Gearing up and getting out

    Thanks in advance for your time and patience with more noob questions.


    In my intro I mentioned that my family (wife & 8 year old) are moving to Ambergris Caye in about a month. We recently returned from there after a 3 week trip and decided to sign a one year lease on a condo, so I'll be in the water quite a bit. Spearfishing is something I've always wanted to do but the circumstances were never very practical for me to get into it....now that's changed!


    For the last couple months, I've done as much as I could to see what's out there, read and compare gear objectively and try and figure out what's practical for me.


    At least for now, I think most of the spearfishing will be on the reef, but I've got a few friends living there, and they are in the blue water often so I anticipate joining them. For the reef and the species I've seen, I plan on getting a Crist pole spear, probably a 6'...I've done a fair amount of pole spearing and if I need something longer it's not going to be a problem to get one.


    What I'd like to hear suggestions on is a speargun. Realizing that one size won't fit all, I still would like to find a gun that's sized for the reef and maybe even tackle some pelagic species.....I've been seeing posts that mention 100-120cm. As far as brands, I was looking at Rob Allen ( searching that brand name lead me here ), Cressi, Pathos and when I landed here...Speardiver.


    So if anyone can offer suggestions, my initial questions are:
    1) What would be a good length to cover the reef and occasional trips for pelagic fish? I realize that there's limitations and I have a responsibility to not shoot at anything I cant harvest humanely
    2) Will I need a reel for blue water shooting?
    3) One wrap or two


    So what I'm leaning toward is the Speardiver phantom 110 w/ 2x16mm w 7mm spring shafts.....not to curry favor or anything.:) The phantom just screams quality and I think the handle is one of the best designs I've seen. Additionally, I plan on buying a spare shaft or two, maybe spare rubber and a reel if necessary.


    I just want to buy something that is moderately priced but is also well made....not a gun that I want to upgrade right away. One thing I always do is buy right the first time as much as budget allows.


    I realize it would be better to get my hands on different guns and shoot them, but I don't have time. The island has a good dive shop, but besides not having the brands I'm favoring (RA & Sd) it's super expensive. Of course I can order and have it shipped, but at 30% duty tax, I'd rather try something I brought in and then buy the primary gear while I'm here in the states.


    There it is for now. Again, I appreciate any feedback...and you've been warned. There will probably be a couple follow up questions.:D

    I favor wood guns so I would suggest that you include the speardiver 120 Teak gun as well.
    Yes, you will want a reel or a float line for your gun so it stays in your possession. :D
    I prefer a floatline to a reel, especially in blue water-but different strokes for different folks. If you plan on doing any lobster diving a gun on a floatline can be left on the bottom to mark a hole while you get a breath.
    I wouldn't worry too much about finding an all purpose gun, you'll have a bunch of them before you realize what has happened. :thumbsup2:
    Can't wait to see some reports.
    Mark

    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

    Man I wish I was moving to Belize! I've never dove in any conditions resembling where you'll be at but I'd suggest a single wrap with attached float line on whatever gun you settle on. Be safe out there.

    Promontorium Tremendum

    110 cm, single wrap.


    I like 2 x 14 mm better than 2 x 16 mm. Both brands are good. Float & floatline if you're a beginer. Easier to use.


    Dive safe.

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

    Quote from Stick em

    I favor wood guns so I would suggest that you include the speardiver 120 Teak gun as well.
    Yes, you will want a reel or a float line for your gun so it stays in your possession. :D
    I prefer a floatline to a reel, especially in blue water-but different strokes for different folks. If you plan on doing any lobster diving a gun on a floatline can be left on the bottom to mark a hole while you get a breath.


    I'd love to get a wood gun and in fact, I do plan on building one someday. I've worked with wood my whole life and seeing a few builds has really got my brain working. For now, I don't have the time or space, plus my tools will be in NY. Anyhow, thanks for your input. I'm still waffling on which gun and the size. I'm not sure if I need the 120....my gut is telling me it'll be too long most of the time. I'm kind of leaning towards a shorter gun, like 90-110. And I still like the Pathos laser pro, RA tuna & Speardiver phantom.


