New under water hunter.....

[Amphibious]

I belive there is a rob allen dealer in florida, "Florida Freedivers" or something like that. I would spend the little extra for something other then a Biller. I have a Sako 75SS in .375H&H that I love too

 

[fast97rs]

but what do you mean? Im not sure.... so you wouldn't go with the billar? But rather something a little more affordable and save the money for the rest of the gear (which i have yet to buy)?

Yea... i was looking into the power heads and bang sticks more towards shark repelants.... but i've in all my years never had a problem with sharks... but now i do understand that a freshly killed animal on your belt/bag... or injured on your line, would do a pretty good job at attracting some nice sized black tips....

thanks man! I really appreciate the help you've been giving me

thanks again!

Jorgy

 

[Amphibious]

my personal opinion for the 2 dozen or so AB Biller's I've played with is that they are low end and not a "value" spear gun. a Quality speargun like a Rob Allen, Omer, or Riffe will retain it;s resale value (if you decide not to persue the sport) and will last you far longer and give your better performance. I am also a freedive only spearo, so I find the AB Billers (like the JBL's) rather clunky and hard to track. if you're bumbling around with scuba gear it's prolly not much of a concern. I'd take a JBL over a biller anyday though.

As for sharks. I NEVER carry fish on my belt. I always have them on a float 100ft behind me. that way if I feel a big ol tug on my floatline I can just ditch my fish and let whatever predator may want my catch to thier meal. I do not belive in, practice, or condone spearfishing with scuba/rebreather, so unfortunetly cannot help you with alternative stringer placement, perhaps a bubbleblower here can.

If a predator wants your catch, let'em have it and move on. it's not worth the hassel.
if you decide to take up Spearfishing and go the Freediving route I would have a look at OMER equipment, I've been diving it for years and can;t find any fault with it. bombproof. Mark, the North American Rep, is a member over at Deeperblue and can give you more info on their kit.

good luck !

 

[EANx40]

If you really want your questions answered go to http://www.spearboard.com. As far as putting a reel on a gun I would advice against it for scuba. That setup is primarily for freedivers. I hunt with a 54" SS commercial gun and for Florida hunting they are about the best. Mine is rigged with a freeshaft and a hybrid lineshaft. In my opinion freeshafting is the only way to go, it makes you pick your shot instead of just shooting randomly. I now get a higher percentage on stone shots. http://www.slinginsteel.com is where you can read up the guns. Kevin Bruington makes one awesome gun and stands behind them 100%. You can contact him on spearboard or at slinginsteel and he will answer any question you have.

As far as carrying fish, I, along with the majority of your shooters in the state carry their stringers close to our body. Sharks are opportunity feeders, they do not want to get hurt getting a meal. If they do get curious just poke them in the nose and they'll go away. Every so often you get a brave shark that you might have to be more aggresive with, i.e. charge him or put a shaft in his gills. Don't get me wrong I don't kill sharks for the sake of killing. Just self defense.

As for the powerheads, yes I carry a .223 with for self defense. It is legal to hunt with in Federal waters. I wouldn't recommend carying one until your skills underwater are honed to perfection because it adds 1 more dangerous variable to the equation.

Keep in mind you are in Florida so advice from inland and West Coast USA hunters will be good advise, think about how you will be hunting and where. Especially on gun setup. What works in the kelp beds off CA freediving might not necessarily be the best choice for scuba on our reefs.

I know this post will probably start a storm but keep in mind, this is what works for me. I hunt both coasts of Florida. Scuba spearing can be tricky since you have the noise of the regulator exhaust, so don't get discouraged if in the beginning you scare more fish off than you shoot.

Good luck, be safe and above all have fun!

 

[keyshunter]

I belive there is a rob allen dealer in florida, "Florida Freedivers" or something like that. I would spend the little extra for something other then a Biller. I have a Sako 75SS in .375H&H that I love too

What do you shoot with your .375 H&H?

 

[keyshunter]

Jorgy,
I think that for you a trip over to Spearboard and a chat with Kevin Bruington would be a good move. Kevin and many of the members of spearboard are very experienced, and really know spearfishing, both by freediving, and with scuba.

On every board, whether it be for spearfishing, shooting, or something else, there is a number of "cyber experts" who feel that because they have the most exotic equipment that every beginner should as well. This can be seen in land hunting as well as underwater hunting.

All manufacturers spearguns work. If not, they would be out of business. However, advice by people who have the most actual experience in your intended pursuit should be the most highly regarded.

