearfishing coaching courses
Confused over which fins to gey? Plastic, fibreglass, carbon fibre, softs or mediums....in this episode I explain all the factors involved plus some simple tests you can do to choose the best option for you
William Trubridge is an elite professional freediver who gave a talk at Adreno here in Perth recently. I share my takeaway learnings from his talk, as well as some mental techniques I use for spearfishing.
Thanks for the great talk William
A random collection of all the interesting tips and tricks I learnt from 40 divers over the last few weeks competition
I share my experience of competing in the interpacific championships in New Zealand, what I learned, plus what I liked and disliked
Finding the good spots a.k.a. scouting. In this episode I share how to scout from either the shore or a boat and what to look for to find good spots that will produce fish
Spearguns!! Everyone's favourite topic. But how many do you really need to catch the fish you want? In this episode I share the factors you need to consider when building your arsenal of spearguns
Ethan joins me in this podcast to share his recent win of the South Australian Spearfishing State Titles, as well as details about diving South Australia.
Ethan's story is a true zero-to-hero success story - from starting spearfishing 3 years ago to champion. Well done Ethan!
We are having an El Nino event here in Perth this summer, with lots of strong offshore winds. I discuss my last two weeks diving and how the weather has affected this, plus some new rollergun findings
Something a bit different- I go through some philosophy and biology to try understand what drives us to dive
This is a technical one - the results of testing all my spearguns on a target, the theory and physics behind accuracy, then testing my three new rollerguns and being very pleasantly surprised
After a great dive this weekend where the deepest dive was 3m, I realised that you can learn practically everything you need to know about hunting fish in really shallow water. I share the techniques and tricks to use in shallow water. Seriously, dive shallow, its so underrated!
In this episode pro diver Trevor Ketchion joins to share his experiences and give an overview of how international spearfishing competitions work, plus how you can support the Australian team for the upcoming interpacific competition. Keep tuned for more interviews of the Australian team atheletes.
I'm happy to share I was selected to represent Australia in the national spearfishing team in the Interpacics competition in March 2024 in New Zealand. In this episode I give a brief overview of the competition structure, then share how I'm identifying my weak points for training. I spent a lot of time target testing all my gear and share the results
After recording the last episode with Micka and Antoinne they sprung a surprise on me - they interviewed me! We also talk about some tricks we discovered from diving together
Ear infection? Trouble equalising? Here's what you need to do to stay healthy for diving. Especially useful for diving trips to the tropics
I have just spent a week diving an island in Indonesia with my friends Antoinne and Micka. On this extended episode they describe the conditions, equipment and techniques they use to catch wahoo, dogtooth tuna and many interesting reef fish. This episode is packed with tips for bluewater diving. Enjoy
Renowned freediver David Mulheron shares an insight into the world of professional freediving. David shares tips and advice on how to improve your diving....and (spoiler alert) - tips on how most divers can get a 5 minute breathhold!!!
Everything looked doubtful about yesterday....marginal forecast, noone else keen....but I went anyway and had an awesom day. I describe the day out, plus what I discovered and some useful tips and tricks for shallow water diving
The weather this weekend was perfect! No wind, no swell, 25m visibility. I describe what we saw diving, plus the seasonal variation of fish I've noticed
In this episode I discuss how to prepare for your dive, both before and after. Having your logistics sorted out and systematic makes it so much easier to get out diving and get all the tedious jobs like cleaning gear done quickly and efficiently.
Over my last two dives the ocean conditions have varied widely. In this episode I share the importance of covering ground and moving spots to find the fish - plus a wonderful experience with a huge school of pink snapper
Well there was a break in the foul winter weather at last so I got out diving on Saturday and Sunday. The conditions changed overnight and lead to some unexpected changes in the conditions which I share
In this episode my buddy Aldo Turco joins from Sicily. Aldo is a marine biologist who has dived all over the world and now lives back in his native Sicily. Aldo shares what the diving in Sicily is like, plus some tips and techniques for anyone visiting. Thanks Aldo!
In this episode I share some thoughts on how long it takes to get good at spearfishing. Then I share practical suggestions on what can help you accelerate your improvement
Two-time guest on the podcast Rhys Clay joins to share his experience of several diving destinations and how they differed. From the cold water of Victoria in south-eastern Australia, up the coast to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales and then Queensland...plus Samoa and Fiji. Rhys gives a great overview of the different locations and conditions - thanks Rhys!
