omer camo 3d speargun set up

[jobke]

HI,
This is my first post. I have been spearfishing for a while with a hawaian sling.I just received as a present from my wife a omer airbalete camp 3d with reel and spectra line.
My question involves the line since I have not used line in the past with the sling. I am unsure how the line hooks up from the spear to the reel. Do I need monofilament line from the spear and attach that to the spectra line or does the spectra line hook directly to the spear? Also, Do I need to keep a certain amount of line free from the reel (enough to allow the spear shaft to shoot its range) or does it just let out when I shoot the spear shaft? And finally, if I do need to let line out prior to firing, where do I keep the line?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Joe

 

[popgun pete]

You never shoot directly from the speargun's reel. The line ties to the "Airbalete" metal line slide (the "microspeed slider") and then wraps a couple of times around the gun via the front line hook under the muzzle and the short line release lever sticking out on one side of the rear grip handle. One or two line wraps can then pull directly off the gun as the spear departs without requiring the drum of the reel to turn. This should all be covered in the instructions that came with the gun, assuming that you received them.

Some spearfishermen use mono for the line wrap section, which is termed the "shooting line" as that is what is immediately available for the shaft to fly without turning the reel and releasing extra line. Mono offers less resistance to being dragged through the water by the spear, but you can use the spectra as the shooting line if you do not want to risk line cuts from sharp objects that the line may encounter when the line is deployed. A lot depends on what you are hunting and where, around a rocky bottom or over sandy areas or in deep or shallow water. It is worth talking to other spearfishermen in your local area and seeing how they have set up their guns for the fish species that they are targeting.

 

[popgun pete]

It is interesting to note that Omer has yet to put the "Airbalete" instruction manual on-line in pdf format, particularly as the gun has been around for a few years now. If you look at the Omer diving web-site you will see that the http://www.omerdiving.com/ing/airbalete.html web page only has the "data sheet" link whereas that for the "Tempest" pneumatic does have its manual as do the band guns listed there. The "Skorpion" pneumatic manual was formerly there, but like the gun itself no longer appears to be available.

 

[jobke]

Thank you for the insight. Infact I live in NY but have a cottage in the keys where the gun was sent so I actually have not seen the gun yet but I read on some threads that it seemed some guns did not come with good directions. I therefore wanted to know as much as possible when I went down to the house in 2 weeks. The link you gave does not appear to be working for me but I did try to find online manual for the gun but could not. If I might as one more question of you so I am clear...The object is to be able to shoot the spear with enough line as to not use the reel unless you hit a fish? Also, since the spear is going down the barrel of the pneumatic gun, it seems weird to me that you would have to shove the line which I assume is attached to the bottom of the spear down the shaft of the gun also?

 

[popgun pete]

The line slide keeps the spear's line attachment at the front when the gun is loaded and ready to shoot, the shooting line does not go down the inner barrel. That is why it is called a line slide, it moves along the length of the spear and an enlarged diameter tail stop prevents the line slide coming off the end of the shaft. Your second last sentence is correct, you need enough free line to allow the shaft to fly the required distance. Spearfishing is about closing the distance to the target without alerting it, that way you keep the prey within the range of your gun and the limits of the line.

 

[jobke]

Thanks again for the info, it was very helpful.