Posts by Ron s

i have discussed my specific situration with one of the north coast wardends. He said that while he wouldn't cite me under those circumstances, and most of the other wardens wouldn't either, it is a violation of the letter of the law, and I could be cited. To me it's not worth the risk, as I cherish my hunting and fishing licenses, and don't want to lose them, even for a year. Not to mention the fines and potential loss of gear, etc.
Ron.

This is one aspect of the law that has always frustrated me. I often make bonzai solo runs over to Bragg during ab season. My routine if I'm limited on days off is to head over on a Monday, dive that day, and head home the following morning. I don't even take a limit of abs, because the wife and I have decided we don't like eating previously frozen ab. So, I'll only take one ab, which is all we can eat in one meal. (I'm primarily targeting fish...)
What sucks is that I'd really like to eat fresh ab in camp the one night I'm there, but I can only eat about half an ab by myself. I can't be in possesson of the other half, no matter it's condition, because it's out of it's shell. If I can't find anyone to give it to, I'd have to throw it away so as not to get caught with it. However even that is illegal, not that I'd waste half an ab anyway.
Seems kind of funny that I can head home in possesson of two or three abs, but not 1.5 abs...
Ron.

Man what an awsome report! Congrats guys!
Ron.

Great story and great fish! I was shocked to read "little RA70", as that's what I use here in NorCal, but I didn't think anyone used a gun that short in your neck of the woods. You sir, clearly have some stalking skills!
Ron.

I don't know squat about good knives, but I'll pass this on. I have two Dexter Russells. The first is the 8" "Traditional" fillet knife. The one with the real simple wood handle and carbon steel blade. The second is the 7" "Basic" fillet knife, with the white handle and stainless blade. (Not to be confused with the "Sani-safe" series.)
The traditional knife has a thin medium soft blade. It was razor sharp when I got it, and holds an edge well. The basic knife, which ran around $14, including shipping, has a thicker, stiffer blade. To my surprise, it was dull right out of the package, is a bear to sharpen, and doesn't hold an edge well.
Clearly two different steels, and two different qualities of products.
I believe the sani-safe series is of higher quality than the basic series though. Don't know how it compares to the traditional.
Ron.

Oh and by the way, I'm a big fan of the SA shafts, and these look really good!!!
Ron.

I don't have near the experience that you guys do, so I hesitate to even offer suggestions, but...
I shoot little 70-90cm guns for rockfish here in NorCal, and I found that my choice in shooting line can effect the accuracy, especially with the little 70 and a single band. Problem is that it's all hole hunting and shooting line gets chewed up pretty quick in the rocks.
What I've settled on is Momoi brand mono because it seems to be smaller diameter for the test than other monos. As an example, the 250# I use most of the time fits in a 1.6mm crimp, and the 300# fits in a 1.9mm crimp. I've never tested it's strength though, as I only shoot little rockfish and an occasional lingcod.
The toughest stuff I've used though, is "Memospec" braided line. That stuff just doesn't seem to get abraided on the rocks, and once it's stretched, is supple enough that it doesn't effect the shot at all.
I just like mono better though, especially in the thick kelp I like to play in.
Ron.

Wow Fuzz, awsome report! Hey how deep did you guys end up diving???
Ron.

Well it's good to get your perspective. For me, I had a really hard time with my Riffe midhandle when I first got it. I immediately swapped out the stock shaft for a Ray Odor 9/32" single flopper, which I rigged with two 9/16" bands and a single line wrap. For a long time, I always shot high. Did a ton of target practicing, sighting down the length of the shaft, (as best I could with the bands in the way), but always shot high. Then out of sheer frustration I took a shot one handed while holding the gun down low and just kinda half heartedly sighting over the speartip, and hit dead on. I adapted that aiming style and found it to be the most accurate style for me with that gun. I later got to where I was fairly, but not "pin point" accurate shooting that way with the stock 5/16" shaft and harpoon head, powered by three bands. I wouldn't want to try and hit little rockfish way out that way though.
When I got my little C-0, I found that aiming over the spear tip seems to work the best, but that's not exactly a long range gun.
One critism of the Riffe setup that I hear often is that they come with too much shaft overhang. You are one of the few that I've heard prefer that much overhang. I think an issue is that many folks that don't like that much overhang are powering the guns up and using slip tips for White Sea Bass and the like. Maybe a lot of overhang and a lot of power on a longer gun lends itself to shaft whip?
I dunno.
Ron.

