Need info on buying a Speargun

[PatMyGreen]

Interesting setup! I have used mine pretty exclusively for freeshafting and don't carry a lineshaft with me during dives. But on the boat I do have my GR Gun in case we come across a weed patch or something. The big jacks mid column always make freeshafting interesting.... in alot of ways I'm glad the limit is only 1!

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

It works for what I need it for. I've never tried free shafting an AJ mid column. In fact, the only time I ever free shafted mid column was with a school of spanish jacks- that was also the last time I did that. The Jack was dead right in front of me, but it just had a big hole in it's head and no spear.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Soft fish

 

[Abaco24]

What would be the choice in the $200-$300 range? The Rhino RX5 is $475 plus, which is too much for me to start.

Any difference in Teak, Padauk( and Mahogany woods? quality, best long term, sound?

The AB Biller looks like a solid gun with nice wood, reasonable price for the 48 & 54". Just starting out (again).... used to shoot back in the day, can't remember the model, it was long, black, 3 bands and killed fish.

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

Soft fish

I know, right? That was the most expensive fish I've eaten to date...

 

[kalik]

Why a reel for deep water if you don't mind me asking? Freediving I get.

FYI I mean no disrespect to anyone or their shooting style. I know few things on this planet can make for an ugly flaming like speargun preference. I realize looking back on my posts I cam on alittle strong. I feel strongly about what I shoot and why, as I am sure you all do to and with good reasons all. One of my best friends even shoots a JBL:shocked2: (the scandal!) and we don't make him hide his gun below decks or anything when we go out. He does just fine too. Its much more the Indian and less arrow, as the old adage goes.[/QUOTE

I Love my old JBL but have upgraded recently to a Biller. I am always learning on every dive. It is very true about the Indian and the arrows though. I think it all comes down to 1) what you are attempting to shoot and the type of environment you are in
2)your skill level
3) the amount of investment you are willing to fork over to put fish in the
cooler
Thats my opinion I could be wrong. I do really enjoy hearing all the opinions though it makes things interesting!

 

[PatMyGreen]

Teak is hands down the superior wood for marine applications as its high silicate levels make it extremely resistant to rot. Every other wood has to be coated to protect it. Teak is generally just oiled to maintain it. I recoat mine 4 times a year with teak oil and a cloth and she looks good as new (okay, maybe not new but I like the "character marks" she has earned). Once you get a cut in the epoxy, rhino lining, or whatever finish you are opening the door to wood rot in your expensive speargun. Padauk is a denser wood and is negatively buoyant I believe, Mahogany is a great all round tough piece of wood.

No matter what, remember that as soon as you pull the trigger to "shoulder" the gun by running your arm through the shooting bands. At the very least don't ever let go of the gun trusting the line to keep it around. Otherwise you may well end up buying a new gun again, learned that one the hard way early on and have seen several guys surface sans gun on my charters doing the same. Sometimes we find it floating on the surface, sometimes we don't.

As to Kalik's post on skill level, I have mixed feelings. I frankly don't believe in the idea of a "beginner gun". I do believe in buying what is right for your budget. Ultimately it is cheaper to buy only 1 gun than to buy a gun and out grow it and buy again though. Of course I don't do well with delayed gratification.... so if it means saving up for another couple of months and missing out on some trips you could be shooting on in the mean time.... I go cheap and get shooting immediately. Skill level is a dynamic concept, the more experience you have the better you get. If you go spearing with very experienced guys and learn from them you will progress through the learning curve much faster than re-inventing the wheel on your own (what I did). Likewise if you take a year off your skill will be less than before.

To me true skill in shooting is not how well you aim (thats simply step 1) but its what you do and how you move from there. Fish see every motion you make and are generally quite confident to swim in close proximity even to sharks and other predators. They know the sharks have to get close enough to "touch" them. This is why sharks hunt at night and dusk when they have a sensory advantage that lets them get closer to fish. Erratic behavior (jerky, not smooth motions) are a warning behavior and if you exhibit any of that you will not be as successful as you could be as it tells everything down there that something obviously threatening is out and about. Sharks are calm and graceful until that last burst of power where they close the gap and get "bitey." This is why gag and black grouper are considered by many to be the mark of a good shooter. EVEN EXPERIENCED HUNTERS simply cannot get into range on most grouper over 25#s and frankly don't even see them before they have moved off into the sand. They are smart as all hell and you really have to have good stalking technique to close in on them if they see you, and thet pretty much always see you. The big males over 40# are insanely wary.

Every motion you make is broadcasting your intent to the reef visually and via vibration fish pick up on their lateral line. On scuba you make too much noise (vibration) to sneak up on fish in the open. So you have to lull them into comfort with you. True masters can use their motions to "steer" fish into giving them the perfect shot angle.

 

[Hetland]

+1 for Captain Pat again. It is fascinating how accurately a fish can gauge your intent. I'v had grouper within inches of my camera, and even had two triggerfish bump my camera. Just last month Barry and I both had to literally brush snapper out of our way with the sides of our guns to get shots at other fish. This all changes once they become targets. Somehow they know the exact range of your gun, and the exact amount of time they need to get to that hidey-hole, and the exact speed they need to swim to outdistance you. As I said, fascinating.

Don't stare at a fish when moving towards it. Don't make sudden or jerky movements. Keep your gun up and ready to shoot before you're ready to pull the trigger. Spearfishing is exciting. Take a breath, calm yourself and try to be cool. You'll have time to burn through your gas once you hit something If at all possible, stay still, and let the fish come to you. Do this by finding the fish, and watching their routes of travel. Find photos of fish skeletons and nervous systems, or pay attention while cleaning them and learn their anatomy. You want to stay away from gutshots, and hitting them too far back in the body. Aim for the "ear" area behind the eye, but before you get to the end of the gillplate. If you hit a fish without killing it instantly, it will usually pull away from you and head for cover. Don't "pull" too hard on the spear, or the fish will break off (especially snappers). With bigger fish, you can even bend your shaft, so be patient. If there is any doubt of a solid hit, I ram my spear as far through the fish as possible to make sure it's through-and through THEN I start thinking about getting him on my stringer. Learn to sharpen your spear points, and keep them sharp. It does make a difference.

Be careful stringing your fish. I had a large snapper ALMOST knock off both my mask and regulator last year. He played possum until I started stringing him, and then he went ape-$41^. I've heard stories of guys getting entangled and killed by big AJ's too. I carry an ice-pick and put it into the brain of everything with more than a twitch or two. (can't figure out how to do it with aj's though, they are hard-headed in more ways than one). I think this helps with sharks too, as they sense the vibrations of wiggling fish, and seem interested. I string all of my fish from the gills and out the mouth. This way they all lay in the same direction, and can't bite you (I have a scar on my thumb from a triggerfish that's about two years old. He bit me through my gloves). I like this type of stringer:

because it only takes one hand to use it. I can't tell you how important that is when your juggling a gun. Some folks use tethers for their stringers, and some don't. I think it's best not to use them because sharks are more likely to try for something that's 3 feet away than they are for something that is attached to you. Ask Barry what he thinks about tethers too

 

[mrmccoy]

I have learned a ton off of this post! I want to get into spearing but I want some more bottom time before I throw a speargun into the mix. I haven't herd of freeshafting until this post.

Another of my concerns has been IDing the fish. I can tell the difference between a snapper and a grouper but once you pull the trigger it isn't like fishing with a rod n reel. I guess it's no different than deer hunting......I won't pull the trigger unless I have a clean shot and know for a fact it is a legal deer.

 

[Hetland]

I have learned a ton off of this post! I want to get into spearing but I want some more bottom time before I throw a speargun into the mix. I haven't herd of freeshafting until this post.

Another of my concerns has been IDing the fish. I can tell the difference between a snapper and a grouper but once you pull the trigger it isn't like fishing with a rod n reel. I guess it's no different than deer hunting......I won't pull the trigger unless I have a clean shot and know for a fact it is a legeal deer.

You're ahead of the game. Get some experience diving in the conditions in which you intend to hunt. I was lucky enough to be with a real expert on my first spearfishing trip, and he did a great job keeping me safe (it's too easy to lose track of your air, consumption rate, location, et al when you are busy looking for or tangling with critters). His corrections underwater were worth more than a thousand posts like this one. Develop good discipline managing your gas and keeping track of your orientation, and it will carry over into safer spearfishing trips.

No one likes having to throw a dead fish back in the water because it's too small. Remember that everything underwater appears larger, so if you think a fish is undersized, then it most certainly is.