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Old 10-20-2011, 12:43 PM   #1
REEFED
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Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Hi Guys, does anyone have experience with spearing Dogtooth. I need advise as to use polyline floatline or a bungee? Will be spearing on a drop 12 - 80 m. Any advise would be appreciated.
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Old 10-20-2011, 02:16 PM   #2
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

2 dogtooth T hunting vid:
http://www.spearfishingmotion.com/vi...page=1&lang=en


http://www.spearfishingmotion.com/vi...n&video_id=234

better to aim if possible the caudal part of the tuna body
bungee should more resist at the time the fish is trying to cut the line in the reef
reef sharks like to collect tax...
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Old 10-20-2011, 02:28 PM   #3
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Very nice fish, friends of mine were off Lazarus and were Taxed big time!
What line setup were you using? I was recomended to use dynema from the gun, 2m bungee, 30m polyline and then 3 floats in concession? I have shot alot of yellowfin off Cape Point but this is in 600m but was thinking the same setup will work. Big float and 30m 2x strech 12mm bungee?
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Old 10-31-2011, 08:59 AM   #4
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Quote:
30m polyline
I have been using Riffe 100ft ARMORED SPECTRA FLOAT LINE
I'm staying in the Comoros islands for a 2 weeks full time bw hunting trip I have been preparing for 1 year.
A first boat trip made yesterday: I could shot at the end of an exhausting hold breath a massive over 150lb doogy which broke the 2,5 mm coated steel shooting line (600 lb strength!) on the beginning of the fight and while swimming in the deep reef. Then I caught this medium size fish...
A pretty deep spot with strong current there.
As usually DTT are showing a mix of curiosity and mistrust...
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Old 10-31-2011, 05:33 PM   #5
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Virgilli, your adventures are Awesome! Be careful over there. Strong Currents.. Deep fish. end of the breath hold.. Dogtooth Tuna have proven to be one of the deadliest fish to hunt.

The thing with Doggies is that they will head for the bottom and wrap up. They will also take your buoy's down and dissapear, and then wrap up.. I'd bring your Yellowfin Tuna Board. and use the same system. The best thing is to Keep the fish off the Reef. Don't give them the chance to get there.

We use:
4OOlb or more Mono shooting Line.
Slip Tip with Stainless Cable.
Either Polypro with a 3mtr length of Big SA Boingeee.. or a Good Norprene Bungee Line
I'd go with the Botha Board if I had one. The last thing you want is for those Buoy's to go down and dissapear..

Personally, I don't have a Board. I use a BIG Reel attached to my shooting line. If my buoy's get taken down, I can still pull on my Reel Line.

The trick is to use the currents. Get the fish out off the drop off.

The idea that the Polypro is going to be better getting shredded on the Reef is good in theory, but normally it's the Shooting line which meets Reef.. Dyneema, Cable, Mono will all break if a Big Doggie Wraps a Coral Head. Best bet is to keep them off..

It seems nearly impossible to Stone a Big Doggie.

Are you going with Louis? Do you know Gavin H in Capetown/Arnesten? He could give you some advice on how to rig for Doggies.

Be careful.. As said above.. Dogtooth Tuna have lured many good and experienced divers to their demise. They are deep. They like currents. I like the idea of keeping a Big rigid loop on my breakaway line and a big rigid loop on my belt. Use the loatline with a Tuna Clip. Then you can keep it attached to your belt 95% of the time. If you actually get into position for a shot, just unclip and clip. You need to practice this a bit but it becomes second nature. This allows you to dive 95% of the time with a Safety Rope on.. Even if you are diving with a vigilant Buddy, it would be tough for them to get down in a panic to 2O-25mtrs and then? Pull you up in Heavy currents?
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Old 10-31-2011, 06:44 PM   #6
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Jon you're going to have to give a better explanation of this unclip/clip method. I have never heard of this before.
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Old 10-31-2011, 07:33 PM   #7
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Hi,

The idea is that 95% of the drops you do for Dogtooth, you are not pulling the trigger. And, since a lot of these dives are in deep currents.. it's the best possible situation for you and your buddy that you are attached to the floatline. This way if something strange happens.. he/she can pull you up from the surface rather than swimming down..

A Rigid Loop. I make this by wrapping a Loop of 3mm Kevlar or Dyneema with Electrical tape. I put one loop on my Weight belt, on the front/side. Easily accessible/visible. The other goes on the Breakaway Cable. Easily visible/accessible. When I actually see a Big fish.. Unclip/Clip. Otherwise, I still have my Reel connected to my shooting line and can use that for smaller fish.

It's just one technique. Take it or leave it.

