Spearguns

[Jazman]

Sauce,

If you're diving with a wetsuit then a weightbelt is essential - but too much weight can be very dangerous. You want just enough weight to counteract the bouyancy of your wetsuit, so that you can dive down and not pop straight back up again. I always wear a weightbelt.

$180 for that gun doesn't seem too bad, I've just been browsing www.spearfishing.com.au for you, the most popular guns can be basically divided into european and australian.

EUROPEAN

Brands like Omer, Esclapez, Picasso. The only ones within your price range would be:

Esclapez Challenger $199

Esclapez Magnum pro $149

Esclapez Ocean Pro $99

AUSTRALIAN

Brands like Rob Allen (all $400-500+) and Seahornet. Guns in your price range are:

Seahornet Magnum $139

Seahornet Pacific $129

Seahornet Recruit $139

Seahornet Tourist $79



There are a few american gun makers such as Riffe, all out of your price range. I have heard of Mares, don't know what they're like though, never heard of Nemrod.



If you want to target kingies at Portland you'll need a float and rig line attached to your speargun, or else you could lose your gun. If you spear a kingie and it's not a kill shot, they can take off with your gun....if it's attached to a float then you can let your gun go, follow the float, and haul the fish up when it tires. You'll also need a serious gun if you want to target large pelagics like kingies, possibly one with double rubbers.



Something I just thought of, you want to make sure that the gun is not so big that you can't load it - I know when I was 14 I weighed about 40kg wringing wet, and would seriously struggle to load the gun I am currently using!



Good luck in finding a gun, and for your trip to tassie, let us know how you go.

Cheers,

Jaz <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />

[AND1_HOTSAUCE]

Hey Jaz

I am about 5"4 or somthin, do you reckon a 4" gun would be too big for me to load? What length do you recommend??

[Jazman]

In my opinion you want the longest gun that you can comfortably load and handle. You also need to be strong enough to load it. 4' (120cm) sounds about right for you, but make sure you can pull the rubbers back to at least the first notch on the spear. I think my gun is about 140cm, probably too long for you - but if you get the opportunity try a few different sized guns, it should be fairly obvious if one is too big. The advantage of a longer gun is that the point will be closer to the fish when your arm is fully extended, so the actual shot will shorter. Guns which are shorter and more compact are best suited to spearing in heavy reef and caves.

Jaz

[AND1_HOTSAUCE]

You mentioned about a float on the speargun before. Can you please explain a little more about it. Who makes them and how much would I be looking at to get one?

[Jazman]

No worries.

Most of the big names in spearfishing make floats, like Picasso, Omer, Riffe also others like Freedivers and Ronstan. They vary in complexity from a simple 'football' style with/without a dive flag, to floats that resemble mini-boats. The more basic style floats are $50-100, the more complex ones are $200+. Some are inflatable, some are solid. Depending on what you're after, you could make one out of polystyrene or similar bouyant material. My float is a homemade job, I used one of those polystyrene wine-bottle shipping containers. It works alright, but I generally don't take it out, usually because I'm only chasing smaller fish in shallower water. I do take it if I'm heading further offshore.

Floats are usually connected to the gun by a long cord attached to the butt end of the gun by a shark clip. You don't want too big a float if you're just starting out, they can be hard to pull along after a few hours in the water. There is a big selection of floats at www.spearfishing.com, go to the site, and follow the link to 'bouys' in the nav bar on the left hand side.

Cheers

Jaz

[new found]

wudnt it be hard swimmin wif a gun ????

[AND1_HOTSAUCE]

Just like a hawian sling i suppose. What have you got new found?

[new found]

i have got two slings but i only use one and dad uses the other.... ive used a gun befor its a bit hard but i guess prctis makes perfect...

[timmyboy445]

HI



WAt Is The Sea Hornet Tourist like? Does ANy1 knOw I think it would maybe be a good starting gun 4 me ? any comments??



<img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> tim <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':clover:' />

[timmyboy445]

hi



i need info on spear guns in the $80-$200 range



<img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clover.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' /> thx&cheers <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clover.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />

[AND1_HOTSAUCE]

I've been told that seahornet are good. I got one off ebay for $50 bucks and the trigger packed up on my first trip so im not sure bout the brand or the previous owner on that one. I have been looking for a gun since that one broke and haev bout $200. I'm nearly 16, any advice would be a help

[glen]

hi guys,



while you are waiting for a response you might like to check out these two sites -



[url="http://www.extremespearfishing.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl"]http://www.extremespearfishing.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl[/url]

[url="http://www.spearfishing.com.au/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl/YaBB.pl"]http://www.spearfishing.com.au/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl/YaBB.pl[/url]



both have a lot of experienced spear fishers on board <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />

[AND1_HOTSAUCE]

Not a bad site, thanks glen

[Nicos]

Heya ppl i am Nic and i am new to spearfishing, i have red the info so far and sounds like u other spearo's have helped alot of ppl, i am 16 and about 6 foot 2 or 3 and i was looking at a sea hornet 5 foot 6 pacific anyone had or no anything about that gun plz give me feed back thanks

[timmyboy445]

<img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/beer_mug.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':woot:' /> boo ya <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/beer_mug.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

long time since i been on

4 chrismas im getting a gun of my choice. i got $120-$180 to spend

im 13 but quite strong and il be spearing in southern waters mostly. i need a gun that can cope with smaller fish and not so much the big kingies. Suggestions?

thx

<img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/beer_mug.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':beer' /> timmy <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/beer_mug.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':beer' />

[peejaypee]

with regards to getting a speargun, get a seahornet tourist or lazer. they are cheap, reliable and in my opinion the best value for money in a speargun. they are both around $70-$90. dont buy them if there 90 though cuz thats just a ripp off.



[url="http://www.seahornet.com/spear/spearguns/spearguns.htm"]http://www.seahornet.com/spear/spearguns/spearguns.htm[/url] thats the sea hornet site, if u dont know what the lazer and tourist look like.



pj



oh, and i reckon the tourist is the way to go...

[viking69]

hi can any one tell me if there are any laws on the spear head in victoria i have looked online and can not find



thank you

[glen]

hi viking. i think the rules for spear heads only apply to "hand spears".



on the other hand, "spear guns" have no specific rules so you can have multi prongs or whatever you like.



for a hawaiin sling it gets confusing as it can be used as a spear gun or a hand spear. this was always a point of confusion.



that is how i recall the rules.



cheers, glen

[squidboi]

do u need a licence for a spear gun ??

[glen]

yes of course. you need a licence for all types of fishing, spearing, pippie collection etc.