Help - First fresh water gun choice

[Douglas Eaton]

Hello, I need some advice on choosing a decent first gun for fresh water.
I live in West Virginia and plan to be free diving and spearing rivers (low vis) and clear lakes (40-50ft vis), probably from a kayak. I know there's no such thing as an all around gun, but I would like to be able to handle large carp, shovelhead catfish, and drum (hopefully 20-50lbs), and it would be nice to have the option to shoot smaller fish like crappie, without destroying them. I'm looking hard at the Rob Allen Aluminum Tuna series, because I've read that the Spears are very durable and long lasting spring steel, and good accuracy.
Is this overkill for a big carp or catfish?
What would be a good length balance for low vis rivers and clear lakes. I've read that a 110cm is good, but that was in relation to saltwater, and I didn't know if it's different for fresh water.
Shorter sounds easier to manage, but I still want enough power to take a 50lb fish if it presents itself. Would a 90cm do?

Thanks very much!

 

[Douglas Eaton]

The tuna series allows up to two 16mm bands on the 7mm shaft. I was thinking of using one band for small to mid sized fish, and only adding the second band if it was necessary.

 

[Danny.c]

Yep 90cm is perfect,just use both bands,if shooting into structure up close ,just release one band.I use an aimrite 90cm rail gun 2x16 and its really accurate and easy to swing around.My next gun will be a 120cm for clearer open waters.Hope that helps.goodluck

 

[Mr. X]

Shorter gun for low viz, longer gun for hi viz. 110cm is not good for all sea conditions and certainly not those that I usually encounter - again it depends on viz. Similarly, for smaller fish probably better off with a smaller diameter spear but it is not so critical. For the conditions you describe (opposite extremes) you might be better off with more than one speargun or you'll need to compromise.

You can take big fish with short spearguns - your chosen brand, RA, offer railguns in short sizes - but that is only appropriate for poorer visibility

For example, if you are after 100lb catfish is poor viz., you might want an RA50/60/70 and a fairly thick spear (e.g. 7mm).
If you are after small fish in clearwater, you might want a 90-110cm gun with a fairly thin spear (e.g. eurogun with a 6.3-6.5mm spear).
Or if you are after big catfish in clearwater RA100, etc. Or small fish in poor conditions a 50-75cm eurogun.

Note: you will need some visibility, from what I gather catfish often exist in zero viz. conditions.

 

[Danny.c]

I take two guns.I have my railgun 90 that just gets the job done but lacking on the long distance shots,then On my buoy I hang a 40 phuematic ,so I can drop my main gun and use the 40 for the holes and and crays or if conditions are dirty.I wish I could take 3 guns.

 

[Mr. X]

Hey Danny, my brother has several shotguns of different specification that he has collected over several decades but he reckons that when a shot opens up, he invariably finds he has the wrong one in his hands!

Perhaps there might be a subtle lesson there. Where one speargun can't cover all conditions, perhaps find two that can or almost can. Having too many, too specialized options might just mean you are more likely to have the wrong one in your hands when it comes time to use it. I owned 3 spearguns for a while (inc.2 90s - which is too much overlap, even though one was a powerful, heavy duty RA & the other a superlight carbon Omer XXV) but it felt like one too many to me and my wife certainly thought it was!

 

[Douglas Eaton]

Shorter gun for low viz, longer gun for hi viz. 110cm is not good for all sea conditions and certainly not those that I usually encounter - again it depends on viz. Similarly, for smaller fish probably better off with a smaller diameter spear but it is not so critical. For the conditions you describe (opposite extremes) you might be better off with more than one speargun or you'll need to compromise.

You can take big fish with short spearguns - your chosen brand, RA, offer railguns in short sizes - but that is only appropriate for poorer visibility

For example, if you are after 100lb catfish is poor viz., you might want an RA50/60/70 and a fairly thick spear (e.g. 7mm).
If you are after small fish in clearwater, you might want a 90-110cm gun with a fairly thin spear (e.g. eurogun with a 6.3-6.5mm spear).
Or if you are after big catfish in clearwater RA100, etc. Or small fish in poor conditions a 50-75cm eurogun.

Note: you will need some visibility, from what I gather catfish often exist in zero viz. conditions.

Thanks guys for the helpful advice. It sounds like I'll eventually have two guns and two thickness Spears.

For my first gun, is it practical to order a second, thinner spear in order to switch between different shafts while out on the water? How is the shaft attached to the gun? Can you switch shafts on the fly, for instance with a snap swivel, or is the shaft permanently crimped on?

Thank you so much for helping me fill in the gaps in my learning thus far.

 

[Danny.c]

Hey Danny, my brother has several shotguns of different specification that he has collected over several decades but he reckons that when a shot opens up, he invariably finds he has the wrong one in his hands!

Perhaps there might be a subtle lesson there. Where one speargun can't cover all conditions, perhaps find two that can or almost can. Having too many, too specialized options might just mean you are more likely to have the wrong one in your hands when it comes time to use it. I owned 3 spearguns for a while (inc.2 90s - which is too much overlap, even though one was a powerful, heavy duty RA & the other a superlight carbon Omer XXV) but it felt like one too many to me and my wife certainly thought it was!

Hahah Yeh mate,That is So true.choosing guns is a constant problem for me,I trawl the forums all the time trying to get feed back on best size and design "My 90cm needs a little more power ,should I use roller head,up the rubbers and destroy accuracy,use a 90 phuematic, or by a longer gun that is not practical in shore" I don't wont to admit that I am doing my own head in.Oh and then there are all the different brands.We are spoilt for choice.Which is sort of,a good thing. )

 

[Danny.c]

Thanks guys for the helpful advice. It sounds like I'll eventually have two guns and two thickness Spears.

For my first gun, is it practical to order a second, thinner spear in order to switch between different shafts while out on the water? How is the shaft attached to the gun? Can you switch shafts on the fly, for instance with a snap swivel, or is the shaft permanently crimped on?

Thank you so much for helping me fill in the gaps in my learning thus far.

If you are tying off to your Yak or a buoy you can hook your spear to that,its called break away system or its attached to your gun.I think you should just keep things very simple while you are learning,so just use 7mm spear shafts is my advise but others will chime in.Go and look at some spear gun rigging Vidoe's.
This here is a good simple set up(there are many).

 

[Okis]

Most guns have a clip connecting a small bungee/shock absorber to the shooting line, so if you are getting a extra spear it will be fast and simply to shift to another spear as long as the the extra spear i already rigged with mono. I just recieved my 120 RA Tuna that comes with 7.5mm spear, since i'm just starting out spearing i will do only reef hunting in the and no bluewater in the beginning so i ordered a extra 6.6mm spear with the gun and because there was a bungee/shockabsorber with a clip on the gun all i had to do to shift to the lighter spear was to unclip the 7.5 and put the 6.6's monoloop in instead.