Spearfishing

It was suggested that I start a spearfishing thread so here it is.

I will post a couple of photos of some memorable fish over the last few years and will attempt to keep the thread updated when I dive. If anyone else is out there smashing fish on breath-hold please feel free to chip in and share a yarn or some pics.

Also happy to do Q and A if there's anything people want to know - I don't claim to be an expert but I've been doing it for about 14 years now and have learned a few things from some pretty legendary people along the way.

I know of one other on here, pretty quiet chap though :D @nickbop

There's a few around... I know @Nick-D @superdiver @Freezer wet their gills from time to time

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A nice fish I shot off a burley in the Bay of Islands @ANOTHERHUNTER will recognize the spot!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1faff33570.jpg

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A good feed, again from BOI.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...aaf83dc55d.jpg

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This one is special for two reasons... he's a shade over 20lb and I'm standing less than 50m from where I proposed to my wife. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c45954b886.jpg

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My wife's first snapper on spear. She snooped it totally unassisted (I was head down arse up in a cray hole at the time)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c051564958.jpg

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A nice kingy from Little Barrier in late springhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7659fc1ad6.jpg

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Lots of photos of a great trip with my wife... this was about a month before our wedding and definitely a day to remember!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7b14853513.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b62b7554f6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d9195d28c1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c547e2088d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c2db844980.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...61b14e4f15.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...19e86f05bb.jpg

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An awesome trip to the Three Kings in Decemberhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7861633c25.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...22fb17d97e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ca23df13ef.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b7492d7138.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6c0cc745c7.jpg

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A couple of good eaters from my local. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ac0f206865.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...540057b78e.jpg

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Epic!
So cool you and your Wife go diving together....mine wont get in any of my boats as they are "too small"

Black coral and a photo with dad from a bucket list trip to Fiordland.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...51bf24c341.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...979b8d0f48.jpg

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Good result from the local a couple of weeks ago. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e9b970c27d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0cdc313b17.jpg

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Sunday session at the Hen.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b26963ce65.jpg

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Good idea bro. Some good fish in those pics.
I want to spear three Kings so bad, it looks so epic

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Good idea bro. Some good fish in those pics.
I want to spear three Kings so bad, it looks so epic

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Next time I'm going up I'll give you a bell if there's a spot. Trips usually get planned in advance then cancelled or confirmed last minute based on weather.

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Originally Posted by Dorkus

Next time I'm going up I'll give you a bell if there's a spot. Trips usually get planned in advance then cancelled or confirmed last minute based on weather.

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Awesome man. Keeeeen as.

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@Dorkus nice mate, those boaries are delicious. have nailed a few myself

Good to see my other form of shooting covered here. Been dabbling in the whole freediving thing for a few years now.
Also make my own guns, and fix / modify everything I get my hands on. Invert rollers are the current project.

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Originally Posted by quentin

Good to see my other form of shooting covered here. Been dabbling in the whole freediving thing for a few years now.
Also make my own guns, and fix / modify everything I get my hands on. Invert rollers are the current project.

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Fancy making me one ;)

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Attachment 112331 pb snap of 24lbs shot snooping
Attachment 112332 couple of OK snaps from kawau. Did a session where we shot 7 upto 7kg~ with the odd bronzey buzzing our burlies. Attachment 112333 couple of goldies we plundered from the deep off mayor over the new year. Certainly weren't in a state to dive the next day!

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Fancy making me one ;)

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Could do - what type of speargun rocks your boat / what are you wanting to shoot?

Most of my guns are wooden enclosed track guns, but i've just started dabbling with carbon euro type guns again. I started out with euro guns, but moved away from them as the quality was questionable, and when I lost a fish of a lifetime when a euro handle snapped, I started making everything myself (stocks, triggers, muzzles).
There is still absolute rubbish out there, but there is also some real quality hardware available. As with everything quality comes with cost. Turns out shaft speed comes with complexity, pulleys, and lots of cord.

