The SpearFactor Spearfishing Master Class is a comprehensive online spearfishing course built from 25 years of real-world diving experience. Taught by Bret Whitman — Professional Captain, spearfishing guide, and host of the SpearFactor Spearfishing Podcast — this course is designed to make you a safer, more effective, and more confident diver and hunter regardless of your experience level.

Whether you're a complete beginner looking for structured guidance before your first dive, an intermediate diver who has hit a plateau and wants to sharpen your skills, or a landlocked spearo who wants to make the most of limited water time, this course delivers the foundational knowledge that would otherwise take years to develop through trial and error.

Every module is built around practical, field-tested techniques — not theory pulled from a textbook. You'll learn the same strategies and systems that expert divers use every day in the water, from reading ocean conditions and finding fish on sonar to rigging your speargun correctly for different species and environments.

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?

Are you struggling to predict ocean conditions and find fish? Have you ever questioned your Emergency Procedures and safety while in the water?Are you struggling to read topographical charts and depth sounders to find bait, fish, structure, and temperature?Have you ever lost a fish, bent your spear, or had an equipment failure when you questioned your spearfishing setup?Are you missing a lot of fish?Are you struggling to have success in bluewater, kelp, reefs, poor visibility, or light bluewater?Have you struggled driving a boat to pick up divers in tough ocean conditions?

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IF YOU WANT TO BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR EQUIPMENT FOR MULTIPLE FISH SPECIES, BE COMFORTABLE AND EFFECTIVE DIVING IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS, SPEAR MORE FISH, AND BE SAFE ON THE WATER, THIS COURSE IS MEANT FOR YOU!
 

• Safety in the water is the most important aspect of spearfishing. No fish is worth your life! Learn the 7 rules to safer diving, how to recognize and treat shallow water blackout, emergency procedures, entry and exit points while shore diving, and emergency gear needed.

• Predicting and dealing with ocean conditions is an important aspect in becoming a waterman. Learn the important factors in the ocean forecast to know where to fish, how to find fish, and how to stay safe.

• You need to find fish to shoot fish. Learn how to read your depth sounder to find important structure, drop offs, ridges, bait balls, ocean temperature, and the fish themselves.

• Which speargun do you use for different diving conditions, environments, and fish species? Bret walks you through each speargun that he uses for each diving condition and environment, how to rig them for different fish species, and how to maintain your gear.

• Do you know the strategies and tactics used for fishing reefs, kelp, light bluewater, bluewater, and low visibility? Bret teaches you how to utilize ocean currents and fishing tactics to be successful in each environment.

• The most dangerous thing in the water are boats. Do you know how to safely drop off a diver from your boat in dangerous conditions? Bret walks you through safe boat driving procedures while divers are in the water and how to avoid an accident with your boat and other boats.     

​What’s Included In The Spearfishing Course?

• 13 In-Depth Modules: Learn lessons on: Ethical Practices, Dealing with Dangerous Marine Life, Safe Diving Basics and Techniques, Ocean Conditions, Finding Fishing Spots, Spearfishing Equipment, Spearfishing Setups and Gear, How to Rig Your Speargun, Aiming Your Speargun, Types of Diving Environments, Shore Diving, and Diving for Boats

• 2 Free Downloads: Free downloads of Emergency Procedures and 16 pages of notes. Print them out to take personalized notes as you go through the course!

• Brands I Trust, Plus Discounts: Don't have all the gear that you need? I lay out the brands that I trust and the gear that I use, including some discount codes for :Hot Rod Spearguns, Provitatec Recovery Vest, Ted Hardy's Freediving Course, and the Tom Rowland Fishing Knots Course.

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​Frequently Asked Questions About the SpearFactor Spearfishing Course

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Q: Can I really learn to spearfish from an online course?

An online course won't replace time in the water, but it gives you the knowledge foundation that would otherwise take years of diving to build. Think of it like ground school for pilots — you study safety, gear, techniques, and strategy so that when you get in the water, you're hunting instead of fumbling. Students consistently report that having this knowledge before their first dive trip made them dramatically more confident and productive.

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Q: I've been spearfishing for a couple of years. Is this course still worth it for me?

Some of the biggest gains come from intermediate divers who are comfortable in the water but have gaps in their knowledge. If you've been self-taught through YouTube videos and trial and error, there are almost certainly habits, rigging methods, or safety practices you've never been exposed to. The modules on ocean conditions forecasting, sonar reading, and environment-specific hunting tactics are where experienced divers typically find the most value.

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Q: What equipment do I need to take this course?

You don't need any gear to take the course — it's 100% online video instruction. The course includes a complete gear module where Bret walks through his recommended equipment for different species and diving conditions, including discount codes for trusted brands. Many students use the gear module to build or upgrade their setup before their next dive trip.

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Q: How long do I have access to the course?

The Spearfishing Master Class comes with 6 months of access, and the Boat Captain Safety Course comes with 3 months. This gives you plenty of time to work through all 13 modules at your own pace and revisit sections as needed before and after dive trips.

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Q: What's the difference between the Boat Captain Safety Course and the Master Class?

The Boat Captain Safety Course focuses specifically on safe boat handling around divers — how to drop off and pick up divers in varying conditions, emergency gear usage, and lifesaving procedures. The Master Class covers the full spectrum of spearfishing knowledge across 13 modules including safety, ocean reading, fish finding, gear rigging, aiming, and environment-specific hunting techniques. The bundle gives you both at a combined price.

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Q: I live far from the ocean. Is this course useful for landlocked divers?

Absolutely. Landlocked divers who only get a few dive trips per year benefit the most from studying between trips. Instead of wasting precious water time relearning the basics, you show up ready to perform. The course also covers strategies that apply to freshwater spearfishing environments including low-visibility tactics and structure reading that translate directly to lake and river diving.

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What Divers Are Saying:

"Awesome show, super informative for beginners to experts. Very inspiring guests and interviews, makes me wanna grab my gun and get on some fish!"

"Bret does a fantastic job hosting the show. The guests almost always bring new insight to my spearfishing tactics. This is my go-to suggestion for anyone looking to scratch the spearo itch."

"Just spent 18 hours on a plane listening to his recent podcasts and I'm impressed. Entertaining and educational. Only complaint is I planned on getting some sleep on my flight but Bret kept me too engaged!"