Well it's been a month of winter storms, both in Perth and during a family holiday to Cape Town. I share my one day out diving and how to enjoy the small wins when that's all you can do
Jared Rosenberg from Earth and Ocean Fit is a functional strength coach who has developed trainig programs specifically for watersports like surfing and spearfishing. Jared shares his experience getting into spearfishing, as well as how his courses assist with fitness for spearfishing. Check out his webpage https://www.earthandoceanfit.com.au/ or contact Jared on facebook and Instagram.
Well winter is well underway here in Perth but there's still lots of great diving to be had. I share my recent dives and catches, plus some winter projects
In this episode Ryan Peterson discusses his recent experience at the World Freshwater Spearfishing Competition, as well as how he got into spearfishing. He explains lots about freshwater spearfishing, the conditions, the locations, the fish - basically everything you need to know. Many people will never have speared in freshwater, but this talk will get you keen!
In this episode chef extraordinaire Deryck Tan shares tips on how he gets the most out of his catch. Deryck is also passionate about imortalizing his catch using the Japanese art gyotaku. Deryck shares how to do this,plus a special blind taste test of 5 common fish that left us all surprised at the results. You can follow or contact Deryck by Instagram deryck.gyotaku or Facebook Gyotaku by Deryck
In this episode I share a few training techniques that you can useto improve your diving and spearfishing. Many of these can even be done sitting at home, and they all help
In this episode I share details on how your body responds to diving, and the sort of foods that will help you during diving
In this episode I start with a recent experience with a big tiger shark, then share a few other shark encounters, plus general tips on what to look out for to keep safe
This episode is a bit of everything - my experience trying rollerguns again (but doing it right this time!), the start of the demersal reef fish season, my last dive on a far offshore Bank with clean warm water and shooting a mackerel and seeing big snapper. Plus the future plans for the podcast and having guests on
In this episode I go through how deep you need to dive, plus share some tips for deep diving
Not a spearfishing episode, but an overview of my boat and the maintenance I've recently done, with all the costs. Hope this gives everyone an idea of what's involved, it's very manageable but does need to be done
In this episode I share the process I used to succesfully target three species I didn't know how to catch. I ended up catching all three in 24 hours. Plus general tips from what I did and learnt
Well the game fish season started for me Mid-february with my first mackerel of the season and I've had loads of questions about targeting Spanish mackerel so here's my thoughts
In this episode I share how, no matter where you get to in spearfishing, there is always another level. The recent change to fishing regulations means I now want to target species I've never targetted before and I realised I'm like a total beginner again!
Jake contacted me with a great question about floatlines versus reels for Western Australian diving. He kindly agreed to come online and discuss his question, and let me monologue a bit about the pro's and cons of reels versus floatlines. Hope you get something out of this one - enjoy!
In this episode I share how and when you need to change your plans. Often we make plans but then reality throws us a curve ball, so we need to adapt. Enjoy
Just something silly this time - a bunch of fictional spearo archetypes and why you don't want to do what they do. Plus the one you do want to be
In this episode I share the story of my first dive back in Australia, plus go through what it's like to be back in Australia. Spoiler alert - it's awesome! Seems appropriate that I'm recording this on Australia day
In this episode I share a bunch of sneaky tricks you can use with your dive gear. From using a spear as a cray noose to inserting a wishbone underwater, these tricks will keep you diving when stuff breaks.
In this episode I describe my last 2 days diving in South Africa before flying back to Australia. Collecting my van and preparing to drive back to Perth. Plus general comparison between SA and Australian fisheries and regulations
In this episode I share tips on how to hunt a species you've never dived for before, as well as my experience of shooting my first decent white musselcracker here in South Africa
In this episode I share the story of an epic dive I had this week - my best ever dive in South Africa - plus a few pointers.
In this episode I share some tips and tricks to help you plan your very own international dive trip. If you've ever wanted to dive in another country this episode is for you
In this episode I share a few tips on how you can find your own "secret spots" and how to keep them productive for you. Enjoy
In this episode Josh Halley tells about diving the remote Shetland Islands off the north of Scotland. Cold water, big fish and extreme tides, and his incredible adventure to dive one of the most remote but renowned fishing spots in the United Kingdom.
