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Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught
Grow Your Knowledge
“Join our exclusive Spearfishing Master Classes, podcast, and exclusive diving content powered by Bret Whitman’s SpearFactor—the ultimate resource for spearfishing enthusiasts! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned diver, these classes are designed to elevate your skills and deepen your understanding of the sport. Drawing directly from the knowledge shared on the SpearFactor podcast and Bret's 25 years of experience, you’ll benefit from expert advice on everything from breath-hold techniques and selecting the right gear to advanced hunting strategies for targeting various species.
Each episode features insights from top guests who have appeared on SpearFactor podcast offering you access to the same valuable tips and expertise that have shaped many successful divers. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your technique or take your spearfishing journey to the next level, these master classes—backed SpearFactor is your gateway to becoming a more skilled and knowledgeable diver”
Understanding Ciguatera Poisoning: Which Tropical Fish Are Safe to Eat
Understanding Ciguatera Poisoning
Bret Whitman
19 hours ago10 min read
How to Choose Your First Speargun: A No-BS Buying Guide
First speargun buying guide for California divers. Band vs pneumatic, wood vs aluminum, 90cm length, shafts, bands, budget picks. No BS, just what works.
Bret Whitman
1 day ago9 min read
The Complete Guide to Spearfishing Float Lines and Rigging
Complete guide to spearfishing float lines and rigging: bungee vs Dyneema, float types, terminal tackle, breakaway rigs, and setups for kelp, reef, and bluewater.
Bret Whitman
2 days ago17 min read
Spearfishing with a GoPro: Camera Settings, Mounts, and How to Get Great Footage
Complete GoPro guide for spearfishing: camera settings, mount options, color correction, battery tips, and the mistakes to avoid for great dive footage.
Bret Whitman
3 days ago13 min read
Spearfishing Point Loma and Sunset Cliffs: San Diego's Western Edge
Spearfishing Point Loma and Sunset Cliffs: thick kelp, rocky reefs, calico bass, white seabass, halibut, and San Diego's less-pressured coastline.
Bret Whitman
3 days ago9 min read
Spearfishing San Clemente Island: California's Military-Adjacent Bluewater Playground
San Clemente Island offers California divers world-class bluewater spearfishing with 60-80ft visibility, yellowtail, white sea bass, and pelagic species off the southernmost Channel Island.
Bret Whitman
5 days ago12 min read
Calico Bass (Kelp Bass): How to Hunt California's Most Common Reef Fish
Calico bass are the bread and butter of California reef diving. They are abundant, accessible, and great to eat. Here is how to find them, approach them, and why they are the perfect fish for building your skills.
Bret Whitman
6 days ago5 min read
Spearfishing the Gulf Coast: Red Snapper, Cobia, and Rig Diving
Spearfishing the Gulf Coast: red snapper, amberjack, cobia, and rig diving across Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Seasons, regulations, and tactics explained.
Bret Whitman
6 days ago10 min read
Spearfishing Chile's Juan Fernández Islands: Lobster, Native Species, and Robinson Crusoe's Reefs
Spearfishing Juan Fernández Islands: 100-pound yellowtail, endemic species, and Robinson Crusoe's untouched reefs 415 miles off Chile's coast.
Bret Whitman
6 days ago11 min read
Spearfishing Mexico's West Coast: Pargo, Roosterfish, and Baja's Best Reefs
Spearfishing Mexico's Pacific coast: pargo, roosterfish, wahoo and yellowtail across Baja, Sea of Cortez, and mainland reefs. Species, regs, and trip logistics.
Bret Whitman
6 days ago8 min read
The Complete Guide to California Sheephead: Hunting, Conservation, and Why They Matter
Everything divers need to know about California sheephead — biology, hunting techniques, regulations, and why these critical urchin predators are essential to protecting our kelp forests.
Bret Whitman
6 days ago6 min read
California Barracuda: The Overlooked Summer Gamefish Every Diver Should Target
California barracuda are summer's most overlooked target. How to hunt Sphyraena argentea in Southern California — seasons, tactics, regs, and table prep.
Bret Whitman
Apr 124 min read
Spearfishing Palos Verdes: LA County's Best Rocky Reefs and Kelp Beds
Explore Palos Verdes' rocky reefs, kelp forests, and top shore-dive spots for calico bass, sheephead, and white seabass. Dive site details, access tips, and seasonal species guide for LA County's best coastline.
Bret Whitman
Apr 125 min read
Spearfishing the Florida Keys: Hogfish, Grouper, and America's Reef Capital
Plan your Florida Keys spearfishing trip with this complete guide to hogfish, grouper, and snapper. Covers Key Largo to Key West, reef types, seasons, regulations, and charter options.
Bret Whitman
Apr 126 min read
How Kelp Forests Work — And Why Every Diver Should Understand Them
Kelp forests are the most important ecosystem California divers interact with. Understanding how they grow, what lives in each layer, and what their health tells you about conditions will make you a better diver.
