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handspears (dont laugh)

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

paul

New Member
Jan 24, 2002
22
0
0
I know most of you guys (and girls) would probably laugh at the thought of using a handspear (like turning up at a harley convention on a vespa) but i recently aquired one dirt cheap and it lead to my first hunting experience (normally i freedive just for the pleasure of being in the wet stuff and challenging myself)
anyhow it was the first time I have entered the water with dinner on my mind and suceesfully caught a nice sized snapper in 1m viz so i was pretty happy and lucky. I was wondering if anyone else uses one or had any tips on rigging a line so as to not lose the spear as the waters not very clear on the northwest coast of nz.

thanks

:t
 
Congrats on your catch :D

Have quite a bit of experience with handspears, they can be quite effective weapons. In Hawaii, I'll often dive with just my 8-foot Kawabanga graphite/aluminum pole spear. Taking good-sized fish is very possible and patience is the key. For holes, smaller polespears are indispensable.

Not sure what you mean about losing them. Generally the shots aren't very far as they lose velocity quite rapidly. If you are so inclined, you could attatch a line to the end of the loop; however, I have found that this is more cumbersome than helpful.
 
Ah Handspears..... I still use them very often as they offer a new challenge . and remember - if anyone laughs - being beaten to a pulp buy a rubber-clad boy with filppers is very humbling.

there is always the option of shooting them....


When I'm using a freeshaft pole spear (hawian sling) I use a 3 -4 meter length of floresent marking line tied to the back of the shaft. you can get this stuff at fishing stores - some flylines (backing) work very well as they float. when the fish holes up the marking line is nice - it points right to the fish.

as for attaching it to the handle - you can just use a tied line and let it trail. I know a few guys that used to attach it to their wrist :naughty

But after one of them died after shooting a big hamour the novelty kinda faded away. :head

Good luck! HAnd spears are good fun - I still build them and use them on a regular basis.

Willer
 
hey hey, dont be a downer on hand spears. i think they teach you more about finess of freediving. the majority of the time i use 3 prongs (about 15 of them in a pile in my garage) and ive found them to be cheap and effective.

congrads
 
handy

hey thanks for the hints and links, i definately wont be attaching a line to my waist either!!! and fuzz I'd agree that patience is a lesson i am learning. cheers :)
 
I really liked my pole spear starting out, but then I started losing fish. Whenever I would spear a big one it would rip itself off the thing. One time I got a decent sized yellowtail(off campus point sven:cool: but it just ripped a LARGE hole in itself and got away:( The big shaft seems to give the fish a lot of leverage to pull off. I had a JBL slip tip but it didn't work very well. One of the biggest reasons I got my first gun for was to prevent this 'cause too many good fish were going to waste.
Anyone have any tips to prevent this?
 
you can you a Pin-or-Lift aproch.

Either pin them to the bottom by getting up on top of the spear with a couple kicks down

or lift, give a good thrust to push the tip through, point it skywards and make a balistic path to the surface.

both of these require a good stiff spear, thoe floppy fiberglass ones won't do the trick. get an old pnumatic shaft and a broomstick. Moby Dick styles...

you can also use a float line (limited sucess - more of a hassle) just make sure you run it up the pole and grip it when cocked, otherwise the spear has to pull it as well when fired and it slows it down.

ALL HAIL THE POLESPEAR!

Willer
 
A pole spear/hawaiian sling set-up was my first experience in spearfishing. In the Bahamas that's all you're allowed to use. I know a guy who's gotten some big fish that way. I saw him bring up a 25-30 pound grouper that way. Nothing wrong with guns, but stripping things down to a man with a spear hunting for dinner can be a hell of an adventure!