    Oh, and there will be plenty of bug hunting when the season opens up again. We got out just before it closed during our trip an got a bunch of them had a great shore lunch.



    Quote from Stick em

    I wouldn't worry too much about finding an all purpose gun, you'll have a bunch of them before you realize what has happened. :thumbsup2:
    Can't wait to see some reports.
    Mark


    Truer words have never been spoken. But Im trying to be practical and reasonable for now! I'm not really looking for a true all purpose gun, just a high quality one that is fairly use friendly, but not so that I'll want an upgrade in a relatively short time.

    Quote from matt hudson

    Man I wish I was moving to Belize! I've never dove in any conditions resembling where you'll be at but I'd suggest a single wrap with attached float line on whatever gun you settle on. Be safe out there.


    Thank you...it sounds strange when I tell people I'm moving there too. We used to go to St Maarten quite a bit and we wanted to live there, but it didn't work out.

    Quote from Marco

    110 cm, single wrap.


    I like 2 x 14 mm better than 2 x 16 mm. Both brands are good. Float & floatline if you're a beginer. Easier to use.


    Dive safe.


    Thank you Marco. I've read quite a bit of your input here and I appreciate your concise and practical suggestions.


    Why do you like 14mm better? Easier to load?


    Float and float line instead of a reel? Is that because there's less chance of entanglement?

    Edited 2 times, last by Stonecutter: Added detail ().

    I use a Wong 55 hybrid. I double wrap and use a reel. Two 14 mm, small hole bands from Dan. Mine are 26-27 inches but that's specific to my gun. I like the softer feel without so much recoil.
    Never really tried single wrap though.
    You're right, the Speardiver guns are high quality.


    The best spots along the reef are the cuts. In between you'll find the occasional lone snapper or grouper but they're few and far between. But if you're in the cuts, make sure you have a good boatman and or buddy. The currents in Belize are generally not too bad overall, but the cuts can rip.


    I'd be happy to hook up with you but I'm off to Vietnam right now and won't be in Belize much in the near future. But Brian can hook you up.


    Check out the Fricken Jake thread in the Belize forum. You can see the fish we get here in the cuts.


    Good luck and be safe out there.


    Thanks a lot Hank. We won't be there until May and are looking forward to settling in.

    Over the last 10 years, I've made about a dozen trips and spent a total of close to a year's time on Ambergris. It's where I was introduced to spearfishing. The other guys have done a good job of giving you gear advice so I won't add more on that front, but I thought it might be helpful to share a little bit of what I know about the island.


    I've spent at least 100 days spearing the reef there but never tried the bluewater, mainly because those days were before I got into bluewater spearing. I didn't meet a single person there or hear about anybody doing bluewater spearing, so you might have a tough time finding guys properly geared to try it. Charters are relatively expensive for what you get, so best to try to make friends with someone who has a boat. Gasoline is expensive on that island, at least double what it costs in the U.S., so you should be able to find fishing/diving buddies if you have gas money to contribute.


    Here are a couple If you're looking for good places to eat in San Pedro that don't break the bank:


    My Secret Deli: everything is good, but the soups are excellent. If they have the crab soup or conch soup, get some to go even if you're not hungry and eat it later because it's that good and they sell out fast.


    Wariguma: the place for burritos, and they're big enough to feed 2 people. Start with the chicken, which is my favorite, and then work your way down the menu. Owner is named Oscar, and in the evenings some of his family members make pupusas outside across the street that are also excellent.


    If you're in the mood for good BBQ, head a couple miles north to the Lazy Croc BBQ. A good place to get a close look at some crocs as well. More expensive than the other 2 places, but really good food and generous portions. Heard rumors the owner was thinking of selling or retiring, so maybe it's no longer open. They are closed in the summer.


    Sadly, there is now quite a bit of crime on the island. 10 years ago, there was hardly any violent crime and a lot of people didn't lock their doors or worry about anything getting stolen. Now, everything needs to be locked-up and violent crime is on the rise. Use common sense and you should be OK, but be very diligent about keeping a close eye on your stuff, even when it's locked-up.