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Originally Posted by quentin

Could do - what type of speargun rocks your boat / what are you wanting to shoot?

Most of my guns are wooden enclosed track guns, but i've just started dabbling with carbon euro type guns again. I started out with euro guns, but moved away from them as the quality was questionable, and when I lost a fish of a lifetime when a euro handle snapped, I started making everything myself (stocks, triggers, muzzles).
There is still absolute rubbish out there, but there is also some real quality hardware available. As with everything quality comes with cost. Turns out shaft speed comes with complexity, pulleys, and lots of cord.

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Actually thinking more for the missus. She is strong enough but struggles with arm length to load the longer guns. Her little 90 is fine for snooping and inshore stuff but we have been out white island etc a lot recently so she needs something with a bit more grunt and range. Thinking an inverted 100 or 110 with a double wrap and heavy shaft would be a good setup for her. Ill just buy a billy basic 130 euro for me.

I fish a lot and hunt, and I am (or at least was) a keen SCUBA diver with nearly 1000 dives under my belt, so getting in to spearfishing makes sense. I have all the gear apart from a speargun. I'm a little worried about sharks. I don't think it is irrational, I've travelled all over the world to dive with sharks, but an encounter with a pumped up shark while holding a bleeding, dying fish on a breath hold might be a little too exciting for me.

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Originally Posted by MB

I fish a lot and hunt, and I am (or at least was) a keen SCUBA diver with nearly 1000 dives under my belt, so getting in to spearfishing makes sense. I have all the gear apart from a speargun. I'm a little worried about sharks. I don't think it is irrational, I've travelled all over the world to dive with sharks, but an encounter with a pumped up shark while holding a bleeding, dying fish on a breath hold might be a little too exciting for me.

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Sharks are part of the equation, although pretty easily managed. You get used to them pretty fast.

Ime as long as you aren't actively shooting larger fish when sharks are around (kingies seem to be the worst) then you will be fine.

Investing in a float boat is a good tool for peace of mind.

Really they just want the fish, and aren't fussed with you. I wouldn't let it stop you, way more danger from the many fuckwits who don't have a clue on how to safely pilot a boat than sharks imo

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Originally Posted by MB

I fish a lot and hunt, and I am (or at least was) a keen SCUBA diver with nearly 1000 dives under my belt, so getting in to spearfishing makes sense. I have all the gear apart from a speargun. I'm a little worried about sharks. I don't think it is irrational, I've travelled all over the world to dive with sharks, but an encounter with a pumped up shark while holding a bleeding, dying fish on a breath hold might be a little too exciting for me.

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Understandably... I have noticed a massive increase in shark encounters in the last 10 years and am increasingly concerned one of them is going to go pear shaped. That said, it is not nearly enough to stop me doing it and I don't think it should deter you from giving it a nudge.

A couple of things you can do to reduce your chances of an encounter:

• Dive in winter. When the water gets above about 18 degrees, shark numbers in shallow coastal areas will rise steadily until the end of summer.
• Don't use fish burley. Break open kina or mussels, but using fish will increase the likelihood of seeing sharks massively. (Winter is usually a good time for fish burley)
• Shoot fish carefully. Especially with kingfish (generally found in sharky spots), wait until they are close and you have a high percentage shot. Aim for the lateral line just behind the eye (I like to go right where the gill plate meets the lateral line from side-on or slightly quartering away), hitting the brain or spine will effectively switch them off, greatly increasing your chance of landing them quickly with minimal fuss. A gut-shot kingy swimming round in circles making a racket is likely to attract a shark if there's one near by.
• Buy at plat (sometimes called a float-boat) to put your fish in. It keeps them out of the water and away from scavenging bronzies.
• Gut your fish once you get back to the boat. This is a judgement call, gutting and gilling immediately will improve the quality of your fish but is more likely to attract a shark (as well as other fish) - I judge it on time of year (winter go for gold, summer not so much), terrain (shallow boulder area great, deep scary drop off nope) vis (sharks in good vis are cool to watch, sharks in green dirty water are scary as fuck), and if I've got mates to hold my hand (even big kids get scared sometimes).

