New gun. New Moon. First Blood.

I don’t know how many times I have said it but here it goes again….”That was the best dive ever!” and it almost didn’t happen.

Set the alarm for 4:30 a.m. to give me plenty of time for coffee and to get up the coast before sunrise. When the alarm went off I had plenty of excuses as to why I should stay in bed. Almost talked myself out of the dive. Made it up and got the coffee going by 5:00. Out the door and headed up PCH by 6:30. Checked a bunch of spots from Big Rock up to Trancas point. Pulled into Dume and hiked up the hill to enjoy the morning. From Dume you could see all the way to Santiago Peak in Orange County and out to Santa Barbara Island. Just epic. A red tailed hawk was working the point for morning doves and down below some cormorants were hitting the water outside the kelp. It was dead calm. The conditions from the cliff looked great. I decided to head farther south and dive I cove I have never been able to catch with good conditions. The goal today was to test a new dirty water gun. The Riffe MT0. A short little mid handle set up.

I suited up and had to hike about a mile to get close enough to swim to the spot. Once in the water I had visibility up to 40ft and cold water. I worked an endless series of finger reefs with sand in between seeing a lot of halibut in the 24” range. Some of the reefs had some nice size goats and a few cabs on them. I passed and kept looking for a big flatty. Finally, in about 20ft of water I saw some movement on the bottom. It was a halibut opening its mouth. I saw the white of its jaw. Kinda of strange. I dropped down a shot the fish. Head on. The gun was flawless but I think I will add a third band or go to two 5/8ths bands for a little more punch. Anyhow, it was pretty uneventful. Dispatched the fish a strung it. I had about a mile swim back to the exit point. Took my time getting back. Passed on a lot of smaller fish. Lots of bait in the water but no sea monsters today.

Here is a pic from Dume Cove. I passed on this spot and headed southeast.

Tons of fish on every reef. Here is a large school of perch.

Passed on a lot of smaller halibut like this one hiding on the reef.

Here is the one I shot.

Here is a pic of my new gun and first blood.

Happy Holidays (halidays)!

Mike

Quote from hau

ladvr---great story, great pictures, nice new gun and nice fish. :thumbsup2:
If you don't mind, :
1. Do you have the Riffe enclosed track on your new MT?
2. I am a kayak spearo and was wondering; Would a yak be good for your type of spearing?
Thanks

No enclosed track. That gun is for very low visibility, point blank shooting. An enclosed track might keep the shaft from exiting the muzzle completely.

I have kayaks and freedive paddleboards that I sometimes use. The problem is access to launch sites. Sometimes its easier to hoof it.

Quote from papaa

Nice way to break in your new MT,very nice pictures.(thats a two wrap)?

Thanks. Its one wrap from the shaft over the muzzle and one from the line release around the line anchor. I am not sure if you consider that one or two wraps. I call it one.

Mike

Quote from Don Paul

Great story Mike ! I was hoping you would post some thing in the Cali section, nice job.
Those seas are as flat as it gets, I really like the image of the perch.
I'll see ya up there in Feb/April when the White sea persh:D come back.
In the mean time I need to saw 4' off my tuna gun and come out and play.
Cheers, Don

Thanks. I am going to keep diving with the short gun or polespear for another month or two.

Quote from Dan

Ahh I see. How about it Mike, got a pic of yourself with a nice hali or WSB?

I do. I say we leave Fuzz's pic up until someone best it this spring. I hear that Don Paul has some mad skills! I have my money on Don.

Mike

Quote from fuzz

I like the 30-36" babies... MUCH better quality eating, IMO.

I agree. Better texture, less bio accumulation of toxins and fewer parasites. The big ones make for better photos though. IMO. :rolleyes1: