Fish gathering instruments

[Rick Murchison]

Once upon a time I was into getting very big fish, and had the equipment to do so.
These days I use a little JBL 38 Special 3-band or a flounder pole (30" stainless sharpened pole, barbless with stringer line on the other end), and only when we want to have fresh fish for dinner. I'm no longer interested in records or monsters. I have been known to decide on fresh fish for dinner while on a dive, in which case a knife will work for a platter sized - but no larger - flounder.
Rick

 

[devjr]

I have several guns and a polespear. Usually, when freediving for gamefish such as King Mackeral and amberjack, I use a modified 54" teak Biller(Sea Hornet).

Tank diving for flounder or tautogs, I use a modified US Divers Sea Hunter, this is an aluminum/plastic center grip gun with a short barrel.

I shoot Tuna with a modified Riffe "Island" or a mahogany gun which was custom built by Wally Potts.

I use a short, modified, mahogany Sea Hornet for Striped bass.

Diving in tropical areas I use a modified 54" teak Sea Hornet which Biller designates "Limited". This gun has a solid, one piece stock and, common to these older models, has no mechanical line release. The "free shaft" has been altered to allow stringing the shooting line on the shaft itself.

I can't go into the details of all the mods but includes reels, changes to the rubbers, shafts and stocks. The Riffe is equipped with a trailing line, the Potts gun has a break away rigging.

Differences in gun length have to do with range and visibility. For example, the areas there I hunt stripers has 10' or less vis. The mackeral shots are almost always long range. I haven't hunted tuna lately since the federal govt does not allow it in my area. When they set allocations for this zone, they didn't include spearos. I called them about 5 years ago and they said "nobody does it", then, "we don't want divers interfering with the trolling boats".