Newbie Spearhunter

[alexrom1207]

Bungie strap will not work well at all, once you switch to the surgical tubing you'll find a much quicker and smoother pull than the bungie. On the subject of carbon fiber, the weight will make the spear basically useless, and the nature of carbon fiber is that it is very rigid and will snap and crack if bent too far, making it a horrible material for a spear.
On the fin issue. Split fins work really well for scuba guys because the tank and bc etc... provides much more resistance than a freediver. So the split fins allow some of the propulsion of the kick to dissipate (hence the water lost when the fin flexes and splits) when the load they are trying to push is too much. This prevents the diver from forcing his way forward and essentially plowing through the water and using up all his energy. This is the reason they feel easier. A freediving fin will not allow that energy to dissipate and for a scuba guy will not really move him faster because it just plows him through the water creating more resistance. Since freedivers are more streamlined they can afford to move faster and don't need a split because the fin flexes when the load increases and that is enough to prevent them from tiring themselves out. But stronger and heavier guys want stiffer fins because a soft fin will flex too soon for them and prevent them from reaching their optimum speed/distance at a reasonable kicking speed.
In the end, skindiving fins are just fine for shallow dives ( I used them for years and years). They are easier on the surface, easier to maneuver with, and will splash less when you dive down an angle (therefore scaring less fish away). I recently got some cressi gara 3000ld freediving fins and there is quite a difference in speed and distance. Leisurepro.com has them cheap if you ever decide to upgrade. But for starting out skindiving fins are a much less expensive and easier way to get started.

Happy hunting

[Padaxes]

Great replies thanks for the info!

I to am using a bungie on my bamboo spear. I will try and source some surgical tubing.... which is harder than it seems in the uk :/ What thickness should I get ?

I`m glad carbon fibre is a bad material because it costs so damn much! I`m having trouble finding aliminium tubing of the right bore, the ones I can find are all wardrobe rails and too thick lol. I`ve been looking at copper tubing though it might be too heavy...

The thing I`m finding frustratnig with my pole spear is that I keep missing the really good kills.

4 times now really juicy Bass have got away from me when I`m pretty sure I would have got them with a speargun, or probably with a hawaiian sling. Still like you guys say all part of the learning curve

[DSRTEGL]

Thats a pity Padaxes...........Aluminum tubing or Aluminium as you say in the UK is found at just about any major home repair store here in the US in a variety of lengths and wall thicknesses.......My concern would be he banding aspect of the aluminum as it is a _itch to get straight again.

I would offer to ship you some but I am afraid the freight charge would likely be prohibitive.

DSRTEGL/Derek

[alexrom1207]

Don't go with copper. Not because of the weight but 1) because the salt water will oxidize it over time and 2) because copper is at it's most expensive price ever right now. There was a report here in Rhode Island USA about thieves going under beach-homes (which are elevated a couple of feet off the ground to prevent damage in the event of a storm surge) and stealing all the copper tubing for their water systems. Crazy stuff. Not to pry but why don't you buy a polespear? I understand that they are not very expensive at all. Or do you just really want to build one yourself?

[Padaxes]

I am enjoying building stuff myself tbh. I`ll get there eventually I`ve learnt a fair bit on tonights trip out actually, I learnt how to sneak up on Bass in the seaweed after a couple of hours practising and hit a really nice big one, but it thrashed off my spear before I could grab it,

Pole Spear MK II will have better barbs

My plan now is to have the back 2/3 made of bamboo and the front 1/3 will be a speargun spear attached to it. That should do the job I reckon.

Still cant get hold of surgical tubing though Anyone know where to order it in the UK ?

[Padaxes]

Landed my first bass, went straight on the barbi and was delicious. Best bit of fish I`ve ever eaten

[blaiz]

congrats! nothing like landing a nice fish on your own homemade gear! Have you tried looking at pharmacies for surgical tubing? If all the heroin addics can find surgical tubing than maybe you gotta go to the streets

[Padaxes]

LOL I tried the pharmacies (chemists as we call them in the UK) with no luck, I wonder where the junkies get it from :/ PLenty of them round here I`ll ask one lol

[Padaxes]

Well I decided to get a cheap speargun to see what it was like and my god is it easy compared to pole spearing! Landed 2 2lb and a 4lb bass so far so am eating well!

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by Padaxes

I think I`m going to make a simple hawaiian sling for sure. Atm im concentrating on making my float out of a boogie board.

I think I`m going to get the biggest wrasse I can find today and try out this recipe...

http://forums.deeperblue.net/recipes...sse-sauce.html

Excellent!
The creamy or the tomato?

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Padaxes

...Still cant get hold of surgical tubing though Anyone know where to order it in the UK ?

Portland Oceaneering used to sell it (or was that silicone tubing*). Try using something likesurgical tubing - Google Search
I found these:

*Surgical Tubing Latex Surgical Tubing reefscuba.com (info)
Stage Cylinders & Acc - Surgical Tubing (small) (UK)

[Padaxes]

Originally Posted by spaghetti

Excellent!
The creamy or the tomato?

You know everytime i see a nice big Wrasse I just dont have the heart to shoot it, so I havnt tried the recipe yet


With regards to the surgical tubing , I found the the first site before but it's in the usa so isnt much use and the 2nd one seems a little thin or is 5mm OD tubing sufficient for a pole spear ?

[Padaxes]

Turns out im even more of a newbie than i thought ive been catching Mullet and thinking they were Bass for the last week :/ Still a 3.5 lbs Mullet is ok isn't it ? I was thinking it wasn't tasting quite as nice though

Mullet have spines too dont they ? But the dorsal fin is a different shape to a Bass - like a fan with 4 spikes?

The other reason I assumed they were Bass because they were exhibiting the same behaviour as solitary Bass, ie, lurking motionless in the sea weed in shallow water. I thought Mullet were shoaling fish ?

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Padaxes

Turns out im even more of a newbie than i thought ive been catching Mullet and thinking they were Bass for the last week :/ Still a 3.5 lbs Mullet is ok isn't it ? I was thinking it wasn't tasting quite as nice though

Mullet have spines too dont they ? But the dorsal fin is a different shape to a Bass - like a fan with 4 spikes?

The other reason I assumed they were Bass because they were exhibiting the same behaviour as solitary Bass, ie, lurking motionless in the sea weed in shallow water. I thought Mullet were shoaling fish ?

Mullet are long & thin (& sometimes broad) with a much smaller spikey fin on top:

Jersey Spearfishing Club

The way we cook them, the taste & texture is v. similar to bass, with slightly more fish taste. We've had both together for a meal several times, both cooked the same way and, when I blind taste test folk, about two thirds choose mullet (& sometimes everyone). Hugh Fernely Wittingstall had a similar result with his smoked mullet on River Cottage Gone fishing.

I've often seen shoals of small and medium mullet & once saw a shoal of big ones (a breath-taking sight and I got one of them as they swam behind and above me, almost unseen). More often though, I see them alone or in groups of two or three.