New lake speargun

[delcardoevan]

I joined this forum to get some advice from experienced guys like you. I got into spearfishing a couple years ago to shoot carp at our cabin(which is on a lake). I have a JBL mini-carbine right now. I got this gun because it was cheap and I was pretty inexperienced at the time. I want to step up to something a little bigger that will work in our lake against 2 foot carp and maybe some pikes. I want a gun that will be able to transition to saltwater(Hawaii next spring break). I wouldn't use the gun for anything serious just some fun in the summer. I just want a gun that will get the job done. Any ideas would be great.

Thanks!

[ILDiver]

Not sure what your Vis is where you are. In Illinois and Wisconsin I have a use 90cm and a 55cm OMER Caymans. 75cm is a good length for 5-10' vis. A 75 will work ok in HI, a 90cm prolly better.

For carp, the JBL is a good gun. Guns "we" use in WI are Omer, HammerHead, JBL an others. I like the single band Euro guns.

[blaiz]

Dont buy a gun for a weeks diving in Hawaii, buy a gun for what you will be diving the most. When you get to hawaii you can always get a cheap polespear, which many of the good divers here use (most good reef fish are found in holes and caves and therefore very close contact, polespears can actually be more productive than guns. Multiple shots on the same drop, and sometimes multiple fish)

If you choose to get a shorter gun, say a 55 or 75, they will work in Hawaii. You may not be able to hunt the deeperwater species but seeing as you dive in a lake, you are probably accustomed to shallower water.(I mean this in the nicest way) A 90cm gun will be a great gun for diving in Hawaii but make sure it will be ideal for where you dive.

As far as gun type, Like IL Diver said Omer and Hammerhead are great guns. Both probably priced fairly similar except HHs are set up with an open muzzle and 2 bands(little more power, longer to load) Both these guns are popular in Hawaii but most opt for the open muzzle. Also Beuchat, Sporosub, Rabtech, Rob Allen.... all great guns. I personally think that the only "real" difference between these guns are the price. Its true that "off the shelf" each gun will shoot a little different, but with modifications you can make any gun suitable for your type of diving.

I have heard that JBLs are popular for hunting carp but thats really the only good thing I have ever heard about them. I think they are like a shotgun, great at close range but blow a huge hole and from far... couldnt hit the broad side of a barn.

Good luck

[delcardoevan]

thanks guys. i agree with you about the jbl's accuracy. the best shot is almost touching the carp.

[mishu1984]

i would suggets getting a cressi-sub (no i dont work for them-but ive shot more fish with cressi than any other brand)
accurate of the shelf. rubbers are easy to load, and not as expensive as an omer. AB Biller is a good gun. then again, anything is good compared to a jbl.
cressi has a new gun out that i havent been able to tinker with, but the comanche is pretty good.
an 75-90 should take care of most fish upto 20lbs provided you shoot him right.

[TOOmas]

last summer i was going to get a JBL magnum woody, or something around that name. but after reading up on them and hearing the negative reviews i ended up w/ a 70cm Rob Allen. i use it for freshwater carp, tench, and other nongame fish. i am confident that if i do some travelling it would be great for reef spearing. it wasnt too expensive either, $175 or so i think.

[delcardoevan]

where do you spearfish in idaho Toomas? is it legal to do it out there?

[TOOmas]

Originally Posted by delcardoevan

where do you spearfish in idaho Toomas? is it legal to do it out there?

I live up in the panhandle right on lake pend oreille, its a huge lake that gets very deep. Its only legal to spear non-game fish. So all of the fish that our lake is known for (kokanee, mackinaw, rainbow trout, bass... etc) are off limits. This means I am limited to shooting suckers, tench, catfish, and other such undesireables.

Thomas

[delcardoevan]

is it good hunting?

[TOOmas]

i havnt really had the chance to hit all of the spots i want to, like i said its a huge lake. ellisport bay, where we usually spear, rarely lets us down. we just go along, not deep at all, and look out for tench or suckers along the bottom. there are a bunch of lake houses with docks going out into the water so there is lots of cover for fish, and there is the possiblity of finding lost valuables from the wealthy. I really want to try the slough as there are a bunch of catfish in there. i wouldnt say the hunting is great however, the species of fish that are legal to shoot dont get too large; however, the lake is large. So there are a bunch of different places to go with very different outcomes and terrains. i havnt racked up more than two fish on a hunt, but i attribute that to not having a wetsuit yet so i couldnt stay in the water for a prolonged period of time.

sorry i rambled, i blame the wine. hope you could make some sense of this.
Thomas

[delcardoevan]

thanks i'll have to check it out when i take a trip out west

[Ron S]

Toomas,
The RA 70 is one of the guns I'm looking at for shore diving in NorCal, so I'd sure like to hear your opinion of the gun after having used it. How's the accuracy and have you had any problems with it???
Thanks,
Ron.

[TOOmas]

Originally Posted by delcardoevan

thanks i'll have to check it out when i take a trip out west

yea, im always looking for someone to spear w/. id be happy to show you round if you wanted.

Ron, Im pretty inexperienced so please take my word w/ a grain of salt.

I have been bery pleased w/ the 70cm Rob Allen; it shoots where i aim it, which unfortunatly isnt always the fish , but thats my own fault. The fish i go for dont get too big but i would feel comfortable targeting some bigger fish if i ever got the chance, there is plenty of punch with a 20mm band. its also short enough to be manuverable, and im not sure if there is kelp where you are but i imagine that this gun handle well in it. All in all im really happy w/ the quality of the gun, i think im a little bit spoiled getting it as my first one. the price was great too.
hopefully some of that answered your question, if not please say so and ill try to be more specific.

Thomas