Personal modifications

[Agar4Life]

Hello all,

Thought it would be nice to discuss all the minor modifications people make to their kit.

Any little things you put on your gun?
Do you like to colour code your equipment?
Carry a spare piece of cord for some reason?
Anyone carry good luck charms?

I am new to spearfishing so am trying to learn as much as possible from everyone's experience. And it'll be fun to discuss, i think.

 

[bgill]

When I go polespearing I like to have an extra piece of latex tubing and some tie-wraps and maybe a length of nylon cord in case my power band breaks during the hunt...As sometimes happens.

It's saved me more than once during a panfish hunting forray!!!

 

[catman]

Welcome to the sport.

As for the personal changes there are lot of things you can do, to many to list here. If you can ask for something more specific its easier to answer.
Here are some tips:

Try not to go dive alone, its safer and you have someone to help if needed.
Don't ever force yourself on the botton you stil have to go back to surface.
Never tie weapons or the signal buoy to you.

As for spares in time you find wich ones you need, but usually i take with me some dynema strings and a wishbone ( i usually take two guns)

 

[Agar4Life]

Thanks, those were all great tips.

I was thinking more specific things that you do as a personal thing. That maybe no-one else does. Bespoke modifications if you will down to personal taste or some little brainwave you had. Or a big brainwave for that matter...

 

[Bill]

A diver that thinks the same as I do.
Measurements on the gun for fish that have size limits. 25mm ring on the weight belt for attachments. A 2 point fish stringer to keep them behind you, out of the way. A spare band for the gun (in comp. they often wore them around the neck). Some way to attach the car key (knife too) somewhere. For ten years I just dropped it in my sock and then one day it wasn't there after the dive. Used to need a dime for the pay phone, but now any female will let you use her cell, if you ask nicely. Ain't progress wonderful?
The best one that I ever saw with a gun was an old time clay pigeon buster taking a wood rasp to a new maple stock on his Perazzi that cost $7-800 in todays money (the stock that is). When someone questioned him about it, he said "What good is a gun that doesn't shoot where you point it?". I like to make all my gear fit, too.
P.S. I'm not superstitious, it's bad luck.

 

[Seacidal]

Too many modifications to list. I don't know that I've got a piece of gear that I haven't tweaked or tuned over time. Gun muzzles, rigging, stocks (e.g., hellhole) stringers, weight belts, wetsuits, etc. Where to start?

 

[deep thinker]

Nice and interesting thread. Bill I like your idea of the measurement marks...
Myself I have made a few mods to my gear too.
Marked my fins so the same one allways goes on the same foot, both feet wear shoes or fins for that matter out differently.
I gut 'gills' in the neck of my suit, to allow for more movement cause it felt too tight and to give space for water to enter, I heat up quickly. I also cut off the top part of my long johns, allows for more movement.
I tie a tube, like a flare tube to my float, this keeps car keys and license. I also carry a water bottle on my float when diving from the shore.
The first 5m on my float line is a 8mm tuna bungee, after that I have 15m of rope line on a winder, if I dive in shallow ruff water I only use the bungee and out in deeper water roll off as much as I need, the bungee also plays bigger fish nicely, by keeping a more constant pul than you can do by hand so less chance of tear out.

 

[Panthalassia]

A diver that thinks the same as I do.
Measurements on the gun for fish that have size limits. 25mm ring on the weight belt for attachments.

Excellent idea! Might have to adopt that one myself!! I work for the state fish and wildlife conservation commission. Would suck if I got caught with undersized fish...:naughty

 

[Agar4Life]

Does anyone know where i can get the weight retainers with a little loop at the bottom for clipping equipment?

 

[Pastor]

Does anyone know where i can get the weight retainers with a little loop at the bottom for clipping equipment?

Like one of these? Dunno

I have a silly superstition that if I see rabbits on the way to a dive I will have a good session, thought about keeping a pet rabbit on the dashboard of my car rofl

 

[MARMIR]

.....Like this one???
Google. Risultato della ricerca di immagini per http://www.nypost.com/news/2006photos/photo37.jpg

 

[Pastor]

rofl Hell no if that shat it would roll off the dashboard and break my foot!

 

[atomichaggis]

Thats weird cos If You mention rabbits on a fishing charter boat You'll get lynched... spose to be bad luck.

 

[Pastor]

Well you can't get any unluckier than having your foot broke than a giant rabbit turd!

 

[atomichaggis]

I bet that thing lays eggs like a rottweiler