Spearfishing?

[Milkjug]

Anyone on this site like underwater hunting? Due to Ike I only got to go once this year and I'm regretting it.

Mabey next season we can get some people together? I'm boatless but will go in for gas and bring food/beverages/equiptment.

http://i31.tinypic.com/bevqsj.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/w9ci7t.jpg

[WestEndAngler]

Dang thats one giant Reef Donkey! Never done it but am proficient underwater love diving etc... Bailey & I were talking about using Hawaiian rigs what type of setup do you have??

[WestEndAngler]

How far do you normally travel out?? I can get you 60NM out of Galveston

[majek_maniac]

Count me In! (please) Never done it but always wanted to. No boat or equipment, but will help out w/ expenses and purchase necessarry equip. Do you free dive or gear up? I am an experienced diver and done a little bit of free diving a few years ago.

[Milkjug]

I've got a few spearguns. Two shorter JBL guns, Two Rabitech's, and a Riffe metaltech (bad to the bone, put the shaft right into that AJ's spine). The rabitechs are great guns but I use them for freediving now because the shafts bend too easily if the fish wraps it around a rig leg. I'll take some pictures of my arsenal some time.

I hunt rigs mostly, but I would be down for weedlines and I think I would even dive a chumslick if there were fish around. :eek:

When I go out far with my dive buddies everyone is on SCUBA so I do the same thing. I think they would whack all the fish above 50' pretty quick and not leave much in freedive territory. Freediving is alot of fun though, you are very quiet and streamlined. I like to float around and shoot cuda during my surface interval.

That was a nice AJ, but the "bass fisherman pose" makes it look a little bigger. Here is a more realistic shot.

http://i28.tinypic.com/29nxieu.jpg

Notice the cut-off leader hanging out of his mouth. He had a small circle hook and some mono from where he broke off someone's snapper rig.

Also wouldn't mind getting some more of these guys :)

http://i27.tinypic.com/n4xhu9.jpg

[Milkjug]

Oh yeah, 60NM should be plenty to get into good fish around here.

I normally go out of Port Aransas, and it's about 30 miles there until deep blue water.

It would be a lot of fun to try it down here, lets give it a shot sometime!

[WestEndAngler]

I'm down for it whenever... You find a weekend that's nice and calm and we'll go... I'm a certified Master Diver (PADI) don't have the lungs right now for freediving... Give me 90 days and I'll be back in shape :D

[majek_maniac]

Well Milkjug, how heavy was that AJ???

[WestEndAngler]

Yah... I've been waiting for that then I'll close the poll :D

[Milkjug]

Haha, he felt like ~50lb or so. Still heavy to hold up :D

[Tiny]

Let's Roll!!

[WestEndAngler]

I'm ready to go this weekend... I don't care if its 40 degrees out I'll jump in a spear something!

[Milkjug]

Man I'm so down to go and try. What is out in the blue water this time of year? Too bad my gear is in Austin right now. I'll have the freedive shooting kit down this weekend hopefully. Do ya'll think it would be worth it to bring down the SCUBA stuff too?

[John Galt]

I'll be happy to join you guys if you have room. I've got an extra reg (no computer on the spare though....but Hydrosports Scuba rents gear) and two guns, a Sea Hornet and a Riffe. Will kick in for gas and clean the boat.

[WestEndAngler]

Tell me what I need to buy :D

[Milkjug]

MT4 = kick *** scuba gun

http://www.speargun.com/images/metseries.jpg

Rabitech = kick *** freedive gun

http://www.sumora.com/modules/htdocs/admin_images/10759771672036794435.jpg

That should cover you gun-wise.

Pick up a good wetsuit, fins, mask/snorkel, weightbelt, float w/ float line, and knife and you're good to go for freediving and most of the way to having the SCUBA kit.

BCD, regulator set, computer (not necessary, but good idea), and you are ready for most all spearfishing.

[majek_maniac]

What is a good price for the guns? I have most everything else for freedive, Ive always rented my SCUBA gear.

[majek_maniac]

Also, what size would be best to buy for things I would shoot of the texas coast?

[majek_maniac]

Did a search and I think that is a little more than what I want to spend for now. What is a decent quality, economical speargun? I saw some for under $100, are they any good? Thanks.


M.M.

[WestEndAngler]

I'm with you MM... I went through there and got excited everything was less than $100 and then I saw some Metal Tech MT series and was like good God $500 for some of those and up... What's the difference in them? Besides 4-500 dollars :D

[Milkjug]

Yeah, They aren't cheap.

Alot of people start out with a smaller gun because they don't know if they're really into the sport or not. This ends up being a big mistake because smaller guns have no where near the range (even with a larger gun, like my MT4, I won't take shots over 10' or so) and penetration that a longer gun has. All the force comes from the stretch of the rubber, and smaller guns just don't cut it. Very frustrating to take a near point blank shot on an AJ's head and have it bounce off (ask me how I know...:().

Small guns do have their place in areas like Nor. California where shots are typically very close and fish are small.

That being said, there are a few more affordable choices. Most hardcore spearos will turn their noses up at JBL's, but those guns have proven themselves over and over again. JBL's Gulf Magnum was designed for rig hunting and is a great choice. I think it comes with a slip-tip (keep your shafts from getting bent) which is a good thing.

http://www.leisurepro.com/Image/Product/Large/JBL4D46GXHD.jpg

It's still a bit higher than what ya'll wanted to pay... about $250 I think. You could probably find one for ~$200 if you looked around.

Don't worry about getting one that bad. I have two JBL sawed-off magnums that I can lend you any time or sell for cheap.

http://www.divers-supply.com/v/vspfiles/photos/JBL20003-2.jpg

They are good, but you will practically have to have the spear tip on the fish to penetrate it. AJ's and cuda aren't too big a problem, but snapper are pretty wary fish.

[WestEndAngler]

250 is more like it... $500 big number to swallow :D

[Milkjug]

No kidding Coe, I could buy a new rifle or auto-loading shottie for that much... Don't think they would do very well 150' under the GOM though :D

[majek_maniac]

I have plenty of other uses for $500 for my first gun. Once I do it and know I will do it often, maybe then, but for now, I dont even have my own SCUBA or a boat that can take me.


Why are all my hobbies so expensive?? :smash:

M.M.

[WestEndAngler]

MM- Let me know when you want to go I can get us 60NM off shore just need help on gas :D