Bret Whitman
Apr 118 min read
How to Read Ocean Conditions Before You Dive: A Diver's Guide to Swell, Wind, Tide, and Visibility
Learn to read swell, wind, tide, and buoy data like an experienced diver. This practical guide breaks down every ocean condition factor that determines whether your dive will have great visibility or be a washout.
Bret Whitman
Apr 117 min read
Spearfishing Monterey Bay: Cold Water, Big Lingcod, and World-Class Visibility
Monterey Bay offers cold, clear water, big lingcod, cabezon, and some of the best kelp forest diving on the West Coast.
Bret Whitman
Apr 115 min read
California's Marine Protected Areas: Where You Can and Can't Spearfish
California has over 120 marine protected areas along its coast. Here is how to tell which ones allow spearfishing and which are completely off-limits.
Bret Whitman
Apr 115 min read
Pole Spear Hunting in California: Going Back to Basics
Pole spears strip spearfishing down to its purest form. Here is how to choose, rig, and hunt with a pole spear in California.
Bret Whitman
Apr 106 min read
Spearfishing La Jolla: A Local's Guide to San Diego's Most Iconic Dive Spot
La Jolla is San Diego's most iconic dive spot and one of the best shore dives in California. A local guide to the kelp beds, species, entry points, and conditions.
Bret Whitman
Apr 97 min read
6,000 Reports Exposed the Secrets of California Dorado — What Divers Need to Know
We analyzed 6,000 dorado catch reports from California waters. Here is what the data reveals about when they show up, what triggers big seasons, and where divers find them.
Bret Whitman
Apr 85 min read
Sand Bass: California's Year-Round Bottom Dweller
Spotted and barred sand bass are the most reliably available targets in Southern California — present year-round on sandy bottoms, near-shore structure, and kelp edges. Here's how to find them and shoot them.
Bret Whitman
Apr 811 min read
Spearfishing Catalina Island: The Complete Guide
Catalina Island sits 22 miles offshore and holds some of the best diving in Southern California. Thick kelp, clear water, and consistent fish. Here's how to dive it.
Bret Whitman
Apr 811 min read
California Spearfishing Regulations 2026: The Complete Guide
Every 2026 California spearfishing regulation in one place: bag limits, size minimums, prohibited species, MPA rules, the groundfish exemption for divers, and lobster season details.
Bret Whitman
Apr 88 min read
How to Spear Yellowtail in California: Tactics, Timing, and Where to Find Them
Yellowtail are California's ultimate spearfishing target. Learn when they show up, where to find them from San Diego to the Channel Islands, proven hunting techniques including the blacksmith method, shot placement, gear recommendations, and how to prepare the catch.
Bret Whitman
Apr 812 min read
Spearfishing in Poor Visibility: Tips and Techniques for Murky Water
Tips, tricks, and techniques to spearfish in poor visibility. There are way to make spearfishing in murky water safer and more enjoyable.
Bret Whitman
Apr 86 min read
185,000 Bluefin Tuna and the Data That Changes How Divers Hunt Them
Between 2019 and 2025, CDFW logbooks recorded 185,319 bluefin tuna catches off Southern California. Here's what that data actually reveals about when, where, and how to hunt them.
Bret Whitman
Apr 75 min read
What 169,000 Yellowtail Catches Taught Us About Spearfishing Success
169,308 yellowtail catch records analyzed across Southern California. What the data actually says about timing, temperature, depth, and where to find them.
Bret Whitman
Apr 79 min read
Spearfishing Baja Mexico: A California Diver's Guide from Ensenada to Cabo
Baja California offers some of the best spearfishing in the world, and it is right across the border. From the rocky reefs of Ensenada to the bluewater of Cabo San Lucas, here is everything you need to plan your trip.
Bret Whitman
Apr 76 min read
California Halibut Have Tripled Since 2019 — Here's What the Data Shows
CDFW records show California halibut catches tripled between 2019 and 2023. Here's what's driving the comeback and what it means for divers on the hunt for flatfish.
Bret Whitman
Apr 65 min read
How to Spear Lingcod: A Diver's Guide to California's Meanest Reef Fish
Lingcod are aggressive, territorial, and built like a nightmare. Here is how to find them, approach them, place your shot, and bring home one of the best-eating fish on the West Coast.
Bret Whitman
Apr 48 min read
2026 Southern California Fishing Forecast: The Largest Marine Heatwave Ever Recorded Meets a Developing El Nino
The largest marine heatwave ever recorded in the northeast Pacific is still active. El Nino is forecast to develop by summer. Water temps are already running 3-4 degrees above average. Here's what the data says about what's coming for Southern California fishing and diving in 2026.
Bret Whitman
Apr 36 min read
Why 2022 Was the Craziest Dorado Season in Southern California History
Over 81,000 dorado caught. Schools so thick they made foamers in local waters for the first time ever. Half-day boats getting limits. And it all happened during a La Nina.
