Sussex report 2008

[jwells1989]

well here it is hopefully this should keep all the posts together, i think it should be easier!
let hope we have many interesting reports and some nice fish over the coming summer.
have fun hunting,
josh

[foxfish]

Well done chaps - keep the post coming.

[jwells1989]

i have or am in the process of ordering a 90cm omer caymen hf speargun, has anybody used this gun before, how is it in the water, looking forward to using it this summer!!! will have better range than my 75cm gun i have at the moment, hopefully it should help me get those fish that always keep just out of range, haha

[KWM]

I bought the Cayman HF (75) last year. It has not been a good experience. Be careful when rigging, as it is metal it can make a lot of noise especially if using a metal clip to connect the spear line to the bungy. Don't be tempted to crimp the spear line to the first hole (trigger end of spear) as it throws the spear out of line hugely, it has to go at the very end of the spear and then becomes quite a tight fit when locking into the trigger mechnism. the spear also needs to be checked to make sure that the bard is connected securely
(mine was not) the guns come fitted with a reel which is not needed in UK waters (especially the pier Josh) the reels are difficult to remove ( you have to push the two plastic pins out)

On the plus side the handle is good especially the spare one that they send you, But this can only be used if you are right handed.

Whilst all this seems not much of a recomendation for the gun, now that I have worked things out it seems to work ok. I am going to give it much more use this year. ( I gave up with it last year as I was missing to many Bass at point blank range.

Regards Kev

[jwells1989]

thanks for the help kev, i have ordered it so am going to give it a good go this season,
i will watch out for the things you have mentioned,
does it come set up with monofiliment or not, i need to know if i need to buy more.

[huntfish]

Hows everyone doing? i see were all upgrading our gear so thought id join in the chat , im looking to get a new wetsuit and fins but cannot decide which fins, i use diving fins at the moment what is the advantage of proper fins?

[jwells1989]

hey huntfish how you been, i am actually using snorkelling fins aswell at the moment but as they are shorter than actual spearfishing fins they give you less kicking power in the water. a good choice to buy new fins though, i just spent all my money on a new gun and knife,
but will probably get new fins next.

what suit are you thinking of buying, what suit do you have at the moment?

[jwells1989]

oh and does anybody know if the spearfishing competition is on at bognor regis reef this year, is anybody going to enter?

[devondave]

hi huntfish , i'm getting a new suit too , an Elios smoothskin , looking forward to giving it a try . As for fins i found a number of advantages with longer freediving fins over normal diving ones . The main one being speed of ascent if low on air , not recommended but useful . Also covering long distances and swimming against tides is easier but most of all they look cool ! One disadvantage they do require more leg power/ankle strength so some form of winter training may be needed to prevent muscle fatigue or even tendon damage in the early season . Hope this is of some help , if you can afford them i'd say get a pair .

[KWM]

Long fins will give you more power to swim around and fight the tide if necessary, so also quicker to the bottom and up again. plastic spearfishing fins will be better that scuba fins and if you want to move up to carbon or composite you potentially get more more and less weight ( of the fins) that said carbon fins will not make you catch more fish, only experience can do that.
This years shore dive at Bognor is a good reason to have long fins, you can swim for miles and will be in the water for 5-6 hours.



Comps this year are.

26 April 2008 Bognor, shore dive (Sussex Club) (Back up 20 September 2008)

8 June 2008 St Albans (if can organise boat dive)/if not Durdle Door (Wessex Club) (Back up date 22 June 2008)

12 July 2008 Portland Bill (LIC) (Back up date TBC)

27 July 2008 Selsey (Southsea Club) (Back up date TBC)

8/9 August 2008 Seaton (Plymouth Club – Alan Mills) (Back up date TBC)

7 September 2008 Sandy Bay (Exeter Club) – no wrasse, no dogfish, no congers. (Back up date TBC)

Regards Kev

[foxfish]

Thanks for the info Kev - are you going to post those dates on the main site?

[jwells1989]

thanks kev, what was last years bognor regis competition won with, where many fish caught?

[KWM]

I can't remember how many fish exactly but I think the winner had five different speices, bream , bass, pollack, dogfish, (redmullet, mullet) ? The Sussex club hold the comp at that time of year because hopefully the bream are about and the bass fishing can be good. We also try to avoid the plankton bloom which usually strikes as the weather gets warmer.

Kev

[jwells1989]

how is the competition won, is it by how many species of fish are caught or how many fish in total by each spearo?

[KWM]

A bit of both, you get points for each fish and points for each individual species. At the sussex comp conger eels and wrasse cannot be shot.

Kev