Cheers,

M-2
 
Originally posted by Amphibious

as for attaching it to the handle - you can just use a tied line and let it trail. I know a few guys that used to attach it to their wrist :naughty

But after one of them died after shooting a big hamour the novelty kinda faded away. :head


Hey there Willer,

I just wanted to know what the heck a hamour is? Is this a fish that I don't know or just a typo? :)

Aquiles

Just Curious :)
 
Aquiles, a hamour is a common term for an Orange-Spotted Grouper or Epinephelus coioides, commonly found in the Arabian Gulf.
 
hi

A guy down south australia apparently speared a 30lb bluefin tuna with a handspear. I find it hard to believe.

cheers
 
Hey there fuzz,


What the heck are you going to do, fight a war. It looks like a pretty nice arsenal that you have collected. I always find the first few shots difficult when I change guns, so I try and stick to one length and style of gun to reduce missed shots and maimed natives:D


I just posted as Anderson, what a goof. I should have logged him off. Anyway this is the cuban talking not the gringo! Later

Cheers,

Aquiles
 
lol, just my latest toys, I'll probably have a new set in about 6 months. Should have seen how many paintball guns I had - could've outfitted a boy scout troop.

The only difficulty I've found in aiming new guns is with euros. I'm not used to the slimness & lightness so my shots always jump off to the left a bit...... :head

I think it may be the way I squeeze the trigger as well. Probably just not smooth enough. :(

Anyone else have this problem? Can't tell if it's an eye dominance issue(I know I'm right dom. & aim accordingly) or physical aiming problem. Many times its a non-factor, but when I do miss, it's always to the left side.
 
Good job Fuzz - surprised you knew what a Hamour is.

Hamour is just the Arabic term for "Grouper". describes many of the Species in the Arabian gulf. Anything Big, ugly and brown is labeled a Hamour. I've seen some of the "Greasy Groupers" get up to 160kg.


I'm in Arabia right now, hopefully will shoot some soon, well.... as soon as they find my luggage...

Willer
 
Do you have this problem with hybrid? Then use it since you have lots of options.:D Oh i forget you wanna sell it.;) Why do you want to sell this beauty.Instead you can sell two euro to get the same money:duh

Anyway i would impress with the open muzzle of OMER Alluminium.How did you make it?
 
Hey Willer, hope the spearing there is treating you well. Actually don't know what a hamour is, just looked it up on google ;)

Murat, the hybrid is really nice. Smooth & accurate enough to shoot small 1 pound fish(even used it with 1 band to shoot some tasty 1/3 pound fish that are great deep fried). The only reason I'm getting rid of it(hopefully to rigdvr) is that I also have a 55" & with all the guns I have right now, the 50 won't get used very much.
The muzzle on the Alluminum is the same as the one as on my euro gun project, except this one I had to buy from Daryl Wong & is made out of delrin instead of molded plastic.
 
You also have 55 inch? Do you waste all of your money to spearguns? I also wanted to be in that situation:waterwork.I really wanted to buy 55 inch carbon wong hybrid but he price is bit salty for me.(I already collected part of the money)It was 600+ dollars included shipping to London.(but now i am not sure if its worth that).Rest of the transportatin is belongs to me.:waterwork. I have one doubt about mid-handle gun.I hope you can answer it since you are both using rear handle euro and midhandle gun.When you need one of your hand to carry torch or grab the rock can you shoot with mid-handle hybrid with one hand as accurately as two hand.(for 55 inch gun of course)
 
Not wasting my money, just a case of graduating, getting a good job, & having more money than I know what to do with. :D You should see the rest of my toys :( I figure, might as well enjoy all of this before I get married :duh

I've shot mid-handles with one hand many times and haven't had any real trouble with it. Accuracy might suffer minutely, but as long as I make an effort to lock my elbow & sight down the shaft, it always seems to work well.

I really love my Wong guns & want to support all things built & made in Hawaii. But if you're going to be paying much over $600 for one, I think that's ridiculous! I realize you're not down the street from Mr. Wong or Hanapaa like I have the luck of being, but how are the prices for other brands of guns like Riffe, etc.???

PM me & I'll give you the low down. ;)
 
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