He also shares stories from his time diving commercially in New Zealand for sea urchins - and his upcoming trip back to New Zealand.
Thanks Josh!
In this episode Rory Macleod joins me to share what he's learned from diving Western Australia, and from being involved with what must be one of the largest spearfishing clubs in the world, the West Australian Undersea Club (WAUC). We have a short chat about the contentious new fisheries closures in the state, whilst agreeing that Western Australia has some of the best fisheries anywhere in the world - and some of the best diving. Thanks Rory, great to catch up!
In this episode I chat to Rhys Clay who lives in South-East Queensland. We met during the Queensland Spearfishing Nationals competition last year and discuss the diving around Queensland, fisheries management...and Rhys amazing story of how he found and salvaged the boat that is now his diving boat!
In this episode I talk to Matt Coombe who started Spearfishing Cartel. They just ran the UK's first spearfishing competition focused on sustainability, so huge kudos. Matt talks about growing up spearfishing the south-coast around Cornwall and gives a general overview of UK spearfishing. Great to chat Matt!
I've received a lot of requests on setting up a kayak for spearfishing and I realised its a big topic so I've broken this down completely over 2 episodes. Enjoy!
We all probably want to dive in clean water, but sometimes that isn't possible. In this episode I share tips and tricks on diving in dirty water and how to make the most of the situation
In this episode I go through the differences between shore diving, diving from a kayak, and diving from a boat, and the pros and cons of each. Enjoy
In this episode I speak to Micka, a French diver who I met in Western Australia many years ago. We had many diving trips together, and he now dives almost every day. Micka shares his experience and what he's learnt over a decade-and-a-half in this great sport...plus stories of fending off sharks, loosing a finger diving, and some wild times at sea! Thanks Micka
In this episode I talk about how water temperature and seasons influence fish behaviour, as well as currents, swell and storms, plus a few tips to help you find more fish
In this episode I interview Brandon Swanepoel on his experience with starting spearfishing in Cape Town, South Africa. Brandon has become very involved in the spearfishing scene as a content creator for major brands like Noob Spearo and Old Man Blue. Brandon shares what he's learned from his experience of starting spearfishing
In this episode I go through the different types of spearguns and each of their pros and cons, as well as where they are useful
In this episode I go through exactly what gear you need as a new diver. More specifically I detail which gear is the most important and which least important- and show you where you can save money.
I know how confusing it can be getting into a new sport and all the conflicting opinions about what you need. So this episode is to clear up all that confusion for new divers so you know what you need. Enjoy
In this episode I share where I have dived and where was the best and worst diving in the world...enjoy
In this episode I share some of the stories I've heard over the years of things going wrong at sea. Please note that this is just what I remember hearing, so I'm sure I do not have the full story or context. I ask that you don't name anyone here - the purpose of sharing is for us to all learn so we can avoid similar problems in the future.
In this episode I share what you need to consider when powering up your speargun. I discuss the pros and cons of power, and some tips on how to decide the best setup for you
In this episode I share my thoughts on which fish new divers should look to target. The goal is to look for species that new divers can catch, as well as those that will help them improve. This was supposed to be episode 3 but I mucked up...
In this episode I discuss the differences between diving in warm and cold water. In summary it's the different number of species and the different equipment you need
In this episode I explain how to predict diving conditions by understanding how swell, wind, rainfall, season and location interact. It makes a huge difference when you learn how to forecast the good diving days and its a skill you definitely need as a spearfisher. But if in doubt - go diving!
In this episode I explain how new divers can find spearfishing spots. Some tips, plus an overview of the etiquette in the diving community about spearfishing spots
In this episode I discuss what makes certain types of fish hard to catch, and give my thoughts on what are the most difficult species. Enjoy
In this episode I share my thoughts on what sort of speargun a new diver needs. I like the KIS principle, or "Keep It Simple", especially for new divers. I explain what you need and give the reasons why. So if you're looking to start spearfishing and excited to buy your first speargun but confused about the options - start here!
Ever wondered what thickness wetsuit you should wear? 1.5mm or 3mm or 5mm or 7mm....it all gets very confusing. In this episode I explain how to choose the right thickness of wetsuit based on water temperature and your body size....plus tips on how to get more our of your wetsuit. Enjoy