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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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09-23-2010, 06:21 AM | #1 |
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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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Destin Underwater Hunters Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear. -Mahatma Gandhi Stay Informed MyFWC.com |
09-23-2010, 07:55 AM | #2 |
Feed um steel
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Alabama
Posts: 68
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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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Choot 'em.........Choot 'em again |
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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Destin Underwater Hunters Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear. -Mahatma Gandhi Stay Informed MyFWC.com |
09-23-2010, 08:07 AM | #4 | |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Posts: 152
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Re: Taking the Plunge
Quote:
I've been interested in freediving for a while so I'd be interested in comparing notes. |
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09-23-2010, 11:32 AM | #5 | |
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Re: Taking the Plunge
Quote:
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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Destin Underwater Hunters Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear. -Mahatma Gandhi Stay Informed MyFWC.com |
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09-24-2010, 09:57 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Seagrove
Posts: 71
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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. |
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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Destin Underwater Hunters Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear. -Mahatma Gandhi Stay Informed MyFWC.com |
09-24-2010, 10:27 AM | #8 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Key LArgo
Posts: 288
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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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09-24-2010, 03:08 PM | #9 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Posts: 152
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Re: Taking the Plunge
DestinSpear: PM sent.
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09-24-2010, 06:04 PM | #10 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Port Richey, Fl.
Age: 69
Posts: 1,415
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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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09-24-2010, 07:57 PM | #11 |
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Re: Taking the Plunge
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Destin Underwater Hunters Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear. -Mahatma Gandhi Stay Informed MyFWC.com |
09-26-2010, 12:47 PM | #12 |
Panama City Diving
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Panama City Beach, Fl
Age: 45
Posts: 3,789
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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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-Capt Patrick Green Need Advanced Training? Scuba Certification in Panama City The Most Spear Friendly Dive Shop in Panama City. Panama City Diving |
09-26-2010, 09:14 PM | #13 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 58
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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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09-28-2010, 03:53 AM | #14 |
yes-yes
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Playa Jaco, Costa Rica
Posts: 2,560
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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. |
09-28-2010, 05:23 PM | #15 |
Panama City Diving
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Panama City Beach, Fl
Age: 45
Posts: 3,789
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Re: Taking the Plunge
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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-Capt Patrick Green Need Advanced Training? Scuba Certification in Panama City The Most Spear Friendly Dive Shop in Panama City. Panama City Diving |
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