Tips for spearfishing with low visibility

[SpearTheGulf]

Hey everyone. I live in the Gulf of Mexico and can't get offshore very far so I usually spearfish in the Texas Intracoastal Waterway but the visibility is almost never more than 5'. I have a JBL Woody Custom which is 36" long. Spearfishing with proper technique is not really possible since if I hold my gun with an extended arm I cannot see the end of the gun let alone the fish. Because I have to hold my gun oddly I end up missing a significant number of shots. Does anyone have any suggestions for the best way to hold the gun to minimize the distance away from my body the end of the spear is. Also any advice for approaching fish in extremely low visibility would be appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[SpearTheGulf]

Hey everyone. I live in the Gulf of Mexico and can't get offshore very far so I usually spearfish in the Texas Intracoastal Waterway but the visibility is almost never more than 5'. I have a JBL Woody Custom which is 36" long. Spearfishing with proper technique is not really possible since if I hold my gun with an extended arm I cannot see the end of the gun let alone the fish. Because I have to hold my gun oddly I end up missing a significant number of shots. Does anyone have any suggestions for the best way to hold the gun to minimize the distance away from my body the end of the spear is. Also any advice for approaching fish in extremely low visibility would be appreciated!

Thanks.

Also for more information I largely hunt sheepshead and mangrove snappers. I do not have much trouble with sheepshead as they aren't very skittish and pretty large but mangroves I have a more difficulty time with

 

[Mr. X]

You should probably get yourself a shorter speargun.

I often spear in poor visibility. For GB we generally recommend euro/pipe, band- powered spearguns 75-90cm - that's the length of the barrel pipe. As a rule of thumb, the shorter lengths are more appropriate/necessary the further east you go (e.g. shorter for Sussex, longer for Cornwall).

I started spearing with a 90 but for Dorset it was usually too long and heavy for the limited visibility and fast moving fish I often encountered. Switching to a lightweight 75 helped a lot.

75 is a pretty good general purpose size for the UK (as is 80/85/90) but sometimes 75cm is still too long for the visibility available. It could be argued that it is not worth spearing in such poor conditions but, if you're there, with your gear, might as well try! I recently bought a 60cm speargun for such conditions.

Even the 60 may be too long for some conditions. In which case something very short, like a 50cm band-gun or pneumatic (a 50cm pneumatic is usually significantly shorter than a 50cm band-gun) might be the way to go. Small rollerguns are now more common. There is very nice looking Greek 55cm inverted roller speargun, also the Turkish company Apnea produce a wide range of sizes, including 35cm and 45 cm Whaler roller spearguns. I had the opportunity to see and hold one of 35 or 45 roller spearguns recently and was reassured to see that it looks and feels like a good, real, proper speargun. An alternative to a short pneumatic perhaps?

I believe RA will make spearguns down to 50cm to order. I know of several spearos using 70cm railguns in the UK in poor viz and on wrecks. And I recall a US spearo using a 50cm railgun to hunt ling. No doubt a 60cm speargun could be ordered if required. RA railguns are heavy duty and can handle the biggest fish if necessary. The 1x16mm Sparid (or cheaper rail-less Scorpia) is a good option but, as an American you will likely prefer the 2x16mm Tuna model - more power! There is also a carbon barrel version and, I think, now a 2-band rail-less model (possibly 2x14mm). For such short guns a rail is unnecessary mass ( inertia) and causes extra lateral drag IMHO.

 

[Mr. X]

Usually best to let the fish come to you. Or dive quietly nearby and feign interest in a nearby rock or root around the sandy bottom as if looking for food. In poor visibility, hiding from fish is usually not as big a problem as it is in better viz. But, sure, hide behind a rock, in a gulley or in or behind weed if you can.

 

[TEXASFIVEGUN]

I sometimes hunt the same intercoastal and the surrounding flats near Port Aransas and Rockport. For mangroves I use a 70cm pneumatic with a inline 4 prong tip. It works very well in five foot viz. Sheepshead are killed with a 38" Koah midhandle. The midhandle gives full 38" length power and handles like a 28" gun. You should join the "Port Aransas Area Spearfishing" Facebook group to get frequent visibility reports and area hunting tips. https://www.facebook.com/groups/530505267838757

 

[SpearTheGulf]

You should probably get yourself a shorter speargun.

I often spear in poor visibility. For GB we generally recommend euro/pipe, band- powered spearguns 75-90cm - that's the length of the barrel pipe. As a rule of thumb, the shorter lengths are more appropriate/necessary the further east you go (e.g. shorter for Sussex, longer for Cornwall).

I started spearing with a 90 but for Dorset it was usually too long and heavy for the limited visibility and fast moving fish I often encountered. Switching to a lightweight 75 helped a lot.

75 is a pretty good general purpose size for the UK (as is 80/85/90) but sometimes 75cm is still too long for the visibility available. It could be argued that it is not worth spearing in such poor conditions but, if you're there, with your gear, might as well try! I recently bought a 60cm speargun for such conditions.