I've had 4 friends drown over here.. all 4 would have benefitted from being tied to a Buoy. 3 of them were hunting for Dogtooth. 2 of them have never been recovered. I know that most SWB occurs at or near the Surface.. but that was not the case with these divers, to our knowledge. I just don't see how a buddy is going to swim down in raging currents to 1O,2O,3O.. mtrs and pull up an unconscious diver. Cameron Kirkconnell did this with an Ultra lucky fin Shot... but even he almost drowned in the process. This is an issue which also effects very experienced divers.
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Old 10-31-2011, 08:55 PM   #8
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Not alot of experience but thought I'd chime in. Buddy shot a 150+++ lb doggie right in front of me off deep atol reef off Palau. Head shot at angle out lower jaw. Great shot. 100 ft vinyl/para cord floatline, 50 ft norprene (150 ft para inside), 3 riffe inflatable float. All dissappeared in like 5 seconds. only reason we retrieved gear was shaft came up with baseball size piece of meat left over(we saw more sharks than imaginable down deep chasing it). Unreal power to pull that gear down so quick. Glad those sharks didn't come back up at us!!! I second the tuna board
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Old 10-31-2011, 09:11 PM   #9
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

In my limited experience this is what I have observed....

First Im not shooting them deep. As what other people have said, dogs are found in deep fast currents with big downdrafts that kill people. Bottom line is Im scared and not afraid to say it. Ive been caught in downcurrents while free and scubadiving and they are no joke.

The first thing the fish will do if shot in the head is stop and shake his head to try and dislodge the object. This is your one and only chance to stop the fish. You have to have the frame of mind and not let the excitement get to you. When the fish shakes its head you need to gain control of the fish and start horsing the float line to the surface with you. If you dive deep, you cannot do it as its too dangerous and can cause a SWB from all the excertion of energy.

The fish in my avatar at 154lbs was a perfect shot immediately behind one gill plate, through the gills and the tip lodged inside the other side of its head. A great shot that massively hurt the fish. Still it was all I could do to keep control of it. They are the most powerful fish in the Pacific and I dare to say the most sporting. Sure a big 200+ pound tuna or marlin is big and powerful but basically all you have to do is shoot them and let the float line and bouys do all the work. Dogs are found on reefs, and will wrap and shred SS cable in pieces. You actually have to fight them and CANNOT just let your line go as with bluewater fish. good luck we all look forward to hear the stories and seeing the pics.
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Old 11-01-2011, 12:37 AM   #10
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

X 2 on what what these guys say.

unless you find 2fishn2's meca, the big boys are deep, and be ready to do drops well past 80-100' in current. They love flashers- one trick that works well is to keep a 12" or so square of plastic mirror on a long line- one guy lets the flasher sink while the shooter dives above it on its way down.

I run 400lb mono on a double barb 7.5mm shaft, and shoot a 140cm gun. I found that the depth that you need to dive makes big heavy guns a pain in the ass. I run a straight 130' poly line to two 3 ATM riffe floats. I have tried bungiees, but in my opinion they are not good for doggies.

Head shots are good, but so is an aft shot. I have stoned several by shooting for the spot midway between the top aft fin (the one with white on it) and the the asshole. Then again its hard to beat a shot right behind the eye. Don't baby the fish once you shoot it- horse the hell out of it, its quite hard to snap 400lb mono if it is away from the reef.

Some areas I think are just to sharky to hunt- some areas are just infested and will eat anything you shoot, and then maybe come after you (been there). Also, some areas in my opinion are just to nasty and dangerous to hunt. There are some spots I hear about in Indo that are just not worth the risk.

Good luck! these fish are the toughest fish around.
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Old 11-01-2011, 03:04 PM   #11
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Guys, thank you for all the input. All the above makes perfect sense. I am going armed to the teeth! I am going with Craig Scott from Orca Spearfishing on Sakatia.
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Old 11-01-2011, 03:06 PM   #12
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Quote:
Originally Posted by Behslayer View Post
Hi,

The idea is that 95% of the drops you do for Dogtooth, you are not pulling the trigger. And, since a lot of these dives are in deep currents.. it's the best possible situation for you and your buddy that you are attached to the floatline. This way if something strange happens.. he/she can pull you up from the surface rather than swimming down..

A Rigid Loop. I make this by wrapping a Loop of 3mm Kevlar or Dyneema with Electrical tape. I put one loop on my Weight belt, on the front/side. Easily accessible/visible. The other goes on the Breakaway Cable. Easily visible/accessible. When I actually see a Big fish.. Unclip/Clip. Otherwise, I still have my Reel connected to my shooting line and can use that for smaller fish.

It's just one technique. Take it or leave it.

I've had 4 friends drown over here.. all 4 would have benefitted from being tied to a Buoy. 3 of them were hunting for Dogtooth. 2 of them have never been recovered. I know that most SWB occurs at or near the Surface.. but that was not the case with these divers, to our knowledge. I just don't see how a buddy is going to swim down in raging currents to 1O,2O,3O.. mtrs and pull up an unconscious diver. Cameron Kirkconnell did this with an Ultra lucky fin Shot... but even he almost drowned in the process. This is an issue which also effects very experienced divers.
Your input is appreciated and will follow advise! I know Louis from Rabitech fairly well! I am going with 3 guys from SA and another from France. Looking forward to it! Cheers for the help! Richard
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Old 11-01-2011, 06:01 PM   #13
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

A different Louis, Louis H. He just ordered a gun for Doggies..
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Old 11-02-2011, 09:58 AM   #14
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

Sorry! What are the specs of the gun he ordered from you? Just out of interest!
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:35 PM   #15
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Re: Spearing Dogtooth Tuna

He ordered:

165cm Enclosed Track
-4 x 16mm Bands
-8mm Shaft for Slip Tip
-1OOyd Reel
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