Posts by Dan

  • Breathing air from the mask

    I'd like to know some details on breathing the small amount of air in the mask. When to do it, how much air you actually get, any difficulties associated with this, pros vs cons etc.

  • 09/21/08 La Santa Fe - Some after storms effects

    Well thanks again. The cube is nice no doubt, but nothing to be jealous about. I didn't even fondle it after I got my hands on it :) now if it was at least 25 pounder it would be a different story. They are beautiful fish.


    I have a question for you guys; at 13lb how many of you would take a frontal shot on it at 7'? I had a chance to do it but decided not to and almost lost the fish because of it. Ended up shooting it lower than I wanted to.

  • 09/21/08 La Santa Fe - Some after storms effects

    Thanks, I did get my fill on this trip.


    In this particular spot cudas are almost always found the same way, sitting inside the structure. This structure is very open and if shot while inside the cuda is almost guaranteed to cut the mono as you will shoot it through the structure and it will take off out of the structure running the mono through the metal. My solution to this is approach the cuda very slowly causing it to move out of the structure and then shoot it. The trick is not to cause it to move away fast or out of range. This is possible in this place as the cuda seem reluctant to leave their spot and do so slowly most of the time. This method makes more sense to me then to try for a stone shot while it's inside. Cuda in general are easy to get within shooting range.


    Once I get it to move outside the structure and shoot it it's almost certain to go back in, but it's not going in to stay, just to run through it. This is where I have to horse it away. The cudas initial run, even the size of the one in the pic, will pull you through the water never mind being able to go up for air. Letting go of the float line is not an option, you need to steer it away from going back in. This can be draining because you're at the end of your breath hold when it happens. A couple of fish like that can wear me out for the rest of the day


    If you're able to keep it in open water chances are good you will not bend the shaft. The cuda doesn't thrash around, I say this because some fish can bend the shaft just by thrashing in open water. The cuda makes hard straight runs so if it's an angled shot there's not too much sideways pressure on the shaft even if you put pressure on the line.


    Today I don't really know what happened right after the shot as it was too fast but it was not a perfect set up and I couldn't keep it out. I then let it have some line and it pulled all the mono through. When the gun hit the structure I was expecting it to get stuck but it pivoted around. At that point it was beyond my control. I was happy when the feeling of the float line let me know that it didn't wrap the mono around a post and headed into open water. Luck I guess and the cuda already had its initial run which is the strongest. The shaft was bent at about 10" from the tip and the 400lb mono had some cuts and scrapes.


    I like to do this because I try to execute everything perfectly which is challenging, the fight is good, and the cuda is a good food fish.

  • 09/21/08 La Santa Fe - Some after storms effects

    We went south of Haulover to some artificial stuff in the 40'-50' range. Vertical viz was such that you could just make out the darker shadow of the structure and so we could locate it from the surface. Lots of white particulate in the hazy water. Horizontal viz at the bottom was around 40'. Not much of a current and lots of jelly fish. Overall very doable which was a nice surprise from what we expected leaving the inlet.


    On some of the artificial structure I noticed the effects of the recent storms. While previously the bottom part was completely buried in the sand now there were many bowl shaped depressions under it and in some spots you could see straight across to the other side. Looks like some good fish habitat, I found the cubera sitting at the bottom of one such depression.

  • 09/21/08 La Santa Fe - Some after storms effects

    Pantoja, Alan and myself did a short trip today from 9am to around noon. We only hit one spot but managed to score some fish. Alan saw a nice cubera and took a shot at it nicking it in the head. He later told me about it and after about three dives searching for it I located it. For some reason for the first time in a long time I brought along an extra shaft rigged with mono. Sure enough this 13lb cubera bent my shaft and I wasn't able to get it quite straight enough on the boat to work in the enclosed track. I rigged the spare shaft and bent it too on this 22lb? cuda.


    Fish taken.
    1 cubera
    1 barracuda
    1 trigger
    3 mangroves


  • Rob Allen new shafts. Very poor quality

    You're right about it being very similar to the Samurai mask. I used a Samurai elite (mirrored lenses) for a few years and switched to Abyss exclusive (also mirrored lenses) because of the advances they made in reducing the darkening effect in the mirrored masks. I also have an Abyss mask with clear lenses for poor visibility days.


    Marco, does the abyss mask fit your face well? Which is the larger mask that you use?

  • 9/19/08-Homestead

    Wow nice haul! You guys seem to really push it returning at nightfall every time. What time were you on the water and back at the dock? Alan you seem like you lost a bit of weight there or is it the grouper that's making you look skinny :) Let's hear the story of how you got him.

  • Rob Allen new shafts. Very poor quality

    Bending shafts is such a personal observation when it's coming from someone esle ;) There needs to be a standard test for this sort of thing. It shouldn't be that difficult to set up; a constant distance between two supports and weight applied to the shaft in the center.


    With regards to other omer stuff; I use the abyss masks, I have two, and I'm happy with them. I also used omer pockets and found them to be the best pockets on the market. I use different make pockets now that are equal in quality but cheaper.

  • Rob Allen new shafts. Very poor quality

    Marco, with regards to the new controversy on the RA shaft thread on SB; It amazes me how people can talk out of their ass. There are at least three guys on that thread who stated adamantly that every part of the omer guns is made in Italy. I know for a fact that omer shafts are not made in Italy. omer and omer in the US both buy shafts from the same supplier where I will be buying the shafts for my store. They are great shafts and are not made in Italy.