Looking For a Penumatic Speargun *ADVISE*

[BanicosCY]

- I will be spearfishing close to the shore
- Main fish target Sea bass
- Decent Visability (Normaly)
- Location ; Cyprus


Any help? advice please.

edit:

Theres loads of rocks around, and large sandy area's.

Please include prices if you can

[ulysses]

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

The only air gun suitable would be one with a dry barrel kit like a mamba. A Maori Mamba 90 is as big as most people can handle and would do the job. However it is not an easy gun for a novice. Generally 90% of fishing you describe is with a single band euro gun. Single band 90 to 110 cm would be my choice. The 90 with an 18mm band and a 6.5mm spear rigged with mono, no reel.

Never fished Cyprus so this is general advise. Standard air guns are normally totally unsuited to shallow water bassing in good vis.

Dave

Dave

I beg to partially disagree . A 70-90cm pneumatic with or without Mamba-kit can be the ideal weapon for shallow water bassing. Same range as a 90-100cm band-gun, but a lot more manoeuvrable. For bass hunting manoeuverability matters.

Often I am using a Mamba 90 when bassing in Greece with good results.

There is a locally famous Greek spearo called Giannis Vlachos. In one of his films dedicated almost exclusively to shallow water bassing (0.5-5m max depth) he is using an a standard 85cm Spark (without reel) with absolutely extraordinary results (of course, also due to this technique). BTW: a very good film where Vlachos develops his personal interpretation of shallow water 'Agguato'. In a way he is the Greek Dapiran.

Cheers

[ulysses]

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

My brother Mart AKA "Foxfish" is THE shallow water bass expert with a mamba 90.

In the med?

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

I use an Omer XXV Gold. Both of these guns are very manouverable. However, I am assuming BanicosCY is a novice and both these guns need a bit of experience to get the best out of them. The Mamba is also quite expensive.

Agreed, a 90cm band-gun is versatile and quite maneouverable, but a Mamba 90cm (or standard airgun of equivalent size) is certainly more maneourverable (difference in overall length is more than 20cms; 143cm (band-gun) vs. 121cm (Mamba) to be exact). In the Med, if the bass are 'interested' at all, they tend to come close.

Anyway, our friend asked about the appropriate pneumo for the job, innit? A standard 85cm Spark/Stealth @ around EUR90 is perfectly up to the task.

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

Almost any fish can be shot with any gun. There are times when half a house brick could be used to "brain" a bass.

Rumour has it that on certain days of the year one can simply grab 10kg plus bass by the lower jaw in your waters

Cheers
ulysses

[Fondueset]

I'd cast my vote as like this:

A mares Cyrano or Spark mimentic in the 90cm range
Add a mamba kit later if you want more range.

[BanicosCY]

Thanks for all your help.

When i went to cyprus last year I used my cousins Penumatic Speargun caught 3 or 4 bass a day ( I was in the water for quite along time ) I noticed most of the locals where using Penumatic guns, so I dont really wanna go there with banded guns. (Note;// None of the locals had Reels either, they where getting big bass 3kg+.

More advise if possible.

(Please include rough price estimates if you can)

[ulysses]

Originally Posted by BanicosCY

Thanks for all your help.

When i went to cyprus last year I used my cousins Penumatic Speargun caught 3 or 4 bass a day ( I was in the water for quite along time ) I noticed most of the locals where using Penumatic guns, so I dont really wanna go there with banded guns. (Note;// None of the locals had Reels either, they where getting big bass 3kg+.

More advise if possible.

(Please include rough price estimates if you can)

Banicos,

Go by what the locals are using. If you liked the gun you borrowed from your cousin get this one.

In general terms, I would prefer a Stealth/Spark over the Cyrano. Stealth/Spark and Cyrano are 99% the same gun, but the Stealth/Sparks is about 40% cheaper and much better balanced; the tapered plastic front part on the Cyrano (thus the name) is a conceptual error IMO (less air less overall, less buoyancy in the front part); the grip on the handle or the plastic bag that comes with the Cyrano does not justify the price difference.

For a Stealth/Spark 85 you will pay EUR70-90 in Italy (with a bit of bargaining you will even get it much cheaper unless you are into collecting invoices with Italian value added tax )
=> TuttoPescaMare :: SUBACQUEA » FUCILI SUBACQUEI » FUCILI OLEOPNEUMATICI ::
=> http://www.scubazar.com/index.php?ma...ex&cPath=79_81

I believe, in Cyprus you will be asked to pay twice as much.

Buy tahitian Seatec or Devoto spare shafts for your pneumatic as well. The threaded one that come with every gun you can either (i) give to your cousin or (ii) use it as a curtain rod

Xerete psaradoufekas!
ulysses

P.S. Scubaland and the DB shop are not recommendable for pneumatic guns (limited choice, namely no Stealth/Sparks(!) and quality shafts, plus they are overpriced in this category of gear).

[Fondueset]

I agree with the above - we can't get the spark in the states.

[BanicosCY]

Good advice comming from alot of people thanks for the help.

More advise is welcome i wanna hear everything, as I am only 15 this will be quite a big purchase for me (needed to save money up) so theres no going back once i bought a gun.

[okamotoa]

so im assumeing the spark would be about $100 us? that right if so where at in usd im 18 so same deal buy once buy right....

[okamotoa]

ps an english site would be good 4 me.... if you know of 1

[BanicosCY]

$100USD sounds reasonably cheap it works out to be £50.

Roughly 68Euros?

[QuIck ShOT]

i use a cyrano 110 in pretty much the exact type of areas you are going to be spearing in and i find it quite easy to use and we have really crap visibilty here nearly all the time so usually we have to swim to clear patches of water which can be annoying cause its usually bout 1-2 kilometer off shore but the thing i find useful about 110's is if a fish is close or near rocks switch it to low power and uve pretty much got the power of a 70 pneumatic and if a fish is far away keep it on maximum power and uve got the range and power of ur 110, i was considering getting another cyrano 110 but i might take Ulysses advice and try a spark just to see the minor difference between them, i also find the 110 much easier to aim than my buddies 70 cm but in my opinion it depends on what guns you like and feel most comfortable using, just like sum people prefer band guns and others prefer pneumatics

[BanicosCY]

Thanks again for the advise

[azapa]

Originally Posted by ulysses

Banicos,

In general terms, I would prefer a Stealth/Spark over the Cyrano. Stealth/Spark and Cyrano are 99% the same gun, but the Stealth/Sparks is about 40% cheaper and much better balanced; the tapered plastic front part on the Cyrano (thus the name) is a conceptual error IMO (less air less overall, less buoyancy in the front part); the grip on the handle or the plastic bag that comes with the Cyrano does not justify the price difference.

damn right!

[BanicosCY]

Azapa Thanks for the interesting diagram.

& Thanks for the advice, i will take into account all your suggestions before i go of any buy the gun .


( Aswell as spearfishing in the shallows i do occasionaly go to about 10m of depth (this is still shallow for most of you :P) )