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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”
Reading the Lateral Line: Why Stealth Underwater Matters More Than You Think
Fish detect divers through vibration before they see them. Understanding the lateral line changes how you move in the water.
Bret Whitman
2 minutes ago3 min read
The Aspetto Hunt: Sit-and-Wait Hunting in California Kelp
Aspetto is the most productive technique most California divers underuse. Here is how to do it well.
Bret Whitman
40 minutes ago5 min read
Hunting the Vertical Inversion: How to Dive the Surface-to-Depth Visibility Gradient
When surface conditions are trashed but deeper water stays clean, the diver who knows how to read the inversion gets the dive. Tactics for hunting in vertical-gradient water — and how to recognize the pattern before you even splash.
Bret Whitman
1 hour ago4 min read
Upwelling Events: How California Divers Adapt to Sudden Cold Water
Upwelling events drop California water temperatures by 10-15 degrees in a single day. Why they happen, how to recognize them, and the tactical adjustments that produce fish during sudden cold water rather than waiting for conditions to recover.
Bret Whitman
1 day ago4 min read
WSB Squid Bed Tactics: How to Hunt the June 14 New Moon Spawn Window
The June 14 new moon is one of the strongest WSB windows of the season. How to find squid beds, when to dive them, and the tactical approach that puts trophy white sea bass on the stringer.
Bret Whitman
2 days ago4 min read
I Built a Trip Optimizer to Skunk-Proof Your Next Trip
I built a trip optimization tool to skunk-proof your next fishing trip.
Bret Whitman
4 days ago6 min read
Spearfishing Knots: The 5 Essential Knots Every Diver Should Know
Knot work is one of the most underrated skills in spearfishing. The five knots that handle 95 percent of rigging, line repair, and emergency situations - and why every diver should learn them before depending on them.
Bret Whitman
4 days ago4 min read
California Bluefin Tuna 2026 Season: What This El Niño Year Is Producing on the Offshore Banks
California's 2026 bluefin season is starting early and showing inshore - the marine heatwave plus El Niño is pulling fish closer to the coast than typical years. Here is what divers are seeing, where the fish are stacking, and how to plan trips through summer.
Bret Whitman
4 days ago3 min read
Summer 2026 California Spearfishing Travel Planning Guide: Picking the Right Trip for July, August, and September
California summer 2026 has more dive trip options than any other time of year. Bluefin trips offshore, yellowtail at the islands, Baja runs, Hawaii crossovers, and inland-coastal getaways. A planning framework for the trip worth taking, based on the conditions and species patterns shaping this El Niño season.
Bret Whitman
5 days ago4 min read
Duck Dive Technique: How to Descend Quietly and Efficiently
Master the silent, efficient duck dive that keeps fish calm and saves your oxygen. Step-by-step mechanics, common mistakes, variations, and depth progression for California spearfishing.
Bret Whitman
Jun 212 min read
California Dive Visibility Recap: May 2026 in Review
A month-in-review of California dive visibility for May 2026 - what the SpearFactor tool predicted, what the diver report network confirmed, where the predictions hit and missed, and the calibration lessons going into June.
Bret Whitman
Jun 16 min read
Southern California Spearfishing Forecast: June 2026
Southern California's forecast for June 2026 - what's coming after a late-May NW swell pulse, where temperatures are heading, the moon phase windows to weight your dive days against, and which species patterns to plan around in this warm-water El Niño year.
Bret Whitman
Jun 15 min read
Recovery Breaths and the 30-Second Rule: What to Do After Surfacing from a Freedive
Most freediving blackouts happen in the first 15-30 seconds after surfacing. How to do recovery breaths properly, why your buddy needs to watch you, and the protocol that prevents most surface blackouts.
Bret Whitman
May 304 min read
Spearfishing Iceland and the Faroe Islands: Cold-Water Diving at the Edge of the Atlantic
Iceland and the Faroe Islands offer some of the most extreme cold-water diving on Earth - 35-50°F water, dramatic landscapes, and big cod, halibut, and pollock for divers willing to accept the conditions. A practical guide to the North Atlantic's most committed diving destinations.
Bret Whitman
May 304 min read
Late-Spring Yellowtail in California: Schools Pushing North and Where to Find Them
California yellowtail are stacked at La Jolla and the Coronado Islands and pushing north toward Catalina and the Channel Islands. A current snapshot of where the schools are, how they are behaving, and where the next 2-4 weeks of season are heading.
Bret Whitman
May 283 min read
El Niño 2026 Update: What California Divers Are Seeing and What's Coming Through Summer
El Niño-driven warm water has reshaped California's spring 2026 season. Where conditions stand now, what's arriving early, and what divers should plan around through summer.