Bret Whitman
Apr 34 min read
What Thousands of Reports Reveal About White Sea Bass in California
We analyzed thousands of white sea bass reports across California to uncover the patterns that actually matter — water temperature, visibility, depth, moon phase, time of year, and the conditions that consistently produce fish.
Bret Whitman
Apr 211 min read
When to Dive California: A Month-by-Month Guide to Visibility, Temperature, and Fish
Month-by-month breakdown of California diving — water visibility, temperature swings, which species are active, and the best windows to get in the water from San Diego to Monterey.
Bret Whitman
Mar 266 min read
Bluefin Tuna in California: The 25x Boom the Data Proves
California bluefin tuna catches grew 25x in five years. Here's the data behind the boom, when it peaks, and what it means for bluewater divers.
Bret Whitman
Mar 265 min read
California Dive Conditions: Real-Time Visibility, Fish Forecasts, and 33 Spots from San Diego to Humboldt
we built the SpearFactor Dive Conditions Tool — one page, 33 dive spots across all of California, everything you need to know
Bret Whitman
Mar 254 min read
How to Spear California Halibut: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about spearfishing California halibut — from spotting them camouflaged in the sand to shot placement, regulations, best dive spots, and why they are one of the finest fish you will ever eat.
Bret Whitman
Mar 2213 min read
Spearfishing the Channel Islands: A Complete Island-by-Island Guide to California's Best Diving
Island-by-island breakdown of California's Channel Islands — dive spots, MPAs to avoid, target species, seasonal timing, logistics, and safety for Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, Catalina, and San Clemente.
Bret Whitman
Mar 1917 min read
A Beginner's Guide to Spearfishing Orange County, California: Species, Spots, Gear, and Techniques
The complete beginner's guide to spearfishing Orange County, California — covering target species, shore dive spots from Huntington Beach to Dana Point, MPAs, gear recommendations, and seasonal timing.
Bret Whitman
Mar 1720 min read
I Analyzed 827,624 Fish Catches Over 4 Years — Here's What I Found About Yellowtail, White Sea Bass, and Halibut in San Diego
827,624 fish catch records analyzed over 4 years. Here's what the data reveals about yellowtail, white sea bass, and halibut patterns off San Diego.
Bret Whitman
Mar 167 min read
White Sea Bass in California: A Diver's Complete Guide to Regulations, Locations, and Tactics
Cameron Craig of Tag Spearguns with another solid sea bass from 2025.
Bret Whitman
Mar 147 min read
How to Spear Wahoo: Bluewater Tactics for the Fastest Fish in the Ocean
Wahoo are the fastest fish in the ocean and one of the ultimate bluewater targets. Learn the gear setups, flasher rigs, shot placement, and timing that put more wahoo in the boat.
Bret Whitman
Mar 126 min read
Spearfishing Mu (Big Eye Emperor): Hawaii's Most Elusive Reef Prize
Mu (Big Eye Emperor) are the most prized reef fish in Hawaii — skittish, deep-holding, and rarely shot. This guide covers identification, habitat, hunting techniques, and the dive locations where they're found.
Bret Whitman
Mar 107 min read
The 2026 World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship: Everything You Need to Know
If you haven't heard, the 2026 World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship is happening this week at Lake Taupo, New Zealand — and it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting events in the freshwater spearfishing world.
Bret Whitman
Mar 95 min read
The Seven Species of Coral Trout: A Diver's Guide to Identification, Habitat, and Hunting
A diver's identification guide to all seven coral trout species — covering coloration, range, habitat depth, and hunting tactics for each Plectropomus species across the Indo-Pacific.
Bret Whitman
Mar 75 min read
How to Hunt Yellowtail: The West Coast Diver's Complete Species Guide
Master yellowtail hunting with this complete species guide. Covers seasonal behavior, gear setup, shot placement, chumming strategy, and where to find big yellows from California to Baja.
Bret Whitman
Mar 54 min read
Oregon Opens Rivers and Streams to Spearfishing for Bass and Walleye in 2026
Oregon has opened its rivers and streams to spearfishing for bass and walleye in 2026 — a significant regulation change with new rules on gear, seasons, and legal waters.
Bret Whitman
Mar 54 min read
Spearfishing Australia: A Region-by-Region Guide to Game Fish, Seasons, Hazards, and Charters
Australia offers some of the most diverse spearfishing on earth — from Queensland's coral reefs to WA's open bluewater. Here's a region-by-region breakdown of what to expect.
Bret Whitman
Mar 316 min read
Spearfishing Cobia: Spring Migration Tactics, Gear, and Sight Fishing Tips
How to spearfish cobia. Complete guide covering habitat, behavior, gear, shot placement, and tips for finding and landing these powerful migratory fish while freediving.
Bret Whitman
Mar 27 min read
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