Bluewater Trip in Puerto Rico

[sturgeon]

Everyone,

I just got back last night from a very cool 4 day trip to Puerto Rico. My friend’s company took the whole company (plus a guest each) over there for their 25 year anniversary celebration. Since it was an island where spearfishing could be had, my friend opted to take a spearfishing buddy rather than a female companion. Who am I to turn down a free trip, my only stipulation was that he better make sure to request 2 beds! Anyway, we went and it was a great time. I shot my first tuna and my buddy got a very nice wahoo. I'm not much into the bluewater thing but let me tell you what, it’s some pretty exciting stuff! We hunted a pinnacle that came up from 3,000 feet to 250 feet. It was an awesome experience!!!!! Vis was an easy 100+ feet. We saw plenty of tuna, wahoo, jacks, cudas, rainbow runners, and of course sharks. We did drifts across the pinnacle chumming as we went. Although the tuna I shot was only a blackfin there were a couple of yellowfins around. My friend missed an 80+ pounder and I saw one sink back to the depths that was thicker across its back than any shark I saw all day. I can’t complain about not getting a wahoo myself as I had my chance but unfortunately lost it on its initial run. We also saw a wahoo that was an easy 80+ lbs. Unfortunately, it passed by just as I surfaced from a 2:00 minute dive and was unable to re-submerge to go after it. I had an excellent time and will definitely do it again sometime soon. Here are a couple pics for everyone to check out. My friend with the wahoo is Pat Johnson from VA and our most very gracious host was Roberto Reyes and his 2 friends who accompanied us on the dive trip were Mike and Jorge.

Scott

[sturgeon]

Here's a pic of my little tuna and my buddy with his wahoo.

Scott

[Murat]

great fishes scott, sounds like a good place

[frogman]

Nice fish, Scott! Maybe we have to get into this bluewater thing down here in Florida.

Angelos

[sturgeon]

Angelos,

I'm telling you, I'm seriously considering it. I was wondering what we'd see if we went out to 200 feet (prime wahoo, dolphin and sail territory during the winter months) and did some drifting, cutting chum as we went. I bet if the bull sharks didn't run us out of the water we'd come across something worth shooting. Maybe we'll give it a try someday.

Scott

[Memo]

very very nice fish Scott

[rigdvr]

scott, we see alot of hoo's on the wrecks in the keys early spring. No monsters(keys wahoo average 20-30#) but still worth while.

[Iyadiver]

Such a nice place........... .....good story.

Are you coming to the dark side ( tree trunk ) soon Scott....??..

[sturgeon]

Iya,

Thanks and yes, after losing one wahoo and missing another (shaft didn't even make it to the fish), I am considering it. My RA 130 with single band and single wrap of line gets small real quick when a big fat wahoo or tuna swims by. I was thinking about possibly getting a Darryl Wong Ono gun. You know anything about this gun?

Scott

[rigdvr]

the ono is probably one of the most used bluewater guns. They are 63" in total length, shoot a 5/16 shaft, have an enclosed track, alexander aluminum muzzle which can hold 4-5 bands. It is my prefered weapon in the blue. Each gun is balanced and weighted in the water by Daryl before he ships it out.

What kind of gun is Roberto shooting these days? Hes been oiut to the lumps off Louisiana several times but I cant remember what he had....

[mjacobs]

Nice fish, Scott!
Rig,
Do your rig your Ono with cable or 400 lb mono or something else? I got mine with cable but am thinking mono might shoot better.
Mark

[Iyadiver]

Scott,

Kapiten Rig is the guy to ask about Wong, here in my place there is no Wong but lots of Riffe. No Euro too.

I am a Riffe man but the Wong seems very nice.

The bluewater gun will give you the extra range for sure...good advantage. As you know Miles who owns 11 Euro/Rail guns is now a tree trunk lover. There is a place for different guns.

As for me, I have to use shortened bluewater gun for doggies, they won't come close to me in my place and I just love short cannon ......

63" should be good but I love my 55" over my 62"........

[sturgeon]

Rig,

Thanks for the input. The ono sounds like a good gun for me. I'm only 5'5" and so don't want a monster but the ono sounds like a very nice compromise and yet still plenty to do what I would need it to. On Sunday Robert had a Scott Merlow gun with him, he said he's got a bigger bluewater gun of some kind but doesn't usually use it in PR. Robert’s one of the nicest spearos I’ve ever met and his hospitality towards me the 2 times I’ve been to PR has been incredible. He’s a great guy all around (and a great diver to boot) and I enjoy diving with him very much. He's doing fine. Here's a couple quotes from 2 different emails I received from him today (see below). Of course this happens the day after I dive with him. Oh well, maybe next time.

“Scott, went out yesterday, got 4 big female dorados, a big bull (40-50) cut the line on my RA gun, also dove with whale sharks, shot a silkie shark and saw as many YF tunas as you can see stars in the sky.”

“The yellowfins were all day long in very murky water, jumping everywere, hords of them, one time they were in blue water, we jumped with them, right next to a huge Wale shark, 40 feet long, the bait ball was taking cover around the shark, and the yellow fins eating around the shark, another shark, a 12 foot silkie came too close, and i had to shoot it point blank, it broke my slip tip, and got loose, it was almost dead, what a pity, such a magnificent animal. will go after the tuna this week.”

Scott

[icarus pacific]

Wong's Ono gun is quickly becoming the popular commercially produced gun out there for the reasons Mike quoted and Daryl's real easy to get to and speak with about your needs.

Getting the financials for one of Scott's logs is a undertaking but the rational behind his design(s) as well as his handle make having one a very real treat.

And if you can score a Kitto, it's all over.

[rigdvr]

I thought he had a Merlo...talk about art They definately are beautiful guns. The ono should be no problem for you(Ive seen Sheri Daye load hers so heaven help you if I find out you struggled with it ) I think its a great compromise for the blue, big enough for just about anything but not so big as to be overwhelming.

Its about that tiome of year here too. Ought to start seeing the whale sharks surrounded by tuna before the month is over.