Even the 60 may be too long for some conditions. In which case something very short, like a 50cm band-gun or pneumatic (a 50cm pneumatic is usually significantly shorter than a 50cm band-gun) might be the way to go. Small rollerguns are now more common. There is very nice looking Greek 55cm inverted roller speargun, also the Turkish company Apnea produce a wide range of sizes, including 35cm and 45 cm Whaler roller spearguns. I had the opportunity to see and hold one of 35 or 45 roller spearguns recently and was reassured to see that it looks and feels like a good, real, proper speargun. An alternative to a short pneumatic perhaps?

I believe RA will make spearguns down to 50cm to order. I know of several spearos using 70cm railguns in the UK in poor viz and on wrecks. And I recall a US spearo using a 50cm railgun to hunt ling. No doubt a 60cm speargun could be ordered if required. RA railguns are heavy duty and can handle the biggest fish if necessary. The 1x16mm Sparid (or cheaper rail-less Scorpia) is a good option but, as an American you will likely prefer the 2x16mm Tuna model - more power! There is also a carbon barrel version and, I think, now a 2-band rail-less model (possibly 2x14mm). For such short guns a rail is unnecessary mass ( inertia) and causes extra lateral drag IMHO.

I went ahead and ordered a small speargun. I'll try it out and let you know how it works. Thanks!

 

[SpearTheGulf]

I sometimes hunt the same intercoastal and the surrounding flats near Port Aransas and Rockport. For mangroves I use a 70cm pneumatic with a inline 4 prong tip. It works very well in five foot viz. Sheepshead are killed with a 38" Koah midhandle. The midhandle gives full 38" length power and handles like a 28" gun. You should join the "Port Aransas Area Spearfishing" Facebook group to get frequent visibility reports and area hunting tips. https://www.facebook.com/groups/530505267838757

Thanks for the advice. I use my 36" on sheepshead and don't really have an issue. I just ordered a smaller one similar to yours for mangroves and will see how it goes!

 

[TEXASFIVEGUN]

Thanks for the advice. I use my 36" on sheepshead and don't really have an issue. I just ordered a smaller one similar to yours for mangroves and will see how it goes!

Where are you hurting? If you ever get down around Port A give me a shout.

 

[SpearTheGulf]

Where are you hurting? If you ever get down around Port A give me a shout.

I live on the water (canals) on padre islands so honestly most days I spearfish there. I swim around the docks that people have behind their houses.

I've been really wanting to go to the jetties at Port A but visibility has just been so bad. That is honestly what got me started going in the canals. I would go to Packery Channel or the Port A jetties and vis is like 2 feet. It is miserable. But once the visibility gets better I'm definitely going to be going there again.

 

[DiveHacker]

I would get a polespear. They are ten times easier and less maintenance and in water like that you should be fine.

 

[cdavis]

Short pole spear works great in poor vis. ScubaPro used to make a 5 ft fiberglass model that was bullet proof. My buddy switched to it and I thought he was nuts until he outshoot me about 3 to one.

 

[DiveHacker]

Our viz has been real bad and it’s normally very good. I have the exact problem… many missed shots holding the gun close to my chest bc viz is just so bad. I guess you really need a strong base to not affect the shot perhaps unlike a hand gun. Idk

 

[musubi]

Our viz has been real bad and it’s normally very good. I have the exact problem… many missed shots holding the gun close to my chest bc viz is just so bad. I guess you really need a strong base to not affect the shot perhaps unlike a hand gun. Idk

What kind of gun do you shoot?
I ask because rollers tend to not need as much base support on the shot. Especially shooting my invert (demulitplied roller gun). I sometimes shoot with my elbow bent, off to the side for awkward shots and because the recoil is so minimal, it's not an issue. Maybe this might help?

 

[DiveHacker]

What kind of gun do you shoot?
I ask because rollers tend to not need as much base support on the shot. Especially shooting my invert (demulitplied roller gun). I sometimes shoot with my elbow bent, off to the side for awkward shots and because the recoil is so minimal, it's not an issue. Maybe this might help?

Yeah that may help. I looked into them a while back and to be honest I concluded they probably are better. So sell my gun and start over? I actually ended up doubling down and just bought another two banded, but shorter gun. I love them. But yeah I almost hope I don’t run into someone with a roller one day, shoot it and love it more. Bc yeah I really do think it throws off the shot so bad. I’ve been point blank and missed shots with hand near my chest shots. Maybe hold firmer? Idk

 

[HooSlayer]

i spear in 5 ft visiibility at times and had the same problem. Guns that were short enough to be practical were also not powerful enough.

This guy named Ren Spears out of California makes custom short guns that are roller guns. They are so short that the thick type of shaft they use has to be custom cut by the gun builder because they are not commercially sold.

The gun performs amazingly in this dirty water and I even started using it in clean water because it shoots just as far and accurate as my longer guns.