Wow Dan, that handle's impressive! It looks like it does a good job of bringing your hand up closer to being parallel to the shaft and probably significantly reduces the recoil/muzzle jump.
I agree that the 5/16" shaft and that huge tip is a little, well, crude.
When I refer to accuracy, you have to remember that typically, at least in NorCal, I'm looking to hit a 1-2 pound fish out near the end of a single wrap of line. With a 90cm gun or a C-2, that would be roughly 12' from the muzzle of the gun. It's a tough shot under hunting conditions with a 90 euro, (at least for me). It'd be interesting to try it with a well rigged C-2...
Ron.

It's interesting to read you guy's opinions of the Riffe comp guns. Over hear on the left coast, a lot of the folks I talk to say if you want an accurate gun, go with a Euro pipe gun, and really don't consider the Riffe comps as "accurate" guns. They say if you want an accurate Riffe, go with the Euro series.
I have two Riffes. The first one I bought is a used 44" teak midhandle that I set up with a 9/32" single flopper shaft and two 9/16" bands. Never could get consistently accurate with that gun, but I think it's just that I'm not a good midhandle shooter. The second Riffe I bought last season is a little comp-0 that I use for bad vis and hole hunting in NorCal. I'm more accurate with that than the midhandle, and for me it's been a good little gun.
What a lot of folks over here do is carry two guns on a freedive. One is a short, (60-75cm) gun for holes and bottom fish, and a long, (90cm) gun for free swimming Olive rockfish. I have a pair of Rob Allens, (70 and 90cm), and they're great guns. However I just like the quality, look, and feel of the Riffe teak guns. If I thought I could shoot a comp-2 as accurately as my RA 90, I'd probably make the change.
Ron.

For what it's worth, I tried shute cord as shooting line on my first gun, a little 32" Sea Hornet. I found that it tangled badly, especially in NorCal kelp.
Ron.

Probably my favorite fish to eat, but I've yet to spear one. I'd sure like to hear the story!
Ron.

Well thanks guys, I really appreciate it! Hey polegun, here's a little story to make you miss warm water even more...
I got certified in Monterey, CA, in relatively cold water. Just after being scuba certified, my wife and I took one last vacation to hawaii before my twins were born. I got to dive 80 degree water with 100' vis, and saw everything from pods of dolphins to Eagle Rays. After the vacation we came home to Truckee. It was late fall and I had a training dive for work at Donner Lake right after arriving home. I went from wearing a 2mm shortie, no boots, gloves or hood, to wearing a drysuit, 5 mm hood, boots, and walking through 3" of fresh snow to get to 38 degree water, all to see dark murk and a few crawdads! Well yesterday was my twins' 12th birthday. What they don't yet know is that this summer we're planning a trip to Hawaii. They are good snorkellers and beginner freedivers, and always dream of diving "tropical" waters. I can't wait to share that with them, and don't even plan to take a speagun, just the freediving gear and underwater camera.
The moral of this long winded story is, if you're fortunate enough to dive warm, clear water, then cherish and remember every second of it. If for no other reason, then for those of us that don't get there as often as we'd like!
Ron.

Howdy folks!
My name's Ron Smith and I live in Truckee CA. I've been scuba diving for about 11 years and started freediving and spearing in NorCal a couple years ago. Since the closest saltwater is over 5 hours away, (Monterey, Ca), I don't get to hunt nearly as much as I want to, so I read these boards and live vicariously though you more active folks!:thumbsup2: I just learned about this board and browsed it before joining. Just wanted to say I'm impressed by the knowledge shown here and I'm sure I'm gonna learn a lot from y'all!
Ron.