Spear Gun (s)--all Time Favorite!

[DA Aquamaster]

Most of my spearing was in fresh water (walleyes being the fish of choice) and for that the Scubapro Panther was always my favorite. Simple, strong relaible, fast loading open muzzle design and astrong enough stock and trigger mechanism that you could up gun it from two 1/2" bands to three 9/16" bands for better penetration on large fish at longer range. Back in the day (late 1970's to mid-1980's 6 to 8 lb walleyes were preferred as it was the optimum eating range - above 8 pounds they were not as god and below 6 lbs we consideref them too small to shoot. However with the huige increase in guiided fishing and tourism, the size of the walleyes in the Missouri river basin has greatly declined and now a 6 lb fish is very rare.

I am no longer a fan of shooting carp. 20 year ago 40 pound buffalo carp were common and were admittedly fun to shoot, but more importantly just fun to see. Unfortunately targeted hunts to remove them as "trash" fish have decimated their numbers and it is extremely rare to see them that size anymore. There are still plenty of smaller carp, but they don't live long enough to get that big and that is sad. I have also never understood the trash fish status of Chinese and Buffalo Carp. They do not directly compete with gamefish as they are bottom feeders and they are well adpated to the environment - and in other countries they are viewed and managed as game fish. The non-native thing does not cut as an argument either as the trout is not native to most of the palces it is currently found in the US either.

I have never been a pneumatic fan as they are severely power limited by te divers ability to cock them compared to the 2 or 3 times greater power of a band gun, and pneumatics lose power as you go deeper. They are also much more vulnerable to damage from sand and sediment and in general are not as accurate to shoot so they are a very short range proposition.

 

[Hank49]

I've only had two guns. Riffe Comp 3x and also a Baja Plus (also Riffe). I used the C3x for a couple years and then got the BP. The BP is a cannon and felt really big at first but either it's real accurate or I'm just lucky with it...I like the big one now. But I'm always in good vis water. It would be useless in vis les than 15 feet.

 

[mudhole]

I have also never understood the trash fish status of Chinese and Buffalo Carp. They do not directly compete with gamefish as they are bottom feeders and they are well adpated to the environment - and in other countries they are viewed and managed as game fish. The non-native thing does not cut as an argument either as the trout is not native to most of the palces it is currently found in the US either..

Aquamaster, I've never dove in your waters, but I can explain why in southern waters carp are so hated. . . Bass and crappie fishing is a major activity here, and most fishing licenses are sold because of this. Many of our game fish spawn only once a year, in the spring. They nest in shallow sandy or rocky areas and the males guard these nests. Five, ten or 20 pound carp will push the guards away and clean out all the eggs. If the eggs hatch, the male bass will lead the hatchlings around for a few weeks. I've watched Buffalo make two passes through these hatchlings and wipe them out. There have been many small lakes in the south where all fish are poisoned to kill out the rough fish, then restocked with fish more profitable for the wildlife departments. This might change in the future because of research into controlling carp when they move into creeks to reproduce. If this selective control works, it will be good news in our man made lakes.

In my area, Tenkiller dam has the best and worst of Carp. . . In the lake, their feeding on a mud bottom leaves the flesh muddy tasting. In the river below the dam, the water is clear, and the rocky bottom of the lake makes the taste much cleaner. Some people will fish for them in the lower river.

30+ years ago, I thought spearfishing might help controll the excess numbers, but carp lay millions of eggs each year, and I can't shoot that many. I envy your hunting for walleye. . .they don't do well in our man made lakes, but I have been to a lake in Arkansas, with hard clean bottoms and we shot one walleye for 6 divers. It tasted even better than our favorite flathead catfish. . . oh well hunt for what you have, that's good to eat.

 

[rigdiver]

I really like the Biller 48 and 42. As long as there are no add ons (extra shaft mounts in particular), I find the guns accurate for long shots (free shafting), easy to track on target and well balanced. Replacing the stock bands with 5/8 gives as much power as I need for what I hunt.

Since the old Jags were mentioned, does anyone remember the Johnson SMG's. I thought that 4 barrel model was wicked.

