Big Bermuda Hogfish.....

[neil burnie]

Thought I had Mark Laboccetta's fish beaten three days ago, but waited too long to get the fish weighed on an approved scale!!
Still a good fish tho' and fed about 10 people last night at dinner.

OOPS, just read the new IUSA listings and see a 21 pounder tops us both!!

Bones

[asd]

Nice fish!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're using a polespear with a slip-tip. What kind of rig/set up is it?

[neil burnie]

Yep, it's a Manny Puig with a JBL slip tip on a 3/16 extension. I took off the wire and run a 500# spectra loop through the tip and attach it to a 5' length of Spectra reinforced poypro rope , (the spectra is too thin to grip) so that if I shoot a big Black Grouper the tip snaps away from the elastics holding
it against the spear and I have a rope directly to the fish. The guys who shoot ''rockies'' as they're known here often get their spears trashed as a big fish drags them into the coral. We got one back at the weekend, 1/4 mile from where it was first shot, jammed into another reef. I had to cut the stainless holding the slip tip in as it was buried in the bone too far in to be able to reach....The fish was still pretty strong 2 hours after being first hit. The world record of 59# has been broken here a bunch of times but the guys here don't think it's cool to brag!! As soon as I get one over 65# you can bet your ass I'm going to submit it!

Bones

[unirdna]

You know you're a spearo when.....

....a photo of a big, slimy hog makes your hungry .

Great fish! And nice shot - not even a hole through the fillet .

[asd]

Thanks for the description of your rig. Good idea.
I'll be using something similar, as soon as I find a lathe.
Happy diving bro.

[neil burnie]

Well it's a lot easier to get a head shot when the head makes up almost 50%
of the side view of the fish!

Bones