I shot some fish

    I just got back from a week down in Baja. The trip was spent mainly in Cabo for a wedding. Following the festivities, my girlfriend and I drove up to Lapaz. I booked 2 days of boats with Jonathan at Tailhunter International. One day i dove the Las Arenas area by myself, the 2nd day I spent rod n reel fishing trying to put my GF on a dodo.


    The first day of diving went well. I had good reports of wahoo in the area from other divers. My captain, mainly a rod n reel panguero, took me to the spot. I jumped in without my flasher for the first drfit. I made drops to 30ft and hovered. While on my 5th drop I look to my side and an ono is coming in to check me out. I turn and wait for the broadside and give him the shaft. FISH ON. "Dont touch the float or line .... let em run" is what I was told, and that I did. Unfotunately I noticed a giant brown fur bag chasing after my first speared wahoo. Unfortunately the bull sealion was able to get my fish and a new tug o war began. I tried to crawl up my floatline and bash that bastard with my gun, but no go. I ended up jumping on the boat and tying off the floatline and trying to tear the fish away. Sealion won that one. So we relocated and ditched the dog.


    Next drift I jumped in with the rob allen chicken float and my homemade flasher rig. Within minutes I had a double come in to check it out. Drop, look unthreatening and wack em. Unfortunately i ended up getting a tail shot? Was the fish that fast or my aim that bad. Anyway, fish on and its running away with my gear. Eventually i caught up and pulled my first wahoo to the surface. STOKED. Apparently the tail shot is a decent holding shot, I got 2 that way.


    I repeated this scenario throughout the day and ended up getting one more fish on the boat ..... i missed a lot of shots and learned a little about hunting these things. I cant wait to do it again. I also succeeded in getting my GF a dorado. Overall a very successful short trip.

    Great job mate, nice looking Hoo, :thumbsup2: Putting you girl on fish will go a long way, now she has a great story to share with the girls. You guys make a great looking couple for sure.


    The the fur dog have to eat too, at least it was not a bull shark. I have seen a few hoo hit back there over the years. I aim at the eye and I usually hit behind the gill plate on the spine. What shaft are you shooting ?


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Don,


    I'm shooting a 63" mori gun with a standard 5/16"x65" shaft. I shot the spectra tip with no problems. I have more confidence on those long shots with the spectra vs cable. I also found the short neptonics bungee section + floatline to be sufficient. I didn't want to haul my bluewater bungee down for 1 day of diving.


    What's your take on shooting the spectra in bluewater? I understand Joe acevedo has a story regarding spectra and tunas. I figured for medium game stuff I was ok.

    Great stuff Corey! :thumbsup2:


    The spectra has potential failure issues... but it's great for a lot of reasons too. One of the primary baja-specific advantages is that the spectra can be changed on the field with a thin wire fid.


    Awesome that you got into em with only a day's water time! :cool2:

    Quote from coreyf

    Don,


    I'm shooting a 63" mori gun with a standard 5/16"x65" shaft. I shot the spectra tip with no problems. I have more confidence on those long shots with the spectra vs cable. I also found the short neptonics bungee section + floatline to be sufficient. I didn't want to haul my bluewater bungee down for 1 day of diving.


    What's your take on shooting the spectra in bluewater? I understand Joe acevedo has a story regarding spectra and tunas. I figured for medium game stuff I was ok.


    Was 90% sure that you were shooting Mori's fine craftsmanship, a Great guy and gun.


    I really like the Spectra for local fish ( excluding WSB) and more so if I'm using my 9/32 shafts with sliptips.


    If they is any chance that a nice tuna or monster Black or Blue marlin might visit I always shoot 3/32 wire rope on my gear (with the only exception being Cortez Bank and Tanner) from sliptip to bungie cord/float.
    I used spectra on a well made and polished sliptip years ago and landed many fine fish, always inspecting it and changing it out on a regular basis or when fussy. All was well until I met the WSB of a life time I had seen and dreamed about after our first meeting at SCI the month before. As the water became all most too dark to hunt she passed off my right as I lay on the bottom croaking. The tip hit the huge fish just above the spine under the dorsal and toggled on the other side. She bolted hard down a rock ledge shouldering the shaft and adapter into the rock. One loud clank...snap she was free . Me and my friend searched the water until dark and finally had her swim past wearing a 9/32 sliptip and 18'''s of spectra. I felt very bad to think I tore off a big white on my gear failure. My best friend never let me live it down and I hope she is still swimming out there.
    Most strong line will land any fish until you meet the one of your dreams. Wire rope has never failed me
    on the tip or the shaft but it can kill you in a heartbeat if you hitch a ankle or a hand as can 400# mono with out a razor sharp knife.


    In Baha I use a 3/8 shaft 80% of the time the 5/16's I have taken there get used for Do Do and beach fish.


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Edited 6 times, last by Don Paul ().

    I was a little concerned about the spectra and a larger pelagic. My ideal setup is a 5/16" shaft rigged with cable and a larger tri-cut cable rigged tip. I had this shaft on board, but shot the spectra solely. I told myself I'd pull trigger if I saw a billfish ..... but I didnt. Perhaps next year? I'm thinking about planning a longer stay next time, of course. I want a bigger gun too.


    That Dorado was caught hook and line. I jumped in to see if there were any followers. My girlfriend reeled it in while i snapped shots of it ripping her arm off.

    Quote from coreyf

    I was a little concerned about the spectra and a larger pelagic. My ideal setup is a 5/16" shaft rigged with cable and a larger tri-cut cable rigged tip. I had this shaft on board, but shot the spectra solely. I told myself I'd pull trigger if I saw a billfish ..... but I didnt. Perhaps next year? I'm thinking about planning a longer stay next time, of course. I want a bigger gun too.


    That Dorado was caught hook and line. I jumped in to see if there were any followers. My girlfriend reeled it in while i snapped shots of it ripping her arm off.


    The hoo over 50# around the La Paz region will come in within 10' if I keep the gun tucked back.
    If they are pissy, I do a deeper dive and try to come up under them, some times it feels like the big ones can be touched with the tip before they turn on the after-burner. Then they boggie like a top fuel car.


    Cheers, Don


    P.S. La Paz region = 100 miles north and south.;)

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Edited 2 times, last by Don Paul ().

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