Alaska Sea Hunter

  • You mean the video in my halibut hunting thread? Unfortunately, I didn't make it, but it's a great video for sure.


    Regarding the lead weights. I'm 6'1" and 175-180 lbs, if you're in the same size range I guess 25 lbs of weight is a good place to start. If you want to test the amount of weight you need in shallow water you can try this: you should be positive on the surface while fully exhaled. That is at least a good starting point. Good luck on both the buoyancy and the hunting!

  • Hi Anders, thank you for the info. I am 5'11 and 225 lbs and the 38 lbs seems like allot. I tried to get under with 32 lbs and was unable stay down. I wonder if my new 7mm suite will be less buoyant over time?


    The halibut video was very cool and I am going after the same this spring. I just ordered a herring gill net so I can catch a 100 lbs of bait. I will go out and set up bait stations and come back to dive them during low tide. In addition, Ling Cod season open in July and I will cast herring out near the the cliffs and try to get the giant lings to come up shallow for the bait.


    Stay in touch, Paul

  • Paul, that is allot of wt.


    I think your suit has not compressed yet, some materials hold more nitrogen or air in the matrix.
    Here's what I do.... find a 150 FSW spot and run a mooring line thru the pant leg and arm of the suit and shackle it a boat anchor and rode. I leave it down while I'm having lunch and resting ( 1hr). This is how I break in a new suit, some times you have to give it a few ''dives''.


    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.

  • Great thread. You should consider wearing a weight vest to get some lead over top your lungs. With a 7mm suit you could move 12lbs off your weight belt and be more balanced in the water.

  • Thank you for the insights into getting my weight right. I will submerge the suite and see how it works after that. I like the idea of moving the weight to a chest harness although I want to be able to dump the weight if I get into trouble.


    Time to shovel snow!!!


    Paul

  • i have always wanted to dive in alaska for some monster lings and halibut. So sick that you get to do it.
    Definitely post some pics up when you finally stick one!

  • I have been scuba diving up here for 15 years and have shot lings and halibut with my 42" Biller. I just got back into free diving spear fishing and acquired a 130 Riffe Euro in Hawaii. I shot my first Mahi Mahi last summer offshore Kona. I shot it less than 2 minutes into the free dive and now I am hooked again. I grew up in Southern California and spear fished and caught abalone, lobster, clams and mussels on a regular basis.


    I will begin hunting for halibut in May when the large females come shallow to lay there eggs. I will likely let the large fish go in May because we understand that the any halibut over 100 lbs is a female.


    Paul

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