Help: Spear line - how strong?

[Mr. X]

Congratulation on the 2nd place Azapa - yes I can imagine you'll be looking at all options to get an edge & get the #1 slot next time.

Strimmer line (at least the stuff I have) is less consistent than fishing mono -- I measured it with a digital vernier caliper from 2.2 to 2.7 mm or there abouts. I doubt if fishing line would vary anywhere near that much. Also, there is also no claimed breaking strain for strimmer line (but the thick stuff is v. strong).

[Mr. X]

I got some useful info. from a very experienced spearo. Apparently trimmer line is ok -- strong enough but will sometimes stretch. Also, whipping, when done properly can be stronger than crimps (this guy will have measured it).

Also, another possible "stop gap" spear line occurred to me. I have some braided nylon chalk line -- I just wanted some fairly strong nylon string and most hardware stores & stalls carry this stuff ("Faithful"- brand). It is like the cord used on blinds, maybe even thinner. Probably nowhere near as strong or hardwearing as thick mono but it might work & should thread through the hole in the tail of the spear ok.

[azapa]

thanks Mr. X I didn't really deserve second place IMHO, I guess the guys were giving me a break. The spearfishing comp rules here are really strict, and looking at them now, I broke half of them!.

Re the strimmer string idea. I can certainly get that here easier that 200Lb mono...has anyone else tried it??

Do you make your own bungees or at least wrap them on those bone shaped rubbers? What cord do you use for that? I have seen some great ready made ones for about 10 to 20 dollars, but the post to get them here normally doubles that and, it's more fun making your own

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by azapa

Do you make your own bungees or at least wrap them on those bone shaped rubbers? What cord do you use for that? I have seen some great ready made ones for about 10 to 20 dollars, but the post to get them here normally doubles that and, it's more fun making your own

I'm still using the original muzzle bungee that came on my gun, although it is looking a little perished now so starting to think about replacement. RA did spares for around £3.60 I think ($7 US) 2 years ago, which seems reasonable -- probably not the one with the built-in clip, I expect that'd be pound or so more. For that price, it's probably not worth me making one (although I have a spare clip & of course the original swivel clip, & some nylon braid). What strength & length of mono do you use? What are "bone-shaped rubbers" - do you have a picture/link?

Looks like Dave at Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment offers a fine selection including versions by Venom & Rabitech (similar to RA design), with & without swivel clip: Speargun accesories




SPEARO UK LTD - ONE STOP ON-LINE SPEARFISHING RESOURCE
Actually, I quite like the look of the Venom's pigtail clip -- the other type can be quite painful/awkward to open (although I recently noticed a Dorset angling store offered some smaller versions):

[foxfish]

azapa pm me your address & I will send you some mono, some elastic cord as well. These things cost but penny's.

[dima]

Hi everybody...I do not regard myself as new here but it's my first post.
I usually go for rock fish here in central med, groupers and the like.
My most impressive catch is a 7kg grouper. I am not sure for the correct name of the fish in English.
The male fish usually has yellow to red lower skin and goes darker to dark brown on top with some light green colour variation allover body.
I never hunt with large guns,
Today i use the shortest Mares Syrano it is 55cm gun. The short gun helps when i need to turn around in an instant.
In the past i had problems with the lines which come with the gun by the factory.
Because rock fish in case when the hit is not lethal is going to travel with your spear and sometimes take the gun away if ou need to surface and return and do not use long line with spool
Besides, thin lines are harmful to hands if i have to exert force pulling out.
Heavy line, that i have found optimal today is going to deccelarate a little the spear but with right pressure compensation i can overcome this.
So when i need a good quality spear line i usually walk inside a boat accessories store than a spear gun store.
If the fish you are after has muscles you will probably leave your spear in the cave.
Nine out of ten most difficult situations with rock fish I take my gear and fish home using a 6 or seven mm thick line. Many times in the past I had to leave in the cave line, spear and the fish.
It is a good precaution to carry a spare completely equipped spear if you go for rock fish in the med where all species here are quite suspicious with strange looking mates like us in their environment.
I tie the line on the gun in a way easy for me to release and go for the second hit.

Well some of you here may find inconvenient to hunt with a 200lb pulling capacity line.
For me is the optimal choice...

Happy hunting everyone

[azapa]

Mr X: that post with pigtail swivel and bungee is exactlly what I was on about.. they look cool. I have no idea how you make your original kit last so long.. I seem to break somtjhing each outing. My badly described "bone shaped things" are these rubber guys:
Shock bungee OMER Accesorios Fusiles Spain Submarinismo Scuba store .com

Foxy: pm sent, thanks!

Dima: hi! That 7Kg grouper sounds nice, where do you fish and what depth are these in?
It sound like all my hunting is similar to yours. I use and love my seac asso 65. I can get under the kelp "canopy" and in and around caves so easily with the short length. The best of all is taking shots into caves without bending around or backing off so far that the fish would bolt. I just have my elbow bent on this type of shots and almost always score head shots. I feel the short heavy 8MM shafts (7mm maybe on the Cyrano) are heavy hitting on these short shots. Also, if the fish turns and runs for the "back door" as all our cave fish have (you will never find them in a dead end cave) that shorter spear is not going to get crossed up and fouled as easily in the caves as a longer one. I have shot some 4Kg fish in front of me, only to see the fish, my spear and line wizz out of the caves side entrance 2 meters to my right. Getting the wholes thing back in the cave and extracting it without cutting the line is fun..

