Shooting Line Options (UK / smaller guns / smaller fish)

[portinfer]

Hi,
I thought I'd start a thread to branch out from the recent 'crimping without crimps' discussion. This was interesting but I wanted to discuss shooting lines more for UK waters and smaller guns and fish.

I was chatting to Magpie about shooting lines recently and didn't realise that he wasn't a mono fan. I've always used 1.5mm mono with a single crimp. This is for guns with spear shafts from 115cm/6.25mm to 140cm/7mm.

I saw this video on splicing hollow core 8 braid dyneema of 1.8mm.


And then this one on crimping stiff spectra.


And this one at the 10 minute mark onwards is some testing on the 1.4mm stiff spectra from Benthic.


It got me thinking that it's time to shake up the old system and see if there is anything out there better than the mono I have been using.

From looking at the videos and reading around and trying to 'size down' from all the tuna and stainless steel/oil rig discussions it looks like the 1.4mm stiff spectra would be worth trying.

Anyone using it? Any issues with double wraps on euro guns with fish up to 10 pounds?

People mention that it's 'floaty' but I don't think that this would be such a problem in UK waters?

I really like the neatness of the spliced 8 braid hollow core dyneema but haven't seen it for sale in any uk or european sites - I saw it on a Australian site (https://www.spearfishingproducts.com.au/speargun-shooting-lines/spliceable-dyneema/) and it says it comes from Europe!

So, stick with mono or try the stiff 1.4mm spectra or spliced 1.8mm dyneema?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Great summary of all the options.

I've tried that splicing single braid dyneema with a brummel lock. I was very proud of myself when I finished, but I'll never do it again and I don't think it is suitable for your stated needs. Its very soft and floaty and seems to want to tangle on anything it touches. When shooting small fish I guess that isn't particularly dangerous since the fish won't be able to pull you down and drown you, but its still a pain in the ass when reloading in the water. Also, it's thick stuff and will probably reduce range and accuracy when using light shafts and bands.

I watched that same video and decided to try the 1.4 mm stiff spectra and I think it would be a good choice for you. Its slightly "floaty" but nothing like that hollow spliceable stuff. As majd suggested in that video, you do need to make sure its pulled very tight when you string it up. In order to make sure it doesn't tangle in the bands, I route it under stainless loops that I installed on my Abellans. But if you aren't using a wood gun, that wouldn't be an option for you.

But on the other hand, there is nothing wrong with sticking with mono. In Southern California I've always used 2.0mm 400 pound mono so that I had enough strength even if it got nicked and because Ive read that it loses a lot of strength when crimped, so the smaller size and reduced drag of the stiff spectra appealed to me. Its very resistant to cuts, so still plenty strong in that smaller diameter. But notice that his benchmark line was 250 pound mono and all the other lines were compared to that. I would think that 250 pound mono would be plenty strong for your use and its easily obtainable and easy to crimp.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

The photo in the previous post is the 1.8 hollow line with brummel lock. This one shows the 1.4 mm stiff spectra for comparison. Its considerably thinner and should have a lot less drag.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

One more. The gun is set up for breakaway and the bungee is routed through the loop so that the float line can't pull the bungee off the line release if it is pulling at 90 degrees from the gun, but of course you'll probably be using a reel. At least this shows the 1.4 mm line.

 

[foxfish]

Tromic has done a lot of testing with the spear line.
No doubt that the thinner the line the faster the spear & the issue is tangles.
Using a slider is worth revision....

 

[portinfer]

Thanks Bill & Martyn,
Yes, using wooden guns & happy to add s/steel guides.
If you know the Abellan guns then the ones I have made are smaller than the Robalo 90 up to just larger than the Robalo 90 but smaller than the Denton 100.
The smaller guns just have a single wrap of line and no reel but the larger ones have a double wrap and a small reel.

I think I'll try some of that stuff spectra just to see for myself.

I suppose the line to look for would be a really stiff non-floating hollow spliceable line that was thick enough to handle well but thin enough to have no shaft drag...

 

[Bill McIntyre]

If you are going to try the 1.4 mm Benthic Spectra then you might assume that you should get 1.4 mm crimps but I found that the 1.6 mm copper crimps fit perfectly.

 

[Magpie]

As Portinfer said, I hate mono, so stiff it flops around outside the gun when strung up unless you get it too tight, which affects accuracy. I also hate crimps, metal sharp edges by the line and very un-aquadynamic, and 200lbs+ mono is difficult to tie neatly, so I've always used dynemma/spectra types. Nice and limp so sits nicely on the gun and not had any tangle problems.

1.5mm is more than adequate for our fish. I used to whip it, which is also much better than crimps on mono in my opinion (and looks less effort than splicing (and you don't need special hollow line)). That worked perfectly and was very neat but it was overkill so now I simply stick it through the spear and tie a granny knot in the other side. Melt the end flush and soak it in super glue and job done. Not had one pull through yet, but then we don't get 100lbs tuna coming through very often!

Here's some pics:

 

[Aegis]

I quite like stiff spectra, as it doesn't tangle, but can still be tied and has a fair abrasion resistance.

Anyone else use the Rob Allen method for tying shooting line? The granny knot in the standing end, through the spear/muzzle, then tied around the standing line above the granny? It's worked fine for me so far, but I also don't shoot overly large fish, so it may not be suitable for you guys.

 

[portinfer]

Is there any online shop in Europe/uk that sells the stiff spectra?

I had a look at subprof and some other places but they sell dyneema for the reel line but I didn't see an equivalent to the benthic stiff spectra. I guess benthic would ship but was hoping to use a European shop to save a bit on shopping (and buy other things...)

 

[foxfish]

Try carp fishing suppliers in the UK.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I quite like stiff spectra, as it doesn't tangle, but can still be tied and has a fair abrasion resistance.

Anyone else use the Rob Allen method for tying shooting line? The granny knot in the standing end, through the spear/muzzle, then tied around the standing line above the granny? It's worked fine for me so far, but I also don't shoot overly large fish, so it may not be suitable for you guys.

I used that Rob Allen knot long ago when I tried another kind of Spectra line but I'm told that pool tests show that it causes a lot of drag and affects range and accuracy. I suspect that it probably doesn't matter if you are using heavy shafts and multiple bands but it might matter more if you are using a light shaft. And I'm just passing along what Ive read, so take it for what you think its worth.