Posts by continentaldrifter

here is the project im working on....re skinnin'

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only got two small practice days in..... first of snorkeling.....passed....correct aiming with polespear and more familiarization with technique.....feel comfortable, next day out should be awesome.....pic below is where we jumped out of boat....my first reaction was "This is IT??" until i got in and was blown away by the amount of life amongst the coral...i am having severe problems uploading my GoPro to youtube, so it may take a few. see ya

Hey Fellas, finally made it, after four planes and one helicopter ride, here are some pics of where we're at. Wound up going with a 7' Gat-Ku, figured i'd start the primitive form with the polespear first then graduate into a gun at a later date. No kidding, not there an hour and saw the first shark....Nurse Shark?? about 4'

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I hunt Bison with my .300 wm and Elk with my PSE bow, so as it may seem, im not dedicated to the style as much as the hunt. You are aware of where im headed, and not so much interested in the deep blue off the coral......if i stay in the lagoon, would one be a better choice than the other or strictly preference? I do have to say as much as i like the range of the gun, i do like the stalk of the polespear.....I am only asking because my lack of experience. Thanks

am i better off going with a polespear or a gun? the break down polespear would be MUCH easier to transport.

Quote from Marco

Take me there and I'll teach you how to deal with sharks...

certified welder??

Quote from Reefchief

Sorry lol. If it makes you feel any better despite grey reefs being known as a somewhat aggressive species there have only been 6 unprovoked attacks reported worldwide, none of which resulted in a fatality.

so for the most part, i should be good, yes?

I am probably not going to be able to bring this due to its size...other than housing equipment, why was this mentioned only when there was a threat of sharks?

Reefchief......that does not make me very comfortable.

Quote from Don Paul

Lot of nasty Grey Reef sharks there, make sure you dive with locals and don't swim around with a white tee shirt or swim shorts. I would dive inside the lagoon and not on the outer reef edge

This is my intent for this trip. I have no desire to go deep!! .....get as close to locals as possible and stay inside the lagoon.

I must admit, i am pretty intimidated about the presence of a shark, how do you deal with that? Its not like i can carry my 460 on my hip.

Upon return, I am also excited about diving my local lakes and reservoirs. No threat of anything.

Here are a few pics of where im headed, maybe this can lead to some more input. Thanks to all who chime in, every tip and suggestion is much appreciated:

Just a quick description from another website:

One of the best dive locations in the world requires some special arrangements to dive, or even get there. The island of Kwajalein is home to The United States Army Kwajalein Atoll, a classified U.S. base located in the Marshall islands. If you were to fly into Kwajalein for example, you could not leave the plane without orders from the U.S. Army or a pass form Majaro. Private boats must also make arrangements with either the Republic of the Marshall Islands or USAKA to sail the the largest lagoon in the world that is the Kwajalein Atoll. The best way to enjoy the magnificent waters of the Kwajalein Atoll is to work there, as many adventurers do, or to visit friends who work and live on Kwaj (as the locals call it). If you do overcome these obstacles you will be rewarded with diving that is as good as the great barrier reef, with year around visibility and water temperatures second to none.

6"1" 242 lean....I wish i had the opportunity to go in and practice with someone, but its a bit chilly at 6000' and everything is frozen. Today it should be in the high teens...unfortunately this mission came to me in the beginning of November, so i didnt have alot of time.

Would it be wiser to start out with a polespear? I like the idea being simple and effective, it was the range of the speargun that intrigued me. Thanks

spoke with Dan....happily answered all my questions and guided me with a few sound suggestions. Also suggested AGAINST the reel for a novice and definitely use a float line. A 120 sounds like a great size to start with. We have lots of lakes in Colorado that are quite clear and would love to venture into. As for the island where im headed, the lagoon ranges from 4'-15' deep and very broad at that depth. I know the safety factor and do not have a desire to venture into deep waters until experience grows. For now, the Speardiver Carbon Speargun set up looks to be of great quality, size 120, float line, 2 extra shafts, dive knife, mask,fins, gloves and snorkel....open mind and a ton of caution and respect for the sea. I'll start out small, and may never get anything over 5lbs, but to me thats fine as it's the thrill of being in the water, exploring and the hunt comes in second.

Well..... ambitious? yes.....experienced? NO !! BUT there are two key elements to this situation. One being i have no choice as to the terrain and fish type and i have high drive when its some thing i am interested in and i have been wanting to do this for a loooong time, but never had the opportunity. As i will be on an island for at least a month, i see this as a gift.
Now to try and research the sport and find what equipment will suit me best will last and jump in ! I have no problem spending a little bit more money on quality equipment right out of the gate, as long as it suits my needs. I hate to spend "x" amount only to yield sub par results (unreliable components or poor grade materials) where as if i spent "xx" amount, i would eliminate the negative right out of the gate.

Looking to contact free dive this week and ask a few questions.

Thanks Hank.....very excited.

I checked out the guns at spearfishing.store as you suggested. very impressive rigs....also seems to be of very good quality.

Quote from hank

You are likely to eventually run across a 20 lb plus fish (as sadot alluded to) that could be hard to pull to the surface if you're deeper than 20 feet and could result in loss of gun and or fish.

Thanks Hank, i never thought of losing the gun/fish after a shot. I would think in this scenario, the reel would prove effective as the line would just unspool as i surfaced opposed to a set length stationary line that would keep gun underwater. Do you use a loose lanyard around the grip and wrist?

Do you carry extra shafts , if yes how many?

Mahi-Mahi, Yellow Tuna and Wahoo seem to be the fish in the general area. For this fish is the 110 still acceptable or larger? What type of shaft tips would you suggest?

Thanks

Hello, i am in the market to purchase a speargun. I have no experience with any spearguns and will be away on a work mission for a few months in the Marshall Islands and would love to start a new hobby. My main hobby on land is long range shooting, 1000yds +, as this is not an option, i finally have an excellent opportunity to do something i have always wanted to do.

Below i have narrowed my choices down to three, 35"-42". From some internet research i have done, these seem to be the middle of the road for quality. Please post any pros/cons in an effort to help me with more info.

Aside from the obvious of simplicity, please inform me as to the benefit of a reel..luxury or practicality?

Beuchat Canon Speargun

MAKO Iconic Pro Railgun

Hammerhead Evolution 2

Thank you.