Rig mono w/ breakaway

[Standfor]

I finally got in the water today.
Was a great dive, some 10’ viz, spent most the time in the kelp. Everything was there,
Seals, Bait balls, grunions, Bat rays, horn and leopard sharks, sheepheads, kelpfish, crabs, just name it, well everything other then WSB.
So I took a couple of test shots at kelp, with 3 and 4 bands load, the system worked great, but the only problem I had was that I tend to let the gun go after I shoot, and now is just floating freely, what a way to lose the gun
Anyways, I learned my lesson, and decided to go back and check on my buddy that was hunting halibut.
I shot a nice female. This time I remember to hold on to the gun, but forgot about the shaft after removed from the fish…
So the bottom line is, I really like the breakaway, but need to remember that after you shoot, this turn into 2 parts system, and both need to be cared for or you’ll lose gear.

At the end of the day, I got some really nice halibut.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Nice buts!

Keeping track of the gun is definitely a consideration. Out in open water, a lot of guys just run an arm through the bands and shoulder the gun. I don't like to do that if I have to dive through kelp to cut out a fish. Its just something else to tangle.

Another option is to clip it to the rear end of your float line. If the fish is already wrapped up in the kelp, its not going to take your gun away with the float line.

One more option is to run a loop of float line through the trigger guard, around the gun, and over the butt as in this photo. The problem with that is that if you are pulling the fish up with the float line still attached to the shooting line, you might be pulling the gun down into the kelp.

And a third option is one I just thought of last week, but haven't shot a fish to put to the test. I put a caribiner on the loop of mono that is in the butt of the gun. After the fish is stopped, I can just snap that over the float line. The float line can still run freely through it, but the gun can't get away as long as I have a small float on the rear end of the line.

I hope to be able to tell you how that works after I shoot a big wsb tomorrow.

 

[Standfor]

Considering this fancy float: http://www.neptonicsystems.com/kelpcarrot.htm

I see you use a white float line, is that more visible then the standard black?
Also I was looking online and most mono’s are blue red or black, they listed at #400 but am not sure if quality is same, some looks like they belong on weed wackers.

Good luck tomorrow, are you going off a boat or beach dive?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I wouldn't get that kelp carrot if I were you. Friends who've tried them say they definitely feel them hanging in thick kelp. The Peace boat requires all divers to have a large float so it can keep track of them, and it decided to accept the kelp carrot. But if you aren't going on the Peace, I think you would be better off with this smaller version.

Egg float Spearfishing Kelp Float

White, yellow, and orange lines are infinitely more visible than black, with white probably being the most visible. Just this morning a guy on Spearboard told of having a boat run over his black line and jerk the gun out of his hands.

And its not just other boats- its your own boat that needs to keep track of your line. When I drop guys on offshore floating kelp paddies and they have black or blue lines, its very hard to see their lines, especially if its a rough day or cloudy. Some times I'd afraid to approach them to pick them up for fear of running over the lines.

There are a lot of quality monos, but what makes that Momoi different is that its a lot easier to see on the bottom in the kelp and murk.

I'm going on a friend's boat at La Jolla tomorrow. I hear the red tide is pretty bad, but hopefully we'll find a clear spot with some fish. I never beach dive. I'm so inflexible that I'd probably drown in the surf getting my fins on.

I've heard there are a lot of fish at PV if you know where to go.

 

[Standfor]

I took your advice and ordered the egg float, and the yellow momai, should be here soon.
As far as my black float line, Viz is close to zero again so I took the time and painted it white. was very tempting to do the other side in red, could be way cool looking, just wasn’t sure about a 100’ red warning banner traveling the kelp.

 

[ACLSRN]

For SoCal hunting, I'd replace the cable with mono. Its rare that our shooting lines get dragged around anything that would cut the mono, and it provides less drag to the shot than cable. Its also a lot easier to cut if its tangled around kelp or around you.

Two wraps- around 22' feet- is what I use. One wrap isn't long enough to let you use the full range of the gun, and anything longer is not necessary.

The 125 foot float line is perfect, but just don't put a float on it, or at least don't put a float on that is anything more than something to grab when its all pulled through your hand.

Nice gun Bill. What make is it?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Nice gun Bill. What make is it?

I guess I showed three different guns in the photos, but all are different models of Wong hybrids. And by coincidence, in that photo of the three guys on the beach with white sea bass, the guns in the center and on the right are Wongs.

 

[ACLSRN]

Beautiful guns....I'm dying for a Blue Water gun - tho up in my state we can't even legally enjoy spearfishing! But, my friends and I play spearfishing games using underwater targets and such for fun instead! I have a JBL Explorer 24 which is OK - I hit what I aim at - so I guess THAT'S decent - but dream of buying a Blue Water wood gun and fishing the FLA Middle Grounds one day!