Need some advice on spearguns

[ocean_314]

I need some expert advice. I am a freediver off the california coast by FT Bragg in N. calif. I have been actively spearfishing with a pole spear over the last couple of years. Most of the fish i shoot are Rockfish and small lingcod up to 30" with no problem.

Recently i found a spot with big fish and my pole spear just is not cutting it. I shot a 20 lb cabazon yesterday that bent the prongs on my spear and got off. Its a paralyzer tip, i hit this fish hard right behind the gills but it was way to strong for the spear. I also hit a 30lb lingcod earlier in the year right in the top of the head from 2" and it just went in a little and the ling also got off.
I want to buy a small speargun no more then 24" to strap to my hip. I want to continue useing my pole spear for the smaller fish and just carry the speargun on my hip and use it when i see a big fish.

Is a 24" speargun big enought for a 30lb lingcod? Is a spear pistol big enough for a 30lb fish? If not what should i use?

Thanks

[metelin]

why bother wounding a fish with a small gun or polespear, my smallest gun is a 36'' riffe clone that i use 90% of the time here in norcal and i can take a 12'' rockfish or a 20lb ling with it. get something at least that size and use it when you think you will come across larger fish and use the polespear when appropriate. after all most people i know have more than one gun and plan accordingly.

steve

[ocean_314]

Steve thank you for your help.

I am diving in an area that is loaded with fish. On any given day i will shoot a limit of big blues a few big perch and a small ling. This is an average day.

I like to dive without a tube i just use an extra dive belt and strap my iron, a stringer and ab bag onto it. That is why i am looking for a small gun if it would work. I want to stap it to my waist and use it only when i see a big fish. I like the pole spear because it is easy to shoot. I have heard that is a pain to reload a speargun. I shoot at least 20 -30 times on a dive.

Is there a gun that would work that is small enough to strap onto my waist along my leg. I very much thank you for your help.

[primalpete]

It isnt that big of a deal to load a speargun 10-20 times or more. Would you rather be able to shoot a trophy fish and have a good chance of landing it or be underpowered and just watch the fish of a lifetime just pass you by?

[Fondueset]

I think you'll want to commit yourself to carrying the gun. There really aren't any that you can practically hang off your belt. Guns that small would likely not improve on your pole spear. Better to bring a float and leave the gun there when not in use. I have a Riffe MT0. It's about 32" (38 with shaft) long and I have it configured with on 3/4 inch band and a 1/4 inch shaft. It's very quick to load and accurate to about 11 feet from the muzzle - though a heavier shaft would give better penetration that far away. You can also rig it with a couple of smaller bands for easier loading. The Metal Riffe's do sink unloaded though. Another option is a 75cm eurogun. During our summer trip to BC there was my mt0, an MT1, 90cm omer master america, cressi pneumatic and several 75cm guns. They all did quite well with ling and rockfish. A good single-band euro gun is a pretty versatile unit. I think we had an Omer t20 and a small Rob Allen.

[colt.45]

I have a 75cm sporasub black viper witn 16mm bands, and a 6.5mm shaft that I absolutly love, It is an extreemly acurate rail gun that handles well, is pretty easy to load, bouyant when empty, and has shot straight trough every fish I hav ever shot at I would probably recomend a7-7.5mm shaft for what you are shooting though.

[Ron S]

When I manage to get to the coast, it's usually Fort Brag. I hunt with a couple folks that use little 24" JBLs and every one of them has at least one story of bouncing a shaft off of a good ling at point blank range. My smallest gun is a 32" Sea Hornet with a threaded shaft, twin barb tip, and two short bands. I consider it's effective max range about one shaft length past the muzzle. I find my 75cm Euro with a 6.5mm or 6.75mm shaft very effective for anything in that area. If I were going smaller, I'd look hard at a 55-60cm Euro. Stick with the stock 6.5mm shaft or upgrade to a Rife euro shaft and it'll take anything in that area with good shot placement. The thin little single flopper shafts seem to penatrate really well and also hold up to being shot into rocks better than I expected.
Unfortunately, I'd give up on the idea of a "strap on" gun. Just too little for any kind of range.
Ron.

