New under water hunter.....

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fast97rs

Contributor
Messages
75
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0
Location
Miami, Florida
# of dives
500 - 999
Hey everyone... i have a few questions for you guys....

I'm getting my Naui OW dive certification next week... and really want to get into spear fishing and lobstering... I used to lobster on flats, and have always been a fisherman.... and this being the reason i got dive certified .... was wondering how do i get started....

I live in South Florida and will be hunting off Biscayne Bay, and maybee into the keys... if i get a chance...

I have a UK D4 hand lamp, and this head lamp

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7139760312&rd=1&rd=1

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
 
Congratulations on your new certification.

Before you begin spearfishing/lobstering, it is very important to become comfortable in the ocean. Work hard on your buoyancy. Learn to be aware of your surroundings, your depth, your NDL, currents, etc. In other words, first learn to be a competent diver. When you are ready to begin hunting, learn species identification, and minimum size limits. There are several people in Fl. who teach good spearfishing courses, and this route would certainly shorten your learning time.

I would get a wooden band gun, SS or Biller Sea Hornets are good, Do not get a short gun-- 48" or 52/54" are most popular for good reasons. They are also very easy to sell if you at some point decide to upgrade to a more exotic and expensive gun.

Have fun and don't rush things. I started in 1982, lived in the Keys, have several thousand dives, and am still learning.
 
I'll second Keyshunter. I've got a 48" AB Biller, and love it.

It's very important that you are comfortable with diving before you start spearing. Task overload can come up very suddenly and unexpectedly when spearing. When you're subduing a fish, while trying to maintain control of your gun, or trying to re-wrap your line and reload your gun while holding your stringer, you can't be worried about things like bouyancy, air consumption, bottom time left, or situational awareness. You need to develop those first.

Despite what a lot of non-spearos think, it's not just point, shoot, reload, repeat. It's easy to lose track of things when you're trying to get a shot on that fish that just doesn't want to go home with you while keeping control of a lot of extra gear.
 
I'll third the above statements about getting some dives under your belt before picking up a gun and adding to the things you have to remember to do and look at. Once those become part of your routine then start carrying some extra stuff with you to get used to the idea of other items to keep track of.

I'll tell ya the easiest way to learn to spear.. go out with folks who have done it before. I think there are some vid's on the net that can help out to. Its mostly a lot of luck, some guesswork, and eventually practice that'll be your friend. OH, if your comfortable working with firearms at a shooting range or out hunting, spearing will be an easy transition. :)
 
fast97rs:
want to get into spear fishing and lobstering... I used to lobster on flats, and have always been a fisherman.... and this being the reason i got dive certified .... was wondering how do i get started....

what do you guys think of the headlamp?

What spear gun shoud i get?
Jorgy

Jorgy,

I'll add to the previous good advice. After some dive experience, start with simple spearfishing in shallow foregiving water, i.e. plinking hogfish in 60' or less.

Most shooters avoid headlamps. Many like gun mounted lights. See my website.

Freeshafting small but legal bottom fish makes for easier learning than line shafting, avoid the wrecks and pelagic fish at first.
Look for that 48" to 54" speargun that will work well for free & line shooting.

I teach spearing and have many guns for demo, just not local to you... I'm in St Petersburg.

Have fun!
Chad
 
CBulla:
I'll third the above statements about getting some dives under your belt before picking up a gun and adding to the things you have to remember to do and look at. Once those become part of your routine then start carrying some extra stuff with you to get used to the idea of other items to keep track of.

I'll tell ya the easiest way to learn to spear.. go out with folks who have done it before. I think there are some vid's on the net that can help out to. Its mostly a lot of luck, some guesswork, and eventually practice that'll be your friend. OH, if your comfortable working with firearms at a shooting range or out hunting, spearing will be an easy transition. :)


Yea i am a hunter, and marksman... i grew up around them... thats why i want to start hunting the Ocean...

I plan on just shooting grunts and legal sized snapper... maybee even a Grouper if i can find one big enough... but basically nothing big till i can start to become more comfortable in the water....

I will not start to spear fish till i get more comfortable in the water and become a more confident/experianced diver.... but i want to start the learning process from now to avoid mistakes when i do begin to spear fish....

Thanks everyone! You all have really helped....

Jorgy

P.S.
Is the headlamp that i got any good for diving? I can't remember the depth rating... im basically using it to make it a little easier to see my guages and what not in low light/ low visibility situations.......

P.S.S.
Does anyone know of any classes that i can take in South Florida, Miami area that teach spear fishing...?

thanks again for the info guys and gals!
 
I would also suggest that you get comfortable with your gun before you go out hunting. Empty plastic water jugs that are tied to a weighted rope provide good targets for practice.
 
thanks... yea... i just finished making them...

I also got a sheet of plywood with for fish sized target on them (traced the outline of different fish i caught on it)... then painted it white....

I also drew a tick-tack-toe board on the other side.... so i can play with whomever comes down with me.... (used to do this with my Sako/Rem 700 .30-06 / .308 rifle and my brother/dad at 200 yards... with a 5"x5" tick tack toe board on a pice of paper....) Gets tricky but makes you an awesome shot....

Hey everyone.... i also head of these things called boomsticks and power heads....

Can someone please explain what these are for me? Is ther any other means of protection a diver may carry?

Thanks everyone!

I really appreciate you guys helping me learn!

Thank you!

Jorgy

P.S.
Do you guys reccomend a spear gun with 48" over all.... or just the shaft?

P.S.S
Im a little confused what you guys mean by a SS or Biller Sea Hornet... is SS stainless steel and billar wood? Just trying to clarify... thanks
 
Since you seem to know a little about firearms let me put it this way:

Sako/Rem = Omer/Riffe/Rob Allen
NEF/H&R = AB Biller/JBL/Rhino thingy

you'll get what you pay for :D

Boomsticks/Powerheads are atachments for your shaft that let you use a centerfire rifle/shotgun cartridge as an "explosive" tip. I wouldn;t worry about them. I've been spearfishing for 12 years, most of it in the middleast and never needed one. the ethics of using them on gamefish is also questionable.

If you really want to take spearfsihing seriously I'd sugest a good read over at one of the spearfishing specific boards, such as www.deeperblue.net we have quite a few spearo's from your area on our forums.
 
O ok.... (Im a Rem man... but love my Sako... LOL)

So AB Billar is a brand... ok........ now im catching on....

how much should i pay for a 48" AB Billar?..... 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?

P.S.
Is there any kind of sighting systems on these? Or do you just point them like a paintball gun?

Thanks again everyone!

Im learning fast...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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