 

[FredT]

what do you guys think of the headlamp? If anyone has any info for me i would appreciate it!

Ok... now the second part to my question...

What spear gun shoud i get? Either a rubberband type or pnuematic? How long? How powerful? Im new to this.... so please teach, and be patient with me...

Thanks everyone! Im new around here and but really do appreciate your help and hope to become a well informed member one day!

Thanks again!

Jorgy

You have gotten a bunch of reasonable advice so far but it's time to put in my 2 cents worth.

Personally I find any headlamp more trouble than they are worth, but to each his own.

As far as getting a gun goes a lot will depend on what support in the form of spare shafts and parts is available in your area. Biller and Biller clones have pretty much taken over the Fla market and are quite suitable for that area. OTOH they are pretty much absent from the Oil Rigs as they are unsuitable for a significant "power up" by going to larger and shorter bands. On the rigs JBL HXD series guns and Riffes seem to rule. Freedivers tend to use slightly different gear tuned to their hunting style and prey species, both of which will be different than what and how you'll be hunting. Listen to any experiencd hunter, but always consider the source.

In the over 37 years I've hunted underwater there is one basic truism to underwater hunting. Whatever gear is tuned to a specific area will be less than optimal 150 miles down the coast! See what gear the experienced hunters in your area are using. A day spent at a local boat ramp observing who has harvested good fish and what they use in your area can save you a bunch of bucks. I've hunted both fresh and salt water, with experience in most water types and clarity with prey species ranging from a few ounces in fresh water to over 100 pounds on the Rigs.

This will be disputed, but a year spent hunting with NO gun will do you good even if you will be a bit frustrated. Starting with a Hawaiian sling will teach you more about stalking, prey behaviour and patience than 5 years with a gun. It also prohibits you from "practicing your mistakes" as your mistakes will cost you meat with a sling that you might have landed with a gun. They do take a lot of practice to learn how to use, but experience with pistols or a bow will shorten the learning curve. I still prefer a sling for shallow reef fish and lobstering, and I have a closet full of guns to choose from. Sling shafts are wonderful bug "tickle sticks" for the east coast of Fla south of WPB.

FT

 

[deadend]

Fast97, some good advice has been given here. I second going to Spearboard.com for info on spearfishing. Take any advice lightly from posters here that condemn your spearfishing style. NEVER give up your catch to a predator without a fight. They will come back for more just like feeding bears in the park. A Biller will suit you well for most spearing you're likely to do in Fla.

 

[Amphibious]

NEVER give up your catch to a predator without a fight. They will come back for more just like feeding bears in the park.

Wow, it's not often i get to laugh that hard first thing in the morning!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA Guess you guys have a lot of bears in Georgiia ? Take it from somebody that sees 200-250 a season, you do not want to fight over scraps with one, a little 200lb bear will kick your *** so fast you won't know what hit you. Sharks are curious, just because you're holding your fish don;t put it past them then to take it from you. I've had cuda and harbor seals take fish right from my hands.

Keyshunter, the answer to your question, is "Everything", but I still take my .450 out more often then the .375. BC has the highest density of blackbears in the world (around 30% of the worlds pop) and I hunt alone in grizz country. Big guns are just more fun


As for those who slyly bashed my advice. Lifes to short to own a crap gun, why buy a Biller?

 

[Chad Carney]

specifically the A.B. BILLER LTD... i like it cause it already has the real on it.... looks like a good pick...

im looking to put a reel, 2 side shaft holders, and a light on what ever speargun i get... is this a good idea? Or should i just stick to the basics?

A Biller LTD does not come with a reel. It is a one piece barrel, as opposed to their two piece models called specials. From personal experience, I still have a couple 20 year old Billers and they hold up just fine, although I prefer Daryl Wong custom guns today.

Rail guns like freedivers recommend usually require chest loading, and are common for them. They don't suit the purpose of a lot of scuba divers, especially not new ones. If you are considering taking up freediving also, there are guns that do both well, most notably Wong and Riffe.

None of the accessories you desire can be mounted easily on anything but a wood gun. They are quite popular for tank divers.
Since I sell shaft holders, it might sound odd that I recommend you wait before using them. Side shaft holders are mostly for big fish while on deeper dives. They are quite heavy and will change the easy to handle nature of most guns. Shoot your choice of gun first with a single spear. Add equipment later when you become more advanced and the need arises.

Chad