Bluewater Floatline & Bungee Setup questions

For reef fish (groupers/pargo), I'd go with straight floatline.

For pelagics (especially wahoo), I'd add bungie.

I used to run:
(floatline, 10ft of bungie, 11L float, 10ft of bungie, 35L RA dogtooth float)
Couple years ago, I lost a large wahoo when it very surprisingly dove down and took my 11L and my 35L RA float under. After a while, the extra 35L proved to be too much resistance & ripped through the fish (lined). The 11L would definitely have disappeared for a while, but I could've had a chance of landing that trophy.

Now, for Sea of Cortez, I run:
(75-100ft bungie, 11L float)

For reef fish, just straight iceline and a 11L float.

Where are you guys headed?

"lined" as in a pass-through shot & fish was on the shooting line.

RA floats are great, nearly indestructable, but an additional concern when packing for space. I'm used to traveling with them, so I plan accoridngly. If you're gonna be tight for space, you may want to go inflatable route.

Wrap the Riffe float around your wast, put your wt belt over it covered by a baggy Hawaiian shirt:D;).
Just say your scared to fly over water without your floatie.... god I miss the flights down there when I could slip the cabin girl a twenty and she would stow my game gun in the coat closet.:D

Cheers, Don

:laughing:

I wonder if wearing a weight belt would pass nowadays.

If any of you guys, are coming my way, I{ll gladly lend you weights, float lines, and floats, so you don´t need to pay for the extra weight. Just let me now in advance.

Wow...that is very brotherly :thumbsup2:.

Cheers, Don

Tono is the Man...id be more concerned about getting some time on that sweet BBQ you have set up buddy

Thanks Don and Judda! Both the barbq and the gear is free for all of you freedive spearfishing brothers!

Quote from greekdiver

I'm new to bluewater and buying a gun for something that I haven't done enough, doesn't sound so smart. I probably would end up buying something and selling it. I want to experience bluewater a bit till i decide how big of a cannon is necessary. I'm just going to bring my 120 Denton on my trip and use it for bluewater and reef. I'll use my reel on the reef and floatline for bluewater. I bet it is enough gun to kill all the stuff down there.

You shuld be ok. You're an experienced diver and as I could see in your videos, an accurate shooter.

I've taken more wahoos with my old MB96 single banded / reeled Jomer speargun than with all my other guns together.

With wahoos the trick is not putting too much pressure after shooting them. Try to get a head shot or if not possible just ahead the tail, between the two fins.

Also, keep in mind that their behavoir is totally different than Kings. If you see them, your best bet is to throw a sardine up-current and position yourself over it. One of them will come by to check it out. If they don't come, dive to get the sardine when is like 60 feet underwater and watch over your shoulder...
You can also try to do an aspetto in mid water (like 20-40 feet) giving them your back. Most likely one will come by to check you. Last but not least, don't look at their eyes.

With dorados is even easier, they are the dumbest fish in the sea. If you have chum, they will come and eat from your hand.

With marlins I don't have much experience, but based on the videos I have seen, they don't have fear of divers.

Good luck!

Jim and Greek, how long are you going to be there, what is the boats range, Is it a livea board ?
Are you flying direct, or is a stop over in Cali possible ?

Cheers, Don

Over here, I like to use a different set up. I use a big Reel. 1OOyd Capacity. I spool it with a bit thicker Dyneema, ie 2.2mm. This allows a better grip on the line than a thinner 1.8mm. Different fish fight in different ways. For me, there's no better way to take Wahoo and other fish which will not swim straight down, than with a Reel. It's so much more interactive. I'd feel comfortable shooting a Huge Wahoo with just a BIG Reel.

If I'm out at sea, diving from a boat, or have the chance to see larger fish, or fish that swim for the bottom, I'll also pull a Float using a Nylon Rope and a section of Bungee towards the Float. I use a normal sized Float, ie like a smaller Riffe or RA, but I set it up so that there is something like a Band material release on the attachment of the line to the float. If I'm pulling it through the water, it pulls from the front, if a Big Fish pulls the Float under, the Band material will stretch and release and then the float is attached at both ends, and instead of being pulled in a streamlined torpedo.. it is pulled with maximum resistance. This allows using a much smaller float.

My Floatline is attached to the Back of my Gun, but I can easily move the Tuna Clip to attach it to my Shooting line. Similarly I can easily unclip my Reel line from the Shooting line. This allows the option of shooting with just Reel, just Floatline, or both.

If there is a big Prized fish involved, ie a nice Dogtooth Tuna, which is going to swim deep, I will use both my Floatline and my Reel. This means my Float can dissapear, and I'll still have 1OOyds of Reel line to hang on to and give extra resistance, and specifically, to know where the fish is and to try to keep it off the bottom.

Quote from behslayer

I use a normal sized Float, ie like a smaller Riffe or RA, but I set it up so that there is something like a Band material release on the attachment of the line to the float. If I'm pulling it through the water, it pulls from the front, if a Big Fish pulls the Float under, the Band material will stretch and release and then the float is attached at both ends, and instead of being pulled in a streamlined torpedo.. it is pulled with maximum resistance. This allows using a much smaller float.

That sounds like a good idea. Would be good to see a pic if you have one.

Quote from Dan

That sounds like a good idea. Would be good to see a pic of this if you have one.

look again;)

Quote from monster slayer

Thanks Don and Judda! Both the barbq and the gear is free for all of you freedive spearfishing brothers!

Thanks for the offer!

Sweet! Thanks for the pics. Is there a float like this in existence or is it still a concept? What are the sections made of? Who are the guys in the pic? Nice fish.

Quote from behslayer

Over here, I like to use a different set up. I use a big Reel. 1OOyd Capacity. I spool it with a bit thicker Dyneema, ie 2.2mm. This allows a better grip on the line than a thinner 1.8mm. Different fish fight in different ways. For me, there's no better way to take Wahoo and other fish which will not swim straight down, than with a Reel. It's so much more interactive. I'd feel comfortable shooting a Huge Wahoo with just a BIG Reel.

How much line does a 60lb Wahoo take before it slows down? I have only shot one and it was in the head but it didn't pull much. My reel holds 280ft of 1.75mm line.

I will probably use a floatline + bungee in bluewater but good to know that info.

Quote from Marco

I've taken more wahoos with my old MB96 single banded / reeled Jomer speargun than with all my other guns together.

Thanks for info Marco. I always wondered why people have monster guns to shoot Wahoo.

Quote from Don Paul

Jim and Greek, how long are you going to be there, what is the boats range, Is it a livea board ?
Are you flying direct, or is a stop over in Cali possible ?

Cheers, Don

I dont know the details yet.