Floats for Rig Spearfishing?

[Nickel]

Right now I don't spear fish big enough to need a help, but I want to eventually. I freedive when spearfishing, so I definetely do not want to have to fight a fish and get jerked into a leg of the rig. That would be really bad!

So does anyone have any advice? Is the float the way to go or will it get tangled in the rig?

[donmoore]

I use a vinyl tubing float line and float about 90% of the time for several reasons.
1. The best (biggest and best variety) are usually off the rig a little ways.
2. It’s the safest for me and my equipment.
3. It’s sometimes a fun challenge when going into the rig to turn and swim the same way out.

The problem I have with a float is sometimes the only fish at a rig are in it. In that case, on the rigs I spear, the fish in the rig are usually not that big, so getting pulled into the rig is not much of a threat. In that situation a reel can be very good because I just want to make it to the surface if my spear and or shooting line get stuck. What I am trying to keep from happening is dropping my gun, having the shaft and line get unstuck as the gun drops and pulls from down in stead of up, and it having sink way past my diving ability into a cloudy muddy bottom. Even a small fish, if not stoned, can swim around leg or support and hang up your equipment.

I occasionally get out spearfished by someone not using a float. Sometimes the float and line can really be a pain.
don

[rigdvr]

I now use a reel almost exclusively. However, I recommend you start with a float. Floats a hassle when the current picks up and the fish are upcurrent on the rig.
Either way, make sure the rigging is up to par, thats the most important part. I use SS cable shooting line and quality reel line from Omer. Never lost a fish to gear failure.
If youre not sure about a reel, at least use a float in case that big ol lemonfish swims up to you

[rigdvr]

If your going to use a float, I highly recommend a foam blown float such as a Rob Allen since it WILL come in contact with the rig sooner or later.

[icarus pacific]

What you might want to do eventually, Nickel is to have both a reel and a floatline. That way you can be set for diving in the legs, my personal favorite and off the rig when she's not down.
Same for the oil and gas rigs.

At this stage of your experience and depending on the experience of the boat operator, you may want to have a short floatline/bouy anyways to help them see where you're at. Simply clip it to your belt and provide all those on top some sense of ease.

Mike is very right to spec cable and a real good line. I've been using the Spectra from Picasso with good luck around the rocks here that rival the stuff growing on the rig legs, but you might want to do a search online for it, because if I didn't get a deal on it, I couldn't afford it. And those RA floats are the best things going!

Hey, where you been Don?

[donmoore]

Sven,
Just busy with life. I tried Dyneema, which is spectra with a cover, for shooting line on one gun a few years ago. Now it’s all I use. I think it lasts longer than cable just because cable gets kinked.
Don

[rigdvr]

definately would last longer...thats why I use uncoated cable these days. Its CHEAP...I can get it for .08 a foot...replace every other trip or so, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Mike