Posts by Don Paul

  • Sniper gun design for Wahoo/Tuna/Ulua?

    Quote from Dude george

    I have a Mori with spectra, I have found the Mori tip great but over priced.



    If you watch Mori build one and the crazy quality control and tolerances he dials in I bet you would be surprised he sells them under a C-note. He is a very humble and skilled metal man that should me making fine Japanese swords, I have know him as a close friend for over 20 years, but that does not sway my view at all. He is a master born into a modern world.
    I have never seen one get locked/jammed on to the adapter when it has to punch through bones or skulls. On the other hand I have seen many guys lose the big fish on a trip on tips that were thought to be ''just as good''. The other tip i would trust is a Steve Alexander, but Hoo die every day to skinny flopper shafts in the hands of guys that know how to use them as well placed tools.


    Cheers, Don

  • I wont go past 65 ft.

    Quote from hank

    Practicing being a sneaky bastard will get you more fish than practicing to go deeper. <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x"> at least in my limited experience.


    Thanks for the dating tips. <img src= " class="smiley" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x" height="23" width="23" loading="eager" data-tooltip="biggrin" aria-label="biggrin">


    Cheers, Don

  • I wont go past 65 ft.

    I agree 100% with Marco. One of my good friends (Alex Felax) drowned in a club pool in South Africa, he was a Pipin Trained freediver
    that had dove with me several times to 100' plus.
    Don't push if you dive alone, and stay out of caves/ledges with out a skilled life saver as back up.


    Cheers, Don

  • Sniper gun design for Wahoo/Tuna/Ulua?

    Quote from hau

    Don Paul---PERFECT INFORMATION--thank you sir :toast2:
    Answer---I am 5'10, 160lbs, 72in wingspan, can rip a 1/2in thick Guam phone book in half (10 pages at a time) and soon to be 64yr young. :) I shot my RA 140 2X16 Keys gun off Dania for a while til I got familiar with Dania area then switched down to a 120. I'm hangin out at the Fishermans CoOp every day I can to hitch rides out, buy beers and learn all I can. :)


    Questions:
    1. "the longest barrel you can cock and carry around in the current all day. I would be doing it with 3 bands and something in the 140 to 150 range".---Wouldn't a HEAVIER 3band 140/150 gun have less felt recoil / muzzle flip and therefore more accuracy than a lighter 3band 140/150?
    2. What slip tip would be best for 25lb tuna/hoos/ulula?


    Ok you will have no problem with a 150 at all sir.
    1. Yes a heaver stock will have less recoil with the same wt shaft and power load. I like mass on the launch platform as it allows a heaver shaft that when powered up carrys it's speed and punch on long shots. Muzzel flip can also be more pronounced with poor rubber to shaft geometry and a handle not close to the axis of the shaft. Old style Riffe Blue Water guns with light stocks will exhibit this if not braced to a rigid firing position.Guy's can and do adjust to this, some do not.

    2. I love Mori's 9/23 slip tip for fish up to 100# the devil is in the details and Mori is a ultra perfectionist producing perfect tips that fly straight.


    Cheers, Don

  • Sniper gun design for Wahoo/Tuna/Ulua?

    Quote from hau

    Ooooh BOY, I can't wait. Thanks Don Paul :toast:


    Hau, I'm on the Vicodin a wee bit but I'll try to work through my thoughts.
    First question is how long a gun can you cock ? Sure it is technique but that only goes so far. I'll start with my stats 5''11 with a 76'' finger tip to tip wing span. Huge hands that can rip phone books because I work them hard every day. I can can elongate 4 bands of the best grade 16mm rubber to 300% elongation (400%stretch) on a 72'' barrel. This was the length of my longest Blue water canon that I thought I needed to kill fish in super clean water found off shore around the Cook Islands and Polynesian waters when I first dove for wahoo, mac and yf tuna there. The gun with a 3/8 shaft was a true 30' killer and made up for my un-honed skill as a smart stalker and hunter. As I learned more about getting fish closer and getting the fish to swim to me the monster gun went on the rack where it still lives. Yes it has taken 80# hoo but it is over kill.
    30 foot kill's can be done with a canon but over the last twenty five years I chose to get much closer to my present 20' max kill zone.
    I prefer to kill most blue water fish within 15' off my tip or even closer. The longer the shot the more missed or wounded fish in the long run.
    I hunt the blue now with a mid handle barrel 58'' from rubber to mech 5/16'' or 3/8'' depending on mass of the fish. It kills all day at 20 feet.