Bret Whitman
May 275 min read
Reading Swell Forecast Models for Divers: WW3, NWW3, and Coastal Forecast Tools
Understanding swell forecast models is the difference between calling trips correctly and showing up to blown-out conditions. The major models divers should know, how to read them, and how to combine multiple sources for the most reliable picture.
Bret Whitman
May 254 min read
Are California Marine Protected Areas Working? The Data, the Debate, and What Expansion Means for Divers
California MPAs cover 16 percent of state waters and have been in place since 2012. The 2022 ten-year review showed mixed results, with limited spillover evidence. What expansion proposals like the Point Loma kelp closure would mean for divers, La Jolla, and the future of California spearfishing access.
Bret Whitman
May 2313 min read
Why California Kelp Is Disappearing: Urchins, Pollution, and the Truth About Diver Impact
Sea urchin barrens and Tijuana River sewage are devastating California kelp forests - not recreational spearfishing or diving. The science behind the decline, and the real solutions: sheephead recovery, urchin culling, and binational cleanup of the Tijuana River pollution flowing north into Imperial Beach and Point Loma.
Bret Whitman
May 2110 min read
Spearfishing Kelp Paddies: Bluewater Tactics for Yellowtail, Bluefin Tuna, and Dorado
Drifting kelp paddies offshore are floating fish magnets - yellowtail and dorado work the up-current side, bluefin tuna sit in the down-current shadow. How to spot a productive paddy, follow the current line to find more, and approach without spooking the fish.
Bret Whitman
May 205 min read
Sushi-Grade Fish from a Spearfishing Trip: The Boat-Side Processing Protocol
Restaurant-quality sashimi from a spearfishing trip starts on the back of the boat, not in your kitchen. The on-water processing protocol that lets you drive home stress-free with sushi-grade fish ready to fillet and serve.
Bret Whitman
May 196 min read
California Dive Report: Week of May 16-22, 2026 (Weekend Blown Out, Mid-Week Recovery)
Weekend new moon WSB window got blown out by a late-spring weather system. Strong NW swell, heavy onshore wind, and a thick marine layer shut down most planned dives Saturday and Sunday. Here's the recovery forecast and where to dive Tuesday through Friday.
Bret Whitman
May 186 min read
Leopard Grouper (Cabrilla) Spearfishing: The Sea of Cortez's Year-Round Target
Leopard grouper - cabrilla - are one of the most consistently catchable spearfishing targets in the Sea of Cortez. How to identify them, where they hold, and how to take them efficiently.
Bret Whitman
May 183 min read
Moon Phases and Spearfishing: How to Time Your Hunts Around the Lunar Cycle
Moon phases drive tides, fish behavior, and feeding patterns. How divers can use the new moon, full moon, and quarter moons to plan productive spearfishing days.
Bret Whitman
May 177 min read
Spearfishing Thermoclines: How to Find Fish at the Temperature Break
The thermocline is where warm surface water meets cold deeper water - and where many predator species stage to feed. How to find it, what fish hold there, and how to hunt them.
Bret Whitman
May 164 min read
Spearfishing San Diego: A Region-by-Region Breakdown from the Border to Oceanside
Spearfishing San Diego: a region-by-region breakdown from the Mexican border north to Oceanside. Where to dive, what to expect, and how to pick the right spot.
Bret Whitman
May 1311 min read
Red Tide and Spearfishing California: When to Dive, When to Skip, and How it Impacts Fish
Red tide kills viz, can make you sick, and changes where fish hold. How to spot it, when it's safe to dive, and what to do if you encounter a bloom mid-trip.
Bret Whitman
May 135 min read
Spearfishing the Carolinas: Grouper, Cobia, and the Gulf Stream Edge
A complete guide to spearfishing the Carolinas. Everything you wanted to know including fish species, spots, and conditions.
Bret Whitman
May 1210 min read
Negative Pressure Dives: How Freedivers Build Depth Tolerance Safely
Negative pressure dives let you train deep-water adaptation in a swimming pool. How they work, when to use them, and how to add them to your training without the depth risk.
Bret Whitman
May 125 min read
Hyperventilation in Freediving: Why It's Banned and What to Do Instead
Hyperventilating before a freedive feels like it helps. It actually masks the urge to breathe and dramatically increases blackout risk. Here's the science and the safer alternative.
Bret Whitman
May 115 min read
Flying With Spearguns: TSA Rules, Airline Policies, and How to Pack Your Gear
Spearguns can be flown - but only as checked baggage, only in specific packaging, and only if you know the airline rules. The complete guide for traveling divers.
Bret Whitman
May 105 min read
Giant Black Sea Bass: The Story of California's 500-Pound Reef Giant
Giant black sea bass were nearly wiped out of California waters by 1980. Forty years later they are coming back. The full story of California's largest reef fish.
