pole spears

[willloomy]

all my pole spears (5) have rusty prongs and i haven't had problems with any of them
the pole spear i am currently using is a 7 foot graphite. the graphite is thinner than the aluminum spears so it has more speed. i Hawaii you only find local brands so i have no experience with JBL
good luck
let us know when you get your fish

 

[FreeRestriction]

Quite right a JBL is a good pole to have, not a starter, I just assumed it was. Three prongs that rust are very common. The rust helps keep the fish on, it's what they use in Hawaii. Mine is also well rusted. Ok seems like you got a good spear, you just have to get used to it, and I'm sure you will get plenty of fish. Some of the methods described for those that use guns will also be useful to you, little things like don't make eye contact with the fish. Try to act uninterested in the fish, as if you dont want it on your spear (very hard at first, hell always) Try not to chase the fish at full speed they wont come back if you miss, and you will scare others away. Practice getting close then kapow.

Looking forward to seeing your catch.

huh thats a good one i never would have thought about the dont make eye contact thing... good tip thanks. as far as the rust theres no danger with eating a fish thats been speared by a rusty spear tip?

 

[FreeRestriction]

all my pole spears (5) have rusty prongs and i haven't had problems with any of them
the pole spear i am currently using is a 7 foot graphite. the graphite is thinner than the aluminum spears so it has more speed. i Hawaii you only find local brands so i have no experience with JBL
good luck
let us know when you get your fish

right on, thanks for the info.

 

[FreeRestriction]

well i went out at bommers in La jolla and came back empty handed... i was comfortable in the water.... there just wasnt any keepers. i did see an octopus though.

also would the presence of seals affect fishes behavior? boomers is located just south of the marine reserve so i figured thered be more fish there.

 

[DSRTEGL]

I have a white glove with small pieces of scrap CD glued to it then I hunt with my pole spear.....Wave the glove a little and it gets the attention of fish a little and takes their mind away from the pointy thing it seems. I also use my pole spear with a chum bag nearby full of crushed mussel or urchins.

Shallow water stuff only so I am not worried about a visit from the landlord but I still stick fish.


DSRTEGL

 

[FreeRestriction]

I have a white glove with small pieces of scrap CD glued to it then I hunt with my pole spear.....Wave the glove a little and it gets the attention of fish a little and takes their mind away from the pointy thing it seems. I also use my pole spear with a chum bag nearby full of crushed mussel or urchins.

Shallow water stuff only so I am not worried about a visit from the landlord but I still stick fish.


DSRTEGL

hmm interesting

 

[FreeRestriction]

well i viewed a video of a guy in the same area last month and he was seeing and killed fish... only difference was he was 45ft deep... i was hunting in 30ft max. so ill just have to go deeper

 

[DSRTEGL]

well i viewed a video of a guy in the same area last month and he was seeing and killed fish... only difference was he was 45ft deep... i was hunting in 30ft max. so ill just have to go deeper

I wish you luck with that.....Due to inner ear damage from an old ear infection as a kid I can't equalize worth a damn and I am limited to shallow dives...I can get 10' without agony if I am lucky. With the vis averaging 6' or so in many areas of Nor Cal this does not limit me too much and many fish can still be found in the shallows.

DSRTEGL

 

[FreeRestriction]

I wish you luck with that.....Due to inner ear damage from an old ear infection as a kid I can't equalize worth a damn and I am limited to shallow dives...I can get 10' without agony if I am lucky. With the vis averaging 6' or so in many areas of Nor Cal this does not limit me too much and many fish can still be found in the shallows.

DSRTEGL

thats too bad, sorry to hear that. have you tried those ear plugs made for people who have issues decompressing?... i think they act like an earplug till 20ft deep then after that they slowly let water in... i forget what there called.

 

[DSRTEGL]

thats too bad, sorry to hear that. have you tried those ear plugs made for people who have issues decompressing?... i think they act like an earplug till 20ft deep then after that they slowly let water in... i forget what there called.

Heard about them but don't want to take the risk.......If I blow an eardrum at depth I am dead........Vertigo, disorientation, nausea, the works......PASS.

There are plenty of fish in shallow water if you know where to look. Just found a place that has clear (relatively) water and access to some surprisingly large fish....Now all I need is cash to get there.

Unemployment sucks!

DSRTEGL

 

[FreeRestriction]

Heard about them but don't want to take the risk.......If I blow an eardrum at depth I am dead........Vertigo, disorientation, nausea, the works......PASS.

There are plenty of fish in shallow water if you know where to look. Just found a place that has clear (relatively) water and access to some surprisingly large fish....Now all I need is cash to get there.

Unemployment sucks!

DSRTEGL

yea it does im happy everyday i still have a job. well thats cool youve found ways to continue to spear fish.. i can go to depth and still have yet to spear anything... although the second time i went (last saturday) there were alot of seals swimmin with us... im pretty sure that dosent help me find fish.

 

[DSRTEGL]

yea it does im happy everyday i still have a job. well thats cool youve found ways to continue to spear fish.. i can go to depth and still have yet to spear anything... although the second time i went (last saturday) there were alot of seals swimmin with us... im pretty sure that dosent help me find fish.

You are a braver man than me. Swimming where there are "a lot of seals" is not way up there with things I want to do, but then I live along the "Mighty Whitey" highway. I have found one thing that has really helps when you are spearfishing....If you enter the water as a predator you are perceived as a predator. I keep all my movements as leisurely as possible no abrupt motion at all and I keep as relaxed as possible. If you can rig a dive float and chum bag that you can fill with urchin and mussel while avoiding sharks you will have better luck ( if you are targeting species like nearshore rockfish, surfperch and opaleye). I have a floating chumbag that I anchor on the bottom so it is a few feet above structure and another that I hang from my dive board. I have made flashers from waste CD's as well.

 

[FreeRestriction]

You are a braver man than me. Swimming where there are "a lot of seals" is not way up there with things I want to do, but then I live along the "Mighty Whitey" highway. I have found one thing that has really helps when you are spearfishing....If you enter the water as a predator you are perceived as a predator. I keep all my movements as leisurely as possible no abrupt motion at all and I keep as relaxed as possible. If you can rig a dive float and chum bag that you can fill with urchin and mussel while avoiding sharks you will have better luck ( if you are targeting species like nearshore rockfish, surfperch and opaleye). I have a floating chumbag that I anchor on the bottom so it is a few feet above structure and another that I hang from my dive board. I have made flashers from waste CD's as well.

alot of divers dissagree with the protected beaches for seals to breed around here because like you said the sharks like seals and eventually there gunna catch wind of a free buffet. i guess aslong as theres seals around then theres not sharks around lol... i know that makes no sense because great whites stalk from below and the seal never knew it was there but it makes me feel better. as far as the bouy we took a boat bumper and tied 20 ft of rope to it and a 5lb weight on the other end for somthing to hang our stringer on... i could pretty easily add a lil chum cage i suppose. but on the other hand i like things as simple as possible. the less i have to carry or deal with the happier i am.
do you just peel urchins off the rocks and crush them into the basket?