    Those fish your are describing will not need a canon in my opinion just more local knowledge to get you at closer range with the longest barrel you can cock and carry around in the current all day. I would be doing it with 3 bands and something in the 140 to 150 range. Local stone cold killers with skills should be happy with a 130 max. Ho and small tuna will give you 15 foot or closer shots, but after a while may hang out on the edge. We cannot own every fish we see on our terms, one can have twenty tuna sightings a day with out the trigger pulled, that is the nature of the blue dance.
    All the gimmicks, flasher tape, flasher rigs,chum, can help speed the process but are not a substitute for close stalking skills. Make the fish seek you, clear your mind only thinking love and fun while you wait for mother ocean's precious gift. In time you will be rewarded and it wont take a monster gun and 30' hail marys.
    These are not deer or elk, we need to get closer to insure clean kills, It is not so much about the length of the gun.
    Use the local tide and bait knowledge and befriend some hunters there that land the fish you are seeking. Most impotent you need to be in the water when the fish are moving to bait or point to point up current. Good rod and reel fishermen know this science, use them if you can. Any trick or knowledge that will get you on the fish needs to be applied to yield good results, a long gun is not as important when the fish accept you. This is way different than reef and structure hunting of friendly amber jack or grouper or snapper in their cave.


    I saw one of Ihab's guns not too long ago and was very impressed at the build quality. Red Tide also speaks highly of Dan's wood gun as well, 3 band are plenty.
    Now the good news...the bigger the Hoo the closer they will come to check you out and it only takes a 20'30' dive if that.


    Cheers, Don

  • Sniper gun design for Wahoo/Tuna/Ulua?

    Thanks Hau...we're just lucky to have some nice size fish in the Red Sea.
    Going for 4 bands is a bit overboard in my opinion.
    Tuna 1 : Quote Ihab


    Great looking gun Ihab:thumbup: very nice.


    Hau, I'll come back to this Sun with my comments based on 30+ years of 90% blue water, the pacific and long guns.


    Cheers, Don

  • Blood presure and med guestion w/ freediving


    That's great Hank, information is power. In this day and age with engineered wheat that is not the same as when we were kids and mega salt in every tortilla shell and slice of bread, we need to be proactive and be aware of the damage were doing to our body's.
    I have discovered how great beets, kale and fresh spinach can be blended with a couple bananas or blueberry's. :thumbup:
    I even made salt free kale chips for Superbowl and Tahitian squash flat bread veggie pizza. :thumbup:


    Edit: I'm trying to brain wash myself about how good the Tahitian squash pizza was....Fail.
    My guests were knocking down slices of pepperoni pie and I was drooling, but I can't do that anymore.


    Cheers, Don

  • RIP Gil Gacula

    The clan lost a fine gun builder last night, from pneumonia.
    His work as a artful craftsmen will inspire me till the end.
    My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to his family.
    God speed Gil.


    Sincerely, Don

  • Blood presure and med guestion w/ freediving

    You guy's are great, thanks again for all the feedback.
    My Irish friends tell me if it doesn't kill ya (knock on wood) it makes ya stronger. This is a wake up call for me that at my age I can't fleck around eating my new wife's fine cooking and drinking a whiskey to go to sleep with......so the unhealthy food's got to go.^^
    Cheers, Don

  • Blood presure and med guestion w/ freediving

    Quote from Marco

    Don't you think that your bp lower levels has more to do with your weight loss than with the medicines? I had an episode of high blood pressure for the first time in my life when I gained a lot of weight after moving to Puerto Rico and have adopted the "american life style"... :rolleyes::nono:


    Fortunately, I reacted and started to move my ass while dieting (low carb high fiber as well). My BP went normal without any medication. :)


    PS: Congratulations! :thumbup:


    That sounds encouraging that you dropped it with out meds.
    I was at 205# with just 1/2'' of blubber (I like to carry for the cold winter water here) at the waist but age and spine compression have me now at 5'11''. Maybe 185 is a better wt for me ?


    Cheers, Don

  • Blood presure and med guestion w/ freediving

    Last month I started taking a blood pressure (Hydrochlothiazide) water pill to help lower my high BP I've developed a few months ago. My Dr has not told me I can't freedive but the slight dizziness I get when getting up from a prone position has me concerned what would happen on low oxygen levels and a pike dive. I'm glad the water is still warm as my suit is loose from the 17lb I lost in 3 weeks on a low carb, low salt veggi diet (fish meat only).
    PM is OK if the info is personal.
    Thanks clan.
    Don