Bret Whitman
May 107 min read
The Mammalian Dive Reflex: How Human Physiology Adapts to Freediving
The mammalian dive reflex is the autonomic adaptation that lets humans dive deep on a single breath. How it works, how to train it, and why it matters for spearfishing safety and performance.
Bret Whitman
May 95 min read
Iki-Jime vs. Standard Bleeding: Which Method Produces Better Fish?
Why Iki-jime is so much better for your fish than just standard bleeding?
Bret Whitman
May 85 min read
Trachea Squeeze in Freediving: Causes, Symptoms, and How It Differs from Lung Squeeze
Trachea squeeze is the freediving injury most often mistaken for lung squeeze. Different bleeding pattern, different cause, different recovery. Here's how to spot it and prevent it.
Bret Whitman
May 65 min read
Lung Squeeze in Freediving: Causes, Symptoms, Recovery, and How to Prevent It
Lung squeeze is the most-feared injury in deep freediving. Learn the warning signs, what causes it, how to recover, and how to train so it never happens to you.
Bret Whitman
May 64 min read
Building Your Spearfishing Gear Over Time: A 12-Month Gear Roadmap
Building your Spearfishing gear over time. A 12-month gear roadmap
Bret Whitman
May 54 min read
Spearfishing the Mariana Islands: Guam, Saipan, and the Western Pacific
A complete guide to spearfishing Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Rota — the CHamoru tokcha tradition, target species, regulations, conditions, and how to plan a Western Pacific trip on US soil.
Bret Whitman
May 310 min read
CPR and Rescue for Freediver Blackouts: What Every Buddy Needs to Know
Divers' spear gun floating by itself after diver blocks out.
Bret Whitman
May 33 min read
Spearfishing Etiquette: Not Burning Spots and Respecting the Community
Don't be that guy. Don't post pictures that expose spots.
Bret Whitman
May 25 min read
Southern California Spearfishing Forecast: May 2026
Southern California's forecast for May 2026.
Bret Whitman
May 16 min read
How Deep Can You Spearfish? Freediving Depth, Safe Limits, and How to Build Up Your Numbers
A practical guide to spearfishing depth: typical hunting ranges by experience level, what actually limits your depth, equalization techniques, safety protocols, and how to build up safely without blowing an ear or lung.
Bret Whitman
Apr 306 min read
Spearfishing Mozambique: Bazaruto, Tofo, and the Indian Ocean
Mozambique is one of Africa's premier spearfishing destinations, often overshadowed by South Africa but offering warmer water, calmer surf, and dramatic pelagic potential close to shore. A complete guide to Tofo, Bazaruto, Inhambane, and beyond.
Bret Whitman
Apr 3011 min read
How to Replace and Tune Your Speargun Bands: Latex Quality, Life Expectancy, and Power Tuning
Speargun bands are the engine of your gun. Every bit of power you put into a shaft comes from how well your bands store and release energy. And yet, bands are also the most commonly neglected component on any setup. Divers will spend $800 on a gun, $200 on a slip tip and shaft, and then run the same pair of tired bands for three seasons until they snap on a shot at a personal-best fish. This guide covers how to know when to replace bands, what to buy, how to install them corr
Bret Whitman
Apr 297 min read
Roller Spearguns Explained: Why Divers Are Switching and Who Should Buy One
Understanding the different types and of roller spearguns
Bret Whitman
Apr 296 min read
How to Stalk Fish: The Approach, the Stop, and the Shot
Most divers blow shots by moving too fast. The craft of hunting fish is built on slow approach, patient waiting, and a smooth trigger. Here is how to stalk calico, sheephead, white sea bass, halibut, and yellowtail in California waters.
Bret Whitman
Apr 2812 min read
CO2 and O2 Training Tables for Freedivers: How to Build Breath-Hold Safely
A complete guide to CO2 and O2 tables for freedivers and spearfishing divers — what they train, sample protocols, safety rules, frequency, and how table work translates to longer bottom time on hunting dives.
Bret Whitman
Apr 278 min read
How to Kick Efficiently: Fin Technique for Freediving and Spearfishing
Master the hip-driven freediving kick. Learn proper biomechanics, common mistakes, ankle flexibility, and depth-specific technique to conserve oxygen, hunt silently, and dive deeper with less effort.
Bret Whitman
Apr 2611 min read
Spearfishing Snorkels: Why Freediving Snorkels Are Different
Why freediving snorkels ditch purge valves, splash guards, and dry tops in favor of a simple, flexible J-tube. A California diver's guide to picking the right snorkel, using it correctly, and knowing when to skip it.
Bret Whitman
Apr 2611 min read
How to Clean and Fillet Fish After Spearfishing: A Step-by-Step Guide
A complete guide to spearfishing fish cleaning: field care, bleeding and icing, choosing a fillet knife, step-by-step fillet technique, species-specific tips, parasites, storage, and quick-cook ideas.
Bret Whitman
Apr 249 min read
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