Spearfishing in Siargao

Siargao is a surf island, but the reefs that make the waves are also full of fish. On a flat day, or an afternoon when the wind has blown the surf out, the water outside the reef is often clear, calm and a much better place to be than the lineup. We run spearfishing two ways: rent a full set of gear from the shop and go on your own, or come out by banca with a local guide who fishes these reefs.

Freediving only

We spearfish on a single breath. No scuba, no compressor and no hookah, on our trips or with our gear. It is fairer to the fish, it is safer for you, and several Philippine towns have banned compressor fishing outright.

Where we go, and where we do not

All of Siargao sits inside a protected seascape, and General Luna has a no-take marine sanctuary. We do not fish inside sanctuary zones or near the island-hopping stops, and we do not shoot protected species or undersized fish. The guide picks the spot each day from the tide, the current and the visibility, which usually means a short boat ride to reef edges and drop-offs away from the swimmers.

Renting gear

A rental set is a speargun or pole spear, a low-volume mask and snorkel, long-blade fins, a weight belt, gloves and a float with a line. Before you take a gun we check that you know how to load it, and we go over the rules: load and unload only in the water, never point it at anyone, loaded or not, and always tow the float so boats can see you. Rinse the gear in fresh water when you bring it back.

The guided trip

We message you the plan the night before, once we have looked at the tide and the wind. In the morning we pick you up in General Luna and head out by banca. The guide gets in the water with you, shows you how the reef is laid out and where the fish hold, and the boatman follows your float. Most trips make a few drops at different spots, and you are back in town well before the afternoon heat.

Safety

• Dive with a buddy, one up and one down. Whoever is on the surface watches the diver until they are back and breathing.
• No hyperventilating before a dive. It is the fastest route to a shallow-water blackout.
• Tow a float. Bancas run between the islands all day, and a float is how they see you.
• Skip it if you are tired or hungover. Breath-hold diving punishes both.

Surf in the morning, spear in the afternoon

The two fit together well. When the swell drops or the wind turns onshore, the surf gets worse just as the water inside the reef gets calmer. If you are staying a week, tell us you want to spearfish and we will pick the flat day for it. Surf guiding and the board rental cover the days in between.