Sharks can be real fun to dive with. Seals can be real wankers though and there is a big increase of them in winter

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Originally Posted by superdiver

Sharks can be real fun to dive with. Seals can be real wankers though and there is a big increase of them in winter

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I was stick baiting the other day and a seal come flying out of the water beside me onto a rock...then gave me a verbal, smelly tune up....to say I nearly shat my arse is an understatement!!! They are dodge as imo

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Originally Posted by Gibo

I was stick baiting the other day and a seal come flying out of the water beside me onto a rock...then gave me a verbal, smelly tune up....to say I nearly shat my arse is an understatement!!! They are dodge as imo

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They are more annoying than sharks, but overall less dangerous. Have been mugged by the bastards a couple of times

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Actually thinking more for the missus. She is strong enough but struggles with arm length to load the longer guns. Her little 90 is fine for snooping and inshore stuff but we have been out white island etc a lot recently so she needs something with a bit more grunt and range. Thinking an inverted 100 or 110 with a double wrap and heavy shaft would be a good setup for her. Ill just buy a billy basic 130 euro for me.

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The first rubber on the invert guns are easy to load due to the pulleys, so tend to use thicker rubber to maximise spear load. The next 1 or 2 sets are thinner, as they are still a full stretch of the barrel without any mechanical advantage.
If a 90cm gun is at the maximum arm length, then a 100 would make sense for the invert roller (you lose a bit of length with the pulleys and rubber attachment points).

You are right on the money with the spear and double wrap. 8mm spear won't be overkill.

I've never used a roller, let alone a double inverted, but everyone I know who has owned one has gone back to a standard rail gun with single rubber (or short, skinny twins). Most common complaint is "too much faffing about", I see the benefit on a bluewater gun that is going to get fired once or twice a day a max but for general NZ conditions I'm sticking with my RA 120 with short 14s.

Owned multiple rollers. Not worth the hassle in my opinion. Cost me a few fish and my little 110 carbon reel gun is more than sufficient

@Dorkus Good on ya mate.

I am now subscribed and look forward to yours and others contributions !!

Best of luck on the missions[emoji106]

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Hey guys, good thread!
I just purchased a manny sub 1200 inverted roller for up coming blue water trip. I took it out over the weekend to do some target practice and shoot it for the first time in the lake. It is a serious weapon! Compared to my 1300 double 16mm which punched a the spear half way into a piece of 120mm eps(high density foam) the inverted roller sent the spear right through and pulled 6 ft of line through the other side. It is comparable to a compound bow where you can't see the spear fly it is going that quick!
The inverted roller probably won't get much use in nz unless targeting tuna or big kingies but definitely worth having for bigger fish.

Great thread. I have a mannysub 110 roller performer gun and I find it to be fantastic. Very accurate and powerful for the length while being easy to move through the water with little drag compared to other bigger guns. Took a bit of practice to get the loading sorted but is now very simple.

So, Wettie Carbon Reef 110cm. Good gun for a beginner?

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Originally Posted by MB

So, Wettie Carbon Reef 110cm. Good gun for a beginner?

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Considering you are in Whangarei, I assume most of your diving will be similar areas to mine. General advice is east coast north of Gizzy - Go for a 120cm gun. South of Gizzy to Wellington/Kaikoura- Go 90-110. South of Kaikoura - Go north.

That said, a 110 will do 90% of what you will want it to. It is kinda similar to the 308/243 debate - If you go smaller then you need to get closer and be more selective with your shot placement.

Send me a PM and I can possibly get a mate in Whangarei to get you out in some borrowed gear so you can try before you buy - Alternatively, I'm less than an hour away and you can always come out with me (I've got all manner of guns between 90 and 140cm).

Good thread, some good fish there, agree about the sharks, most of the time fun to dive with and seals are assholes

This might be the appropriate place to ask when is Superdiver volume 2 coming out on you tube?