    Hank is spot-on about the cuts, that's where you'll find the decent fish. The fish in Belize are smart, though, so don't hesitate if you have the shot.


    Good luck!

    Thanks for the tips Wayno. I've got some of the same 411 from some friends that have been on the island from 1-12 years. We never got to MSD during our three week stay, but its reputation is solid. We had to save a couple spots for when we returned!


    I met a couple guys that worked blue water, but you're right, most of what's done is on the reef. So I'm thinking around 110 would be a good size?




    Don't hold back on suggestions about gear in the future. When you see consistency it adds weight to what has been recommended. Thanks for your feedback!

    I have a 110 that I take to Belize, but I think a 120 would be a better choice. My next smallest gun is a 140 which is good for bluewater, but way too long for the reef. With the clear water and spooky fish in Belize, I think the extra range of a 120 would be good both in bluewater and on the reef, and it should still be maneuverable on the reef. In my experience, you're not taking a lot of tight shots or shooting into holes near Ambergris.


    FYI, the lagoon on the back (West) side of Ambergris holds the biggest snappers and the occasional goliath grouper, if you can find the caves and holes. We've taken several snappers there in the 20+ pound range, but keep a close eye out for crocs. Ever since a big croc chased my friend back to the boat one day a few years ago, he won't take me spearfishing in the lagoon anymore.

    I was warned about the crocs there and it's enough to keep me onshore. Thank you again for your feedback, it's very much appreciated.

    I've done a bit of blue water hunting. The places are far from me and my boat isn't really a blue water boat. (25 foot skiff)


    The north end of Turneffe is supposed to be a spot for wahoo.


    Also the east side of Glovers also has. Glovers Reef Resort or Marisol Resort could put you on them.

    We chartered two fishing trips when we were there. The deep water trip was dead, only a small tuna and a 'cuda but the reef trip was pretty good. The next day the boat got a 50lb hoo and got a nice Marlin boatside.

    Quote from Wayno

    I have a 110 that I take to Belize, but I think a 120 would be a better choice. My next smallest gun is a 140 which is good for bluewater, but way too long for the reef. With the clear water and spooky fish in Belize, I think the extra range of a 120 would be good both in bluewater and on the reef, and it should still be maneuverable on the reef. In my experience, you're not taking a lot of tight shots or shooting into holes near Ambergris.


    All the suggestions from you, Brian and Hank have me convinced that 120 would be the right length. Thanks. Now I've got to decide what to buy. I've mentioned a few guns earlier in the thread, but what I really want I a wooden gun. Ive been into traditional archery since I was little, and even helped with a couple bow builds. The wooden gun appeals to that part of me and since I've just sold a bunch of stuff headed for storage, my budget got bigger. So now I'm looking for a teak 120....:D

    I was actually thinking about suggesting a wooden 120, for reason that you can power it up with more/thicker bands than a pipe gun. There's an Andre 120 for sale on SB that I think would be a good choice, I have a bigger Andre that is my go-to bluewater gun and I really like it: Andre Gold 120 - Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum If you don't want it, let me know and I'll probably make an offer.

    A couple guys I dive with swear by Ulusub and they're comparable in price and style to Andre, so that might be another good option.

    Quote from Wayno

    I was actually thinking about suggesting a wooden 120, for reason that you can power it up with more/thicker bands than a pipe gun. There's an Andre 120 for sale on SB that I think would be a good choice, I have a bigger Andre that is my go-to bluewater gun and I really like it: Andre Gold 120 - Spearboard bubble blowers drama forum If you don't want it, let me know and I'll probably make an offer.

    A couple guys I dive with swear by Ulusub and they're comparable in price and style to Andre, so that might be another good option.


    Don't let me stop you Wayno, go ahead and make an offer. I am interested in the Speardiver teak gun, but there's no information in the product description. I did find the thread about the gun, but it's an old thread....I suppose all the relevant information is there.


    I've just got the new guy jitters I guess. From what I could find on the forum, it seem like a super solid gun. Wood is really what I wanted all along, and I'm glad I didn't jump right into buying something else.

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