Posts by Don Paul

  • Custom gun needs a custom reel

    Quote from Tin Man

    Any thoughts on the spool being partially enclosed (like Greekdiver's post 18), or open (like post 17)?


    I Beach dive with my wood gun in my post and sand in the shore brake was I issue with the enclosed Sporasub
    reels I've used. My reel is made without handles or knobs that can be snagged by loose line. I also factor in
    the wt as mass on the launch platform.


    I have found reels are just a tool not a religion of good and bad.When I started blue water hunting 35 years ago I used a big Riffe with spool lock trigger latch, most of my friends would gut the reel to prevent lockup.
    I found the lock to be the hot setup for big Pargo in Mex, I would rig my 40'' gun with one wrap of cable and
    horse the pargo away from the cave door before I would free the spool on the way back to the surface.


    At the end of the day reels are just like golf clubs. ;)
    Cheers, Don

  • Explain the recent California closures?

    Quote from Dan

    Is there now incentive to go out and find new hunting grounds? Or is everything that's available too far now?


    The local shore divers and the kids are taking the biggest hit.I'm really pissed because I can't dive with my 10 year old boy in the spots I beach dove 30 years ago. I have given back to the sea more than I ever took.
    For 30 years I gave hundreds of hours on Anti gill netting bans, White Sea Bass hatchery development programs and even helping our Fish and Game with free boat rides for a few marine biologists.
    Now the grass eaters take away the very fish I helped to raise and protect.
    Don

  • Greetings from Los Angeles!

    Hi Mike, welcome aboard your going to like it here with out all the name calling and rhetoric.
    We are all friends here and brothers of the sea, thank you for your help with the MPLA.
    Now let's get out and get some flatties before I start with spring boat diving.
    I can vouch for mike, he a real steward of our Mother Ocean.:thumbup:
    All the best, Don Paul

  • Dry Breath holds, what are the benefits?

    Quote from sdeisen88

    thats a good idea don,, probably similar exertion to finning on descent and ascent


    I've been doing this routine since 1985, I had a friend that was a ParaMedic spot me in 1999 to see what it was like to black out. I had tunnel vision but never got to the Samba stage. I just wanted to see what my personal limits were that day. Stay safe.
    Don

  • Dry Breath holds, what are the benefits?

    I had stair climber I used for winter training, I would hold my breath while keeping a average pace.
    Now I jog in place in a room that doesn't have any furniture to hurt me if I black out.
    I'm not going to talk times here as it's up to the diver to find a good balance.
    Cheers, Don Paul

  • how to make a hybrid

    Is the completed gun the same as the one on the drill press? I had a Aussie friend stay with my wife and I a
    few weeks. I brought out my favorite Australian lace speargun, his reply was ''Yeah, where I live that shite is everywhere.... we even build the shite houses out of it.'' <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">
    I used to get mine from White Bros lumber in North Ca.
    Nice work Steve.:thumbup:
    Cheers, Don

  • Spearfishing World forum fish records

    Dan I had to check my dive notes, it was 60# on a un-certified spring scale.This was the fattest Pargo
    I have seen, if you look at his scales you can see the rock marks from our battle. This fish is a pup
    compared to the 80.9 World Record.
    Don

  • Spearfishing World forum fish records

    Quote from seaweed

    Looks like a cubera but I think you guys call that a pargo which we here call a dog or mutton snapper.


    Are pargo and dog tooth same in MEX?


    Yeah, we call them pargo. I don't know about mutton snapper. Dragon Slayer would know.
    This fish almost drown me because I was in a hurry as the boat was ready to leave.
    I shot him in front of a cave @ 82 feet.I had a good solid shot. When he bullied his way to the cave I short lined him and
    started power kicking back to the sunlight.At thirty feet he got sideways and was going ape shit for the bottom,
    luckily I came up right by my life guard float as I started to Somba. One would think I would be smart enough to
    just let go but I wasn't. Our chase boat came out and picked me up, I was really wasted the rest of the day and
    could not dive the next deep spot, trip over. I like the look big pargo give you before you pull the trigger....
    ''You feel lucky...Mister?''
    Cheers, Don