# Spear fishing, anyone do it? whats a good gun



## Guest

Ckeck-out Spearboard.com, but cheap doesn't mix well with Scuba or Free Diving. You can find a lot of info on decent guns under $200.


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## alain_vallejo

wood and rubber bands is the way to go.


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## cutrunner

Just so you know, its not lobster season and its illegal to spear within 300 or 500 ft from a jetty. Cant remember which. Just sayin... But i love spearfishing


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## Brett

DIY Hawaiian sling from a previous post

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1247395535/11#11


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## logandorn96

> Just so you know, its not lobster season and its illegal to spear within 300 or 500 ft from a jetty. Cant remember which.  Just sayin...   But i love spearfishing


I didnt keep the lobster, and i guess i learned something new about how far i can spear from


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## logandorn96

Also just to clear it up i will mainly be spearing for grouper, snapper and reef fish. So what ever you think will be best in a general area of Hawaiian sling, spear gun, or pole spear let me know

much appreciated.


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## cutrunner

Nothing deadlier than a polespear on the reef, cuz of that instant reload. With the hawiian sling it one shot. Sporting, but when you see the fish of a lifetime and you get buck fever, youll see what im talking about


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## kentvanhook

*dont do it much so i would still consider myslef very novice at it but we go about twice a year down to the keys and i have become what i think is very good at the sling.  you will love this man it is duch a thrill to get a big grouper on!! *


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## Brett

I found the Hawaiian sling to be very effective on snapper.
It was a beneficial side effect of how it's used.
With a pole spear or trigger action gun, the tip of the spear
is continuously getting closer and closer to the targeted fish.
That makes the fish spooky, they know what being chased means.
With a sling, I didn't draw back until I was sure of making the shot.
The tip of the spear and hinged barb moving away from the snapper at the last second
actually made the fish hesitate and turn to see what was going on.
Bad mistake, as the next thing that happened was 60 inches of 5/16 diameter stainless
going through the head just behind the eye. Chunk!


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## deerfly

Sling hands down for clearing a reef of small to medium sized fish, bigger fish too if you use heavy enough surgical tubing. But nothing can beat a sling in experienced hands for loading a cooler, especially free diving shallow reefs, say 30' or less. It gives you a great balance of distance and efficiency for multiple shots over everything else. In my experience a missed fish gets out of pole spear distance much faster and stays there regardless of how fast I can re-tension it for a follow up shot. Whereas with a sling I can pick up the spear and reload while taking chase and more often than not get another shot at a spooked fish. Like pole spears slings are inherently safe too, practically no chance for an accident compared to gun's.  

Pole spear trumps the sling for bigger fish that you can get close to, especially holed up grouper and snapper when you have room to maneuver the pole. The pole spear with a detachable head is also the preferred weapon over a sling where ever sharks are a nagging problem. Having 6'-8' of space between your hand and the fish the shark is trying to eat off the end of the spear can be the difference between a good and bad day on the water. 

Guns are better for open water and/or cherry picking bigger fish off a reef and of course cases where you need a little extra range. But all that comes at the cost of getting one shot and one shot only, then having to rewind and reload etc. You have a happy distance from hungry sharks eating fish off the spear with the gun too. Guns are easier to be accurate with out of the box than a sling and probably the pole too for some people. Guns lend themselves well for tank diving too since you have more time to fuss with the lines and all. 

If you're just getting started though I think slings are fun way to get going and will surprise you with their effectiveness once you get the hang of it.

This was some time ago, but a memorable day outside of Ceasars creek.


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## logandorn96

yah, im thinking a sling, and maybe a pole spear too. I just want something to do other than fishing, but still keeps me on the water.

Any idea what size pole spear i would need (I'm 5'6") and growing

and any suggestions on hawaiian slings? Make or buy?


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## TomFL

Get the biggest gun you can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkzPdUAOYWI&feature=player_embedded#at=23


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## deerfly

> yah, im thinking a sling, and maybe a pole spear too. I just want  something to do other than fishing, but still keeps me on the water.
> 
> Any idea what size pole spear i would need (I'm 5'6") and growing
> 
> and any suggestions on hawaiian slings? Make or buy?


For pole spears I would stick to one in the 6'-8' range, much smaller and you really have to get close and longer than that you'll run into clearance issues on holed up fish or working under ledges etc. The one I have is a 3pc take down and I think it's about 7'. That size worked very well for me all over S.FL the keys and a dozen or so Bahamas trips.

You can get sling spears from 1/4" to 5/16" diameter and 5'-6' in length. You'll want to make sure the shaft is spring steel, although I imagine that's all you can get these days. The slings themselves are usually about 3" diameter and some kind of water tolerant wood like mahogany, others are molded plastic. Neither is better, one kinda' floats when you let go of it and the other sinks and there will be plenty of times when you wish you had the other one. 

I tried a 1/4" rig for a while but didn't like it. The shaft was too light and easy to bend and it didn't have near the power of my bigger sling. But it was easier to shoot and a little better suited for small fish for sure. Probably not a bad setup if you're getting started and still growing though. 

Along those lines, slings can vary in power depending on the wall thickness of the tubing, the outside diameter isn't necessarily an indicator. Ideally you'd want to find a dive shop with a few different models to try and see what you can handle most comfortably. Or an online shop where you could talk to someone that can help you pick one better suited for your physique.


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## cutrunner

> Get the biggest gun you can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkzPdUAOYWI&feature=player_embedded#at=23


Umm lol to heck with a gun, get a bangstick or two


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## Brett

I don't like the production model slings.
A home made one will fit your grip better
and the band can be adjusted to your draw strength.

One important thing to remember using a sling,
never shoot horizontal to the bottom, always angle downwards.
That way, when you miss, the spear shaft won't disappear in the silt or grass.
By angling the shot downwards, the shaft will stick up from the bottom.

That really does make it easier to find... 

Before chasing fish, I practice on trash on the bottom.
A few minutes spearing empty cans and plastic bottles,
then tossing the junk in the boat, cleans up my dive spots
and preps me for actually hitting the fish I want for dinner.


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## logandorn96

any suggestions on a tip? for pole spear or hawaiian sling


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## Brett

Most sling shafts come with the barb already attached.
Very simple and durable set up that way.
I usually filed the factory round tip into a 4 sided point.
Seemed to cut through scales/bone better that way.


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## SilentHunter

Wanna be a Boss? Wanna shoot fish with good reliable guns made in america? Want the best customer service that is unheard of from any company in the world?

Choose Mako Spearguns. Dano there can hook you up with a sick gun and answer any questions you could have about guns.

for reef fish i suggest this gun 

http://www.makospearguns.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MPPR

get that in a 110cm open muzzle with twin 16 mm bands with the mini sharkfin shaft.

It shoots dead straight has small recoil. Has a 3 year no questions warranty.

I bought a 130 oceanic pro there a year and a half ago. and it still to this day shoots dead straight like it did the first shot i took that walked through a 50 lb cobia like it was butter at 15 feet.

Im not a rep for them. I just give credit where credit is due when your treated by a company that makes you feel your there most important customer no matter what your buying even if it is the cheapiest thing for 2 bucks on there website. Good luck happy killing.


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