Craig

Yea, I had a single barrel SMG. First 5 lb Red Snapper I shot the line cut it in half. Wicked gun, just too loud. For those unfamiliar with it the power loads were 22 blanks, much like what drives nails into concrete or steel today.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Back when I started spearing, there weren't many options to choose from. My first spear was a Gronk 170. Old Gronk sure could tie a spearhead. After we lost Gronk in the granite canoe tragedy I was forced to use other rigs, but they just weren't the same.

My Gronk (top) was way better than any of the other spears.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Aquamaster, I've never dove in your waters, but I can explain why in southern waters carp are so hated. . . Bass and crappie fishing is a major activity here, and most fishing licenses are sold because of this. Many of our game fish spawn only once a year, in the spring. They nest in shallow sandy or rocky areas and the males guard these nests. Five, ten or 20 pound carp will push the guards away and clean out all the eggs. If the eggs hatch, the male bass will lead the hatchlings around for a few weeks. I've watched Buffalo make two passes through these hatchlings and wipe them out. There have been many small lakes in the south where all fish are poisoned to kill out the rough fish, then restocked with fish more profitable for the wildlife departments. This might change in the future because of research into controlling carp when they move into creeks to reproduce. If this selective control works, it will be good news in our man made lakes.

In my area, Tenkiller dam has the best and worst of Carp. . . In the lake, their feeding on a mud bottom leaves the flesh muddy tasting. In the river below the dam, the water is clear, and the rocky bottom of the lake makes the taste much cleaner. Some people will fish for them in the lower river.

30+ years ago, I thought spearfishing might help control the excess numbers, but carp lay millions of eggs each year, and I can't shoot that many. I envy your hunting for walleye. . .they don't do well in our man made lakes, but I have been to a lake in Arkansas, with hard clean bottoms and we shot one walleye for 6 divers. It tasted even better than our favorite flathead catfish. . . oh well hunt for what you have, that's good to eat.

That makes sense, some species are just not compatible.

In the old stomping gronds, the powers that be decided that stocking salmon would provide another attraction for the out of the area toursist fisherman they wanted to attract. The rationale was that the Salmon stayed deep and would not compete for the same bait fish as the walleye, but the reality was that those same bait fish traveld up and down the water column - as did the salmon when they were hungry so the walleye suffered from overfishing in addition to slow growth rates from a limited food source. The Walleye poplation has never recovered even with large reduction in the number of salmon stocked, but so many year classes are affected that recovery is unlikely unless they greatly curtail fishing - and that is not going to happen as the industry is more or less addicted to the tourism dollars.

A Salmon cannot compare Walleye in taste or texture.

 

[CraigAClark]

Yea, I had a single barrel SMG. First 5 lb Red Snapper I shot the line cut it in half. Wicked gun, just too loud. For those unfamiliar with it the power loads were 22 blanks, much like what drives nails into concrete or steel today.

One of the first shops I worked at, the owner was a pistol. Ex-member of the Florida Outlaws motorcycle gang and sort of crazy. He would get out in the gulf stream, set a sea anchor, hang out in a chum slick with his 4 banger SMG and wait for whatever swam up the slick. He had a picture of him with that 4 banger and a 10+ tiger he took with it hanging in the shop.

Craig

 

[Chad Carney]

Hawaiian Sling - hand made by Art Pinder. For freediving in SE FL and the Bahamas.

55" Florida Freeshafter - custom made by Daryl Wong. For deep scuba. With 3 freeshafts mounted with a Quiver shaft and light holder.

50" Wong Reef Gun - A gun very special to me, with an Instinct reel for freediving, mostly in Florida.

57" Wong MG Special - Slip tip & Riding Rigged by the Hell Divers for deep oil rig diving off LA.

All 3 Wong guns are enclosed track, rear handle plus models.

Still have my 25 year old Seahornet 52 freeshaft gun, but it is only used by students in training these days.

Chad

 

[fl-diver]

I am relatively new to spearfishing with a gun and my goal was to get something lite and simple to carry while I hunt for lobster in case I see a nice fish. I ended up getting a Rob Allen rail gun and I love it. They are very popular among freedivers in Florida but I use it while scuba diving. It is crazy accurate using a single wrap and single band. The chest loading took a little getting used to but now the bruises aren't near as bad.

 

[fl_coastie]

I love my Riffe Islander, I used a AB Biller for years (38 Special), When I was younger I had a JBL and it lasted for about 5 trips. Will never go away from my Riffe, shoots straight and hard