Pulling in a fish after a poor / long shot.

[jernejm]

It would be hillarious if Coo Ca Choo would actually be a species of fish......in my imagination it is.....and a big one

 

[spaghetti]

Pav, I think there's nothing wrong with your gun. Of course every gun has its own range limit, and you must make a friend of it. Any target off that limit is simply too far: there's not much you can do. But you can still:
1) drop the gun and jump on the fish to grab it in your hands, as correctly suggested by the other lads.
2) Optimize the ballistics of your gun with these little bits of tips, which can give only a little help, but then, as they say, every bit helps:
-remove the muzzle bridge, so eliminating any drag of the spearline crimps/knots while passing through the bridge.
-be a maniac in constantly sharpening your spear tip: the sharpest the spear, the deepest the penetration. (and by the way, the "recessed" flopper is intended for less drag in water and better penetration. It helps a bit)
-gain a bit of power eliminating the drag of heavy bungees and swivels from your spear line, IMHO I lean to think you don't need that heavy rigging for hunting bass with a single band 90.
-load at second notch if you're not hunting in narrow spaces between rocks (spears are expensive).
-a dyneema wishbone will eliminate the parachute effect of the plastic screws of a traditional screw in wishbone (this will give you a very, very little bit of extra power, but as said every little bit helps).
-If you're aware you're shooting a target placed at the very true limit of your range, try a loop shot, with a curve trajectory like a mortar shell, aiming one or two inches above it. (but this is difficult: I suggest you to do some practice with fake targets like plastic bottles to get an idea of how these shots come up).
More tips to share will be welcome...
etc

Uh I forgot the anatomic resource: your shots will gain a little additional power if you shoot with a stiff arm: less energy will be lost in the back-blow of recoil. Stiff arm. Shoot with a stiff arm.

PS: Jernjeim. welcome on DB. Your post is not bad for a first post ever

 

[jernejm]

Thanks spaghetti, ill try more

 

[spaghetti]

Thanks spaghetti, ill try more

he he he!
Slovenia? I'm visiting my uncle in Trieste late in summer. Maybe we can meet and spear some coo ka choo together! :friday

 

[jernejm]

no problem, i live 30km from Trieste and am a big fan of Coo Ca Choo related activities:friday

Just let me know...

 

[Mr. X]

...problem with the Picasso Twin (double shot speargun), I've been told, was not only the complicated aiming and the poor tracking, but mostly the nightmare of the two spearlines tangling together! You can figure that out...:head

I hadn't thought of that but it did strike me as a little dangerous.
e.g. loading an already loaded gun; playing & dispatching a fish while the gun is still loaded
It would be handy though wouldn't it!

 

[Pav]

REELS.

I do have the reel for the Omer XXV, but removed it as I felt it would add to bulk and reduce the tracking speed. Yesterday I tried with the reel, and felt it did not effect my hunting (although no fish in the bay ;>) ! rofl ).

How would you use the reel? I know you can set the drag, but at what stage would you use the reel. Poor gut shots? / 10lb + ? The tempting thing is to get that fish as quickly as possible and giving it line may be difficult in my mind, although understand the reason.

Any tips on how to make best use of the reel if I leave it on.

 

[blaiz]

I love my reel, and unless I was to do some blue water with a needed float and release system, I will never take it off my gun. I dont notice any difference with tracking. If you are only shooting smaller fish you can tighten the drag all the way so no line can be taken off. If you do see something larger you have the option of loosening the drag giving the fish a little more "play." I have landed a few fish with really bad shots only because I had my reel. Also, If I am diving in deep water and I shoot something fairly large the reel enables me to get to the surface quicker by letting the fish run.

Disadvantages... though I cant think of many the one that does come to mind is tangled lines. IF a fish does take out alot of line the chances of your line getting tangled around other lines, rocks, coral, kelp, is very high. The reload time is also greatly increased.

but i will take a landed fish anyday

 

[Marwan]

to me the reeel essentially serves the same purpose as float/line but with the added advantage of being more usable if you hunt in caves or areas where a float line would constantly tangle/be inaccessible like kelp beds as well...for a badly shot fish, i dont think you can use a reel in fighting a fish like you would on a rod...
but depending on the length of the reel line (typically 30-50m) i suspect it gives you more slack line versus a float line (20m) that a badly shot fish could pay out (and maybe getting into a hole where you might have a second chance to land it) before causing tension on its flesh and ripping out...

