Thread: Spearfishing

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.

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

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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?

Originally Posted by MB

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

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?

Originally Posted by MB

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

Nothing wrong with it man. My main gun is a 110 its been fine.

For a first gun I would go higher quality handle and mech but alloy barrel. Somthing like a Rob Allen.

Nothing wrong with the wettie guns (I use one), the Rob Allen is just a bit more robust.

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Originally Posted by Gkp

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.

Sounds familiar. My Inverted roller is a 1300, and my double rollers are the same length. And my most used gun is a 110 enclosed track woodie with 2 x 16mm rubbers.
For most of the year, the big fish just aren't around Wellington, so the rollers are just stored away for the odd trip I take to the tropics.

Saying that, the next project gun is a 90cm wooden enclosed track, mid handled, single roller.... for when the vis is really bad during winter, or after the big summer storms when the vis is bad, but the kingies are around in numbers.

Originally Posted by Dorkus

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).

Awesome offer, I'll take you up on that. Mangawhai isn't a problem. PM incoming!

As for "calibre", I am a 7mm08 guy, so 115cm gun and a latte?

Hi MB
The guys who have replied to your post are spot on with their comments. I use a 110 wettie double 14mm gun as my go to gun. I have also found the 110 with a single 20mm rubber as good simple alternative.
My 2 cents would be save the dollars on the carbon barrel and stick with alloy. I believe carbon barrels are too light and not as accurate as the alloy. I have had to place a sinker in the front of my 130 carbon to reduce muzzle lift and the consequence of missing( it now shoots bang on!)
The other reason I prefer alloy is that I drop my gun a lot to mark Cray holes and Paua beds and it gets dragged around by the surge a fair bit and I am not sure the carbon would like that so much.
Whatever you choose just get out, get swimming and enjoy!

Forum Spearfishing meet anyone?