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Upper Gulfcoast This is the area for spearfishermen in Panama City, Destin/Ft. Walton, Pensacola, Alabama, Miss., and Louisiana.

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Old 09-23-2010, 06:21 AM   #1
DestinSpearo
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Taking the Plunge

Signed up for an open water course here in town. Been wanting to do it for awhile and finally did it. Looking forward to getting some experience on the bottom.
I'm pretty confident at the surface, freediving and fishing with my float line and bouy.

What would be the safest way to fish the bottom? Just with the gun and shooting line, or should I pick up a reel?

Safety, Prepardness and Patiently Learning the Ropes
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:55 AM   #2
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Re: Taking the Plunge

I say lose the line and free-shaft. Much quicker to load, but you have to be a little more selective with your shots.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:00 AM   #3
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Re: Taking the Plunge

Don't plan on using the float line on the bottom. It seems like it might be a bit dangerous.

Was thinking about picking up a reel and some more 300# mono, but wasn't sure if just the shooting line already on the gun would be sufficient?
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:07 AM   #4
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Re: Taking the Plunge

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Don't plan on using the float line on the bottom. It seems like it might be a bit dangerous.

Was thinking about picking up a reel and some more 300# mono, but wasn't sure if just the shooting line already on the gun would be sufficient?
I spear out of Destin and shoot a line gun and have never felt I needed a reel. One of my buddies usually free shafts which is faster, but he has had to pass on shots on AJs or fish back in a hole.

I've been interested in freediving for a while so I'd be interested in comparing notes.
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Old 09-23-2010, 11:32 AM   #5
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Re: Taking the Plunge

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I spear out of Destin and shoot a line gun and have never felt I needed a reel. One of my buddies usually free shafts which is faster, but he has had to pass on shots on AJs or fish back in a hole.

I've been interested in freediving for a while so I'd be interested in comparing notes.
Absolutely! I am not an expert by any means at free diving, but have done it a fair amount. Shoot me a PM, maybe we could swap some fishing locations, free diving/scuba to help each other out.

I try to be in the water as much as possible. I'm prior military, using that GI Bill for school and working about 40hrs per week so I get pretty tied up with responsibilities; but I always find time to get in the water.
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Old 09-24-2010, 09:57 AM   #6
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Re: Taking the Plunge

Destin spear,
My recommendation based on 3 yrs. experience Spearfishing between destin and PC is get a free shaft gun. 50+ inch. This is what has been recommended to me by the more experienced Sprearfishermen I have met in the area. Much simpler system-1 band typically used-No line, quicker to load, quicker to string fish, better range. The Gags on the stuff shallower than 120' are squittish and the extra range of the longer gun without the line helps. Also these guns are usually rigged with a quick change to lineshaft to give that option. I no longer even carry the line shaft with me. Shot placement is the key. Look up ocean rhino on the web for good explaination. Put it this way, my dive buddy has used a line shaft gun for 20+ yrs and gave me crap about freeshafting-He now is a believer in the free shaft guns for our type hunting.
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Old 09-24-2010, 10:19 AM   #7
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Re: Taking the Plunge

I appreciate everyone's advise!!
I will look into the free shaft gun route, it sounds like a better option-but shot placement would definitely be an important factor.
The class starts next week. I'm thinking it will take me a few dives after getting certified before I'm comfortable enough to start hunting down there.
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Old 09-24-2010, 10:27 AM   #8
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Re: Taking the Plunge

Here's my opinion for what ever it is worth, When I started I used a freeshaft gun, I lost some fish and lost some shafts. I became more accurrate with time but ended up switching to a line gun. Heres why.
Everytime I hunted I would see a fish that there was no way I would chance it freeshafting. A nice AJ or large grouper, etc. Then I would have a large percent of fish that were not "Stoned" on m first shot shake or swimm off the shaft. Point being with a line you have a much higher Chance of landing the fish with a badly placed shot.
The more powerfull guns are not as effected by a line as some of the smaller "reef guns"
I used to shoot a biller for 15+ years, and it was geat. I ended up retiring it and now shoot a Mako120 , and a Riffe 100. I have not lost a fish due to the line limiting my range, either the fish was within effective range or it isn't. I have a reel on my Mako but have never needed it even on really large AJ's.
Now some of the greats out there (You all know who you are) Can a stone a fish at 20' with one hand behind your back. I leave the freeshafting to them. >
I suggest using a regular line gun maybe dabble a bit with freeshafting but murphy's law is a bitch.
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Old 09-24-2010, 03:08 PM   #9
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Re: Taking the Plunge

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Old 09-24-2010, 06:04 PM   #10
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Re: Taking the Plunge

Starting out your going to miss a few (probbly) a lot of shots. Your going to tag a lot of fish that are not stone shots and there going for a swim, Wrestle with the line or watch a shaft swim away. The line is a pain in the as* but after a few dives you get pretty fast restringing it. You always can reload the shaft and not rewind the line for a faster shoot. Sooner or latter you will dive with a shooter that free shafts and you to will become a convert to free shafting and start carring a second shaft in your hand. Or if you have "lots" of money you can by a gun that has both free shaft and line shaft on one gun then the question becomes which trigger to pull.
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Old 09-24-2010, 07:57 PM   #11
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Re: Taking the Plunge

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Old 09-26-2010, 12:47 PM   #12
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Re: Taking the Plunge

I freeshaft exclusively while scuba shooting as does most of my crew and have seen very few places in the northern gulf where it would have been advantageous to have a line gun. There have been a few for sure but expressed as a percent its tiny. I have passed on big jacks that I could have taken if I had a lineshaft but only because I didn't have the shot I wanted and thats only 1 fish a day as opposed to the 2 red snapper, 4 grouper, and 5 mangroves plus all the others that are way easier to freeshaft than line. I have never heard of anyone passing on a big grouper because they didn't have a lineshaft until this thread.

Neither I nor my friends tend to dive wrecks when we go out shooting so maybe that would account for the difference. Switching to a gun designed for freediving to use on scuba like a Mako or a Riffe doesn't strike me as practical for reef hunting since they take much longer to reload and you still only have 1 shaft. The biggest advantage to freeshafting comes from being able to leave a fish in the last throes before death still on your shaft on the bottom. Other fish are drawn to this presenting you with an excellent opportunity to shoot those too.

SCUBA shooting is a different style with very different techniques than freediving. The only people I know that use reels for scuba shooting are using them for 70#< AJs that their club won't give them points for if they were powerheaded.
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Old 09-26-2010, 09:14 PM   #13
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Re: Taking the Plunge

For those who havent met Rob yet or had the pleasure of shooting with him. The best advice would be for him to tie the line to his left leg and after shooting swim for the boat. He's like 8 feet tall and swims like a fish. Im purty sure he could drag a dolphin to the surface if need be.
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Old 09-28-2010, 03:53 AM   #14
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Re: Taking the Plunge

Vann and Pat have it down.

Once you get off the leash, you will never go back.

That is a fact.

Many on the gulf coast think cable and slip tips, but it's not needed.
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Old 09-28-2010, 05:23 PM   #15
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Re: Taking the Plunge

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Vann and Pat have it down.

Once you get off the leash, you will never go back.

That is a fact.

Many on the gulf coast think cable and slip tips, but it's not needed.
Well, not needed on the stuff over here. I'd not argue the merit of such a setup out on the oil rigs. I think the pics posted by the people shooting whichever style in relevant areas should speak volumes of how a new guy in that area should set up their gear. Might be an interesting thing to add to the profile section under location.?
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