 

[spaghetti]

Yes as Marwan says, speargun reels are not made to fight fish like you can do with angling/rod&line reels.

Our reels are very simple devices, just meant to endure the initial reaction of a fish: you give him line to prevent him breaking off when he initially tries to escape with all of his strenght. Then after, when his strenght diminishes due to pain, bleeding and vital organs damage, you simply go to retrieve it.

You use a reel for big fish, badly hit fish, or when you shot a fish while you're feediving very deep. In the last case, the reel will let you swim up your way to the surface without having to "lift" the fish with you. In this sense, it's also a safety device.

My suggestion is to keep your reel with a semi open friction (i.e. with a little drag) and then, eventually, open all the friction after shooting the fish.

 

[azapa]

REELS.

I do have the reel for the Omer XXV, but removed it as I felt it would add to bulk and reduce the tracking speed. Yesterday I tried with the reel, and felt it did not effect my hunting (although no fish in the bay ;>) ! rofl ).

How would you use the reel? I know you can set the drag, but at what stage would you use the reel. Poor gut shots? / 10lb + ? The tempting thing is to get that fish as quickly as possible and giving it line may be difficult in my mind, although understand the reason.

Any tips on how to make best use of the reel if I leave it on.

the omer reels have a little line clamp thing to one side, that works very well. load the gun, tighten the line and force it into the clamp thingy (in the same direction as the shooting line). You can then leave the reel on a firm but medium tension for the swims up. The firing jolt removes the trapped line from the clamp thingy.

not too easy to understand?? i can post a picture if you are lost.

 

[spaghetti]

the omer reels have a little line clamp thing to one side, that works very well. load the gun, tighten the line and force it into the clamp thingy (in the same direction as the shooting line). You can then leave the reel on a firm but medium tension for the swims up. The firing jolt removes the trapped line from the clamp thingy.

not too easy to understand?? i can post a picture if you are lost.

that's right. That clamp on the Omer Match reel is useful to keep the line in tension even when the friction is open or semi-open. I was about to tell Pav the same (I was just lacking the english word "clamp": in italian it's "strozzascotta" or "strozzasagola", that'd be not easy to understand...he he)

 

[Pav]

a photo would be useful. ,
I'm converted to the reel ;>) ! (having removed it last year!!).

We will see how it goes this year. Thanks

 

[spaghetti]

The clamp we're talking about is that sort of green sharfin on top (in the reality it's all black, not green and orange as in the picture, but anyway you can't miss recognizing that sort of sharkfin on top).
Just pass the line through the clamp on it's way to the line release (or, better, you can simply clamp the line in the clamp, without using the line release). It's easier to do than to explain.

PS: I remember when you took off the reel ;-)

 

[azapa]

ok, pix:
1. How i use the clip, hope it;s right!
2. How i route the open muzzle, the head was made closed muzzle so I adapted, produces great results
3. How the factory routes open muzzle (i have had tangles on firing with this style)
4. The factory line separator that seems to be needed for 3.

 

[blaiz]

Did you modify that gun yourself? Ive been thinking of turning my 75cm JB esclapez into an open muzzle and was wondering if I could just modify the existing closed muzzle.

 

[spaghetti]

I did the same mod on the muzzle of my Master Comp, by myself, with a carpet cutter, one night that I was completely drunk of cheap red wine. Hence I can say it's quite an easy mod to do yourself...

 

[azapa]

yes, I guess you could say I modified it:blackeye the pin is a copper nail heated and inserted, the blob a brass screw covered with epoxy. 4 months use and no regrets.

 

[Pav]

It would be hillarious if Coo Ca Choo would actually be a species of fish......in my imagination it is.....and a big one

rofl I heard today Big Canarian Rays are refered to by the locals as Choo choos! Basically due to them being like trains! , and difficult to stop when shore fishing.

Maybe related to the Coo ca choo?

 

[Mr. X]

...
4. The factory line separator that seems to be needed for 3.

Thanks for posting pics Azapa. Is the "line separator" that fin on the side? My Omer XXV doesn't have one of those but it might have been handy the first few times I loaded as the spearline kept getting in the way of the notches - seems better now.

BTW harking back to my original response. I have now shot some fish wish my gun and the spear went through the biggest, a mullet, and the barb remained fully closed (or perhaps opened but then closed again) . Fortunately the spear was well through & I think I'd hit the fish's spine as it did not put up the usual fight. I did think back to this thread as I moved in, grabbed the far end of the spear and manually open the barb.