The gun is 65 cm single band wooden roller gun.

The biggest problem it overcame was when you spot the fish in dirt water swinging a long gun towards it always spooks the fish. With this short gun I don’t have that problem.

 

[Mr. X]

Apnea in Turkey also produce short rollerguns. I handled one that I think was 35cm or 45cm. Looked a bit like an air pistol but felt like a real speargun .

FYI I have one of their 95cm rollers and 65 cm with double 14mm bands. Both have trendy reverse trigger mechanisms. Pity their line releases are not a bit bigger and more positive, more like my Omers.

I don't use them myself but pneumatic spearguns are powerful and popular for some in small sizes (e.g. down to 50cm). But member @PopgunPete would know more about those

 

[Andrew the fish]

there is a problem with aiming in poor visibility. Fish see the tip of speargun before it gets close enough for me to see, or identify the fish. In such poor visibility gun must be short. I hold butt of speargun close to mask, so that I can aim. Some people claim they can shoot by lookng at gun and the fish from aside, but I miss all the time, I need to look alongside the shaft. So, I hold gun practically 6 inch from mask, with one hand on the butt so it does break mask with recoil.

Tip of spear is better be shiny, fish love to get close, to a few inches from tip of the spear or anything reflecting light. I also experimented with hanging something reflecting, like couple of fish lures, at end of the barrel. It seem to help, but gets in the way of everything.

I also lay still, and make all kinds of sounds. Bubbles do not work, but anything else is good. Scratching rocks with tip of spear, rubbing rubber gloves on each other, paying banjo with rubber bands. Also works occasional bang of metal against the rocks. You can’t possibly see the fish far away, and fish can’t see you, but it can home in on sounds. Fish is curious and will come to you.

Also, in poor visibility, it is virtually impossible to dive to same spot again, especially if that spot is deep and no shore reference. What I have done in the past, I was leaving speargun, attached to surface buoy of course, on the bottom. This way I could rest long enough and have a good bottom time on next dive, and lay on bottom in same place. It is important to have reasonably good bottom time in poor vis because it takes time for fish to find you. It takes patience and repeat dives to same spot. I have seen someone on youtube using markers for bottom. It is small weight wrapped in line with tiny buoy attached. Seems like neat way of making sure your spot is not lost. But I never got around to try it. My speargun is bigger marker and always with me.

As I aim by looking alongside the shaft, I have steel wishbones on all my guns. This is perhaps contrary to everything you hear from other spearos. Steel wishbones keep bands to the sides, clearing the line of aim. This is critical for fishing in poor visibility. When you bring butt of gun close to your eye, bands, if they are crowded tightly around shark fins, will block the view completely, because they are so close to eyes. You can try it at home and see if you can see the coffee mug with all the rubbers in the way.

Sorry for long post, but it hard to say something without saying why. There are more details, but the ones above will get you going.

 

[Andrew the fish]

perhaps I should add about sounds under water. What works best is longer periods of being quiet. I re-read my post and imagined someone reading and running with it, realizing it doesn’t work. So, not continuous source of sound, imagine something fell down to bottom, thrashed a bit and died.

 

[Andrew the fish]

i spear in 5 ft visiibility at times and had the same problem. Guns that were short enough to be practical were also not powerful enough.

SpearTheGulf, this is important message right there. Your JBL Woody is about the worst choice for poor visibility. I have spoken about it on a few occasions. Gun is 36” long, but kind of mid-handle, with trigger mech above pistol grip. This particular design has the severely shortened length of power stroke. Inventor definitely had poor understanding of requirements and also has trouble with laws of physics. The result is the gun of 36” length with about 12” long power stroke. I must say other JBL guns similarly troubled, being trackless etc. JBL has the following among spearos, and opinions, but not substantiated with measured and repeatable claims.

 

[HooSlayer]

SpearTheGulf, this is important message right there. Your JBL Woody is about the worst choice for poor visibility. I have spoken about it on a few occasions. Gun is 36” long, but kind of mid-handle, with trigger mech above pistol grip. This particular design has the severely shortened length of power stroke. Inventor definitely had poor understanding of requirements and also has trouble with laws of physics. The result is the gun of 36” length with about 12” long power stroke. I must say other JBL guns similarly troubled, being trackless etc. JBL has the following among spearos, and opinions, but not substantiated with measured and repeatable claims.

JBL gear in general is awful. I had a friend snap a nearly brand new pair of carbons simply by using them (JBL). ONe time I bought a 3 ATM JBL float rated to 29 psi, I inflated to 10 psi and it broke.

As to the gun question. I bought a 65 cm rear handled single band roller gun and it has very good range so much so that I also started using it in clear water where I would normally use a 100cm non roller railgun. It has about the same range. It's wood and weighted so it has no recoil. Shaft is thick and has to be custom cut because they don't make it short enough. Great gun. built by Ren Spears in California.