Hunting Technique: Aspetto

Article contributed by Fin + Forage’s Charlie Robinton

Other Hunting Techniques to Learn:
Agguato (Stalking), Aspetto (Ambushing), Hole Hunting, Interacting with Fish and Reef vs Blue Water

The spearo takes his final breath, and in one fluid motion ducks beneath the surface. Several swift, powerful kicks send him gliding towards the bottom. His gun is tucked against his side, and his kicks begin to slow to almost no movement as he slips into a freefall for the final portion of his descent. Every part of his body is streamlined, loose and motionless except for his eyes which scan the reef and the surrounding waters. He has already picked a hiding spot, a shadowed cut in the reef that he will tuck into and wait. He angles his fins slightly as he approaches the reef to soften his landing, and quietly settles into his chosen position. Hidden from view, he watches the open water at the edge of the reef, slowly moving his head side to side, up and down, looking for a glimpse of his prey. A ball of baitfish darts and dances nervously nearby—a sign that a predator may be close. His eye catches movement in the haze. First just a flicker of light, then a silhouette, maybe the outline of a sickle-shaped fin. A large amberjack slides into view, followed by two others. They meander at the edge of visibility first, then circle closer. They can see him now, and their curiosity is getting the best of them. The big one leads the group right towards him, and the hunter slowly extends his gun, anticipating their movement. The fish turns broadside just meters away and passes directly in front of the spear. The spear strikes just behind the gill plate where the head meets the spine. Ready for his breath, the victorious hunter rises off the bottom, his fish already dispatched with a perfect shot. 

This is aspetto: the Italian term for ambushing. It is one of the toughest techniques to master, but also one of the most fruitful. In essence, it is the technique of swimming silently to the bottom and positioning one’s self to be well hidden while waiting for the fish to come to you. It may seem like a long shot to dive to the bottom and just hope for a nice fish to swim up to your gun, and it is if you look at it that way! Understanding and perfecting aspetto takes patience, knowledge and experience. Here we will break down the fundamentals, so that you can practice them in your home waters and learn to hunt like a master.

The Concept

Much of the success attributed to aspetto hunting is based around the idea that fish are naturally curious creatures. When a foreign object or organism enters their environment in a non-threatening way, they cannot help but swim in for a closer look at the alien intruder. Notice I used the term non-threatening. This point is very important, and one of the biggest reasons why beginner spearos struggle at first to get close to any gamefish. As beginners, we are the definition of alien invaders. We are nervous and excited, our movements are aggressive and erratic. We swim around giving off a heavy predator vibe and trying to chase down any fish worth shooting. This is not the way to become a successful hunter. Take a clue from nature—you want to be the viper in the bush, the tiger slinking slowly in the tall grass—this is how you hunt in aspetto.

The Right Spot

It is worth noting that you will probably not shoot many fish if you dive to the bottom in an area that is devoid of life. If you do not choose your spots carefully, you may get some excellent freediving practice, but you will most certainly go home empty-handed. Choosing the right spot involves getting to know your local gamefish species and their habitat preferences, learning to read structure and currents, and identifying the baitfish species or forage preferred by your prey. When you put these three factors in line, you will begin to experience more success with aspetto.

The Approach

Aspetto can be practiced in any depth, from a meter or two down to thirty or forty meters. The first key is a silent approach. A good hunter makes no sound that is not intentional. This starts with a well-practiced duck dive. Practicing your duck dive until it is perfect will accomplish two things: it will allow you to enter the water silently and avoid potentially spooking fish, and it will help you drop effortlessly through the first several meters of your dive, conserving energy for deeper dives and long breath holds. Once your duck dive is complete, begin with wide, strong kicks to gain momentum for your descent. Tuck your gun and your free arm in towards your body to stay as streamlined as possible. This also helps lower your silhouette for a more stealthy approach. As you go deeper and get closer to the fishing zone you can relax your kicks and even settle into a free fall. If you have not already picked out a hiding place from the surface, look for a good spot as you descend. You want to try to land right on it, or as close as possible to avoid unnecessary swimming along the bottom. Ideally you will have rocks, reef, or plant matter to help camouflage you on the bottom. Choose a spot that will allow you to obscure your body behind or underneath the structure, and try to get close to the bottom rather than landing on the top of rocks or pinnacles. Be careful of crashing into the bottom with your spear tip or weight belt as you land which will cause significant noise. By moving slowly and drifting to the bottom in a calm, silent manner you present as little threat as possible to the fish you are trying to hunt. 

The Ambush

Once on the bottom, hide as much of yourself as you can and settle in for the ambush. Often, the approach alone will attract fish to your chosen ambush spot. Some species are very curious and will come over immediately, while others are wary and will test your breath hold to the limit. It is up to you to learn how to interact with the fish you are targeting and learn their habits. The most important aspect of the ambush is patience. You need to be well hidden, you need to be still and you need to be able to hold your breath. If waiting quietly isn’t doing the trick, there are several other techniques seasoned spearos use such as grunting, tossing up sand, scratching the bottom and strumming the bands on your speargun that may get the attention of more curious species. While all of these techniques have proven effective, it is best not to overuse them. A few grunts after you settle or a puff of sand in the air should be all you need. If you run out of air and do not see the fish you are looking for, or they do not come close enough, don’t worry. As long as you leave the area silently and angle away from the fish as you ascend you should be able to make more attempts in the same location.

The Shot

This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Many an overenthusiastic spearo has blown a great ambush by making a premature shot or taking a “hail mary” attempt while running out of air. Patience is a virtue when it comes to aspetto. As the fish come into range try to follow their movements and predict where they are heading next. Choose a target and slowly adjust your gun to intercept their approach. Many fish can sense they are being hunted, so try not look directly at the fish or extend your gun until just before you shoot. Let the fish swim in front of your spear tip before making your final adjustments and squeezing the trigger. Don’t shoot until you can see detail on the fish—the gill plates, the eyes, the scales—and aim for a stone shot. You’ve waited this long; make your shot count. Not only will a stone shot make landing your fish much easier and safer, it will also keep the fish from spooking the rest of the school, opening up the possibility of making further dives in the same spot.

Practice Makes Perfect

Aspetto can be practiced in any spearfishing location with almost any species of gamefish. It is a fun game to see how different fish respond to your presence, and trying to draw them in closer with different sounds or behaviors. Other aspects of aspetto, such as the duck dive, the approach and breath-holding can be practiced individually while diving and even on dry land. The more you work on the various aspects of aspetto and put them into practice, the better you will become at this incredibly effective spearfishing technique.