I have always used that softish parachute type (well, venitian blind cord as it says on the packet) but am being convinced to try 1.8mm aprox mono. I'm sure at least that it won't be as tangly as the present solution.

Cheers

[foxfish]

azapa I have read your post & this is now in the post!
PS Red is bungee, green is dyneema as I thought that might be tricky for you to get ?

[azapa]

Foxy: you are a star! I have no idea what "dyneema" is but will have a google and search here. Re- red stuff, thats bungee string?? Cant wait to try. I have some "car type" terminal crimpers (very good quality ratcheting type) and will experiment.

One of my buddies here proudly showed me his crimps: bits of copper pipe whacked flat with a hammer (or old stone it looked like)... Awful.. he's a long time first division competitive spearo too. I hope to perfect this, and set up some small workshop with my club members to pass on the "dark side" knowledge. Try getting them to like pneumatics though, now thats funny...

On last point, thought you would appreciate this mind fart:

I went hunting with 5 of my buddies, in my local spot. They all use 90Cm band guns and gave me crap the whole day for the little Pnuematic. Well, I got very lucky and pulled 90% of the days total catch. Anxious to discredit the ASSO even more during a general conversation, and one guy pointed to my 4.5Kg Vieja and said: "for example, there is no way a pneumatic would have the power to kill that kind of fish....." DUHHHHHHHHHHHH.

A pic of the beastie:
viejiiiiita.jpg (image)

The catch on that day:

http://bp2.blogger.com/_mXz60kvcJT0/...0/DSCN1780.JPG

Note those urchins: delicious!

cosecha.jpg (image)

[dima]

Hola AZAPA que tal?

Al primer perdona me si Espanol mio no es muy bueno, pero podemos comunicar. Solo con las palabras technicas yo tengo problema.
De Chile conosco bastante un pais, el puerto de Antofagasta...Hombre a este pais los pescados sos mas de la aqua.

Aqui yo pesco en aquas no muy profundas y masomenos 5 hasta 17 metros y este Domingo a solo 3.5 metros miro un Grouper de 4 kilos que viene a un roca muy cerca de mi. Hay veces que pescados grandes estan locos.
Antes no estare posible pescados de esta pesa que vienen a aquas menos de 17metros.
Lo que pasa aqui despues de ano 2000 es loco.
Ahora que pasa con la linea que yo estoy usando con mi Mares Syrano55 es 7mm
y es ideal para el tipo de pescar con que estoy ocupado.
Yo siempre me voy a pescar a donde las rocas son, y a mi pais no tiburones no existen.

Saludos.....Dima

[dima]

...Y AZAPA. el pais que yo estoy pescando es grecia. Mira los coordinados a mi perfil son mi direccion. Entiendes?

[azapa]

HOla Dima! Tu espaniol es perfecto, de hecho apostaria que es mejor que el mio! Antofagasta es al norte, unos 2:30 en avion, de Santiago donde vivo. Tengo una casa en la playa donde paso mis fines de semana, y donde me meto cada vez que puedo en el agua. Salvo Santiago y Temuco, casi todas las ciudades grandes de Chile son al lado del mar (tenemos 5000Km de costa!) asi que no te soprendas encontrando MUCHOS spearos. Lo que si, 90% de ellos viven de eso. Basciamente son pescadores artesenales en sidicatos, o gente que mariscan y cazan fuera de las consesiones maritimas. En resumen: no cazan porque les gusta, es su trabajo y forma de ingreso.

Soy cazador deportista, de los 10% que te hable, y somos muy pocos gracias a Dios. Sin embargo, cada dias hay mas, y el respeto de los tamanios minimos de capturas etc es MUY MALO. Es decir, la mayoria matan lo que vean. Tal nivel es ahora que la caza es cada vez mas dificil. Hay competencias en lo cual los mejores salen sin nada!

Las viejas (similar a tu grouper) no son nativos de aguas profundas, de hecho, si vas a un lugar sin cazadores (hay algunos secret spots aun lo veras ejemplares de 10Kg en cuevas en 4M de agua. Sin embargo, en la zona central, hay que meterse 15M abajo para encontrar algunas.

Te deseo suerte y andas bien tranquilo y seguro: usa reloj que mida tu tiempo de imersion y superficia, duplica el tiempo de imersion entre bajadas. Anda con un amigo tambien si es factible.

Saludos

AZAPA

PD( tiburones blancos HAY aca, pero los ataques son raros, un par al anio, nunca he visto y espero nunca ver uno!)

[dima]

...Hola AZAPA !

Gracias por tus deseos.
Quando me voy a pescar estoy solo porque no existen gente locos como yo ahi.
Y porque no tengo una barca es necessito que passar mucho tiempo en aqua.
De 3 hasta 7 horas porque aqui tenemos paices con rocas muy largas y necessito solo para visitar un pais equal masomenos 2 horas de viaje en aqua.

saludos.

Dima

[foxfish]

Dudes what is going on I cant understand a word?!

[azapa]

sorry foxy, a bit off I know but ol' dima kinda asked for it! I was telling him that 90% of spearos in Chile do it for a living, they are very poor and hungry and sell the products to feed their families. They have little criteria of what to o not to shoot. I can almost understand them. The sporting spearos, as I am, need to go below 15M in most areas to find anything worthy (and eligible) for taking.

The main point is, many people assume certain fish are "deep fish" because of where they see them, they aren't really, its just that they have been driven deeper by over fishing. It's amazing going to some secret spots when they open up (here) and seeing how much life there is in the first 6 to 8M.