[ocean_314]

Thank you all for your advice. I think that i am going to buy a 24" phnumatic speargun and make a holster. Today i went divng a shot a limit of rockfish with 1 cabazon 17" and 1 greeling 16". The other rockfish was a mixture of 15 to 17" blues. I also shot 5 striped perch all with my pole spear.
So i think i am gogin to use my pole spear for these smaller fish and just use the speargun when i see somthing over 10lbs.

Thanks again you have all been a big help

[ZOHARA]

ocean 314,

Mares makes a pneumatic gun 41cm called the sten mini mini. This gun comes with a holster that straps to your leg and the gun rests in the holster. This gun is absolutely perfect for your area. I know this because I manage this territory for Mares and am well familiar with your neck of the woods. There are a couple of stores that have access to this gun or may even stock it. Bodga Bay Pro Dive, Pinnacles in Santa Rosa, or Bamboo Reef Sonoma Coast in Rohnert Park.

You will really like this gun if you decide to go this route.

Safe diving to you,

Zak

[ocean_314]

Thanks Zak,

i looked at that gun and i like the setup, but i am told that the range sis very short just a couple of feet. I have figured that i am going to need a 4 to 6' range. Would this gun work at 6'
I have so far shot a 30lb lingcod and a 20lb cabazon both comming off my pole spear. Would this gun work for fish that size?

[ZOHARA]

This size gun will definitely take the fish you are referring to. Pneumatics are more powerful than a band gun of the same size. The Sten shoots an 8mm shaft which you will find nice, because it will be less likely to bend. As for the distance, I think 6' is pushing it a little for the 41cm gun. Not that it wont shoot that far I just don't know how accurate it will be when you get there. If you want you could go up a size to the 58cm which is most popular in your area. This will accomodate all your needs except fitting in a holster. There in lies your compromise. Anyway, they are both good. If you feel you need the extra distance go bigger and just tie it off to your float when you are not using it.

[spaghetti]

Hey Zak, then why not a Mares Medisten 70cm? It' short enough for hole shooting into crevices (groupers, sargo, moray eels, congers), but long enough for shooting in open water seabass & company, with a range comparable to a 90cm bandgun. Spare a thought for it.
I'm still using mine bought in 1993, serving me great ever since then: among the 25 spearguns I have owned it's the only one I really love and would never sell. And I'm not the only one: on the most popular italian spearo forum, Apneamagazine, they made a poll last year: the question was "which is the speargun you've loved over any other?". Well, the Mares Medisten won the poll largely. And the newly styled model looks cool too.

[Fondueset]

Or a heavier duty pole spear - like the new Omer model? Pretty much the same range as the guns you are looking at and plenty of punch.

[ZOHARA]

spaghetti,

The only reason i suggest the mini mini, or the medi is because his original post suggested he wanted a very small gun. If he is only diving in the N. coast of CA then the 58cm is plenty of gun. It would be very rare for a white seabass to be that far north. Rarely in Monterey CA but I've never heard of one up by Fort Bragg. Anyhow the 58 IMO is the perfect pneumatic for N. CA. Has the range and power for anything up there. If someone starts diving further S. then yes go bigger for an all around gun.

Have a great day. I'm sitting down to my home made chili, glass of Chianti (thats for you spaghetti) and good conversation with my beautiful wife.

Cheers,

[ocean_314]

A question on the range of the mini and the 58cm gun? Waht ar their ranges?

Zac what i am trying to figure out here is i need a gun that can stop a 30lb lingcod at 4 feet. Can the mini do this or do i need the 58cm gun? The mini would be perfect if it could stop a big ling at 4'.

I really appricate you help, i know nothing about these guns.

There are no white sea bass up here only big lingcod and cabazone and lots and lots of 15 to 17" blue rockfish.



Thank you for your time.