Me, Ced and Gillo went out last Saturday for amberjack. Saturday was my only day off, and the only day that Gillo would be able to go before returning home.
We were fortunate that the seas layed down for a few hours. The visibility was absolutely horrible.
We were fortunate to get these fish. Took longer to suit up than it did to shoot the fish. Nothing huge but still a good time. Gillo's first AJ.
He was very happy.
KC
Thanks for the help!
Keith
Now you have inspired me to do something with the handle on my Sten.
I hate the Sten handle. I will let you know how it works out.
KC
Display MoreGot you on the MaCO2 being a CO2 gun:-). An upgraded Pelletier, so to speak.
I bet it is sweet with an 8mm shaft in place of the rail road track it shipped with.
It's very cool that that gun exists for people who suffer from a disability that keeps them from using/loading big guns but who still have the skill and wish to hunt in the blue.
The category under is any gun that will let you partition the loading effort. So, as you say, even a big band gun with multiple thinner rubbers - or, for a pneumatic, the ingenious design of the old Mirage:-)
I am in the process of making a custom Mirage in 130cm. They only ever came in 84 and 104cm and I want to simplify my traveling gun locker to one Mirage 84 and one 130:-). I have teased it before and when I have all the parts, I will indeed make a thread about it. I am getting there but the logistics of sourcing speargun parts aren't easy when you live in China.
So i looked up the schematics if the mirage. It has 2 barrels inside ito help in the loading process. So it is possible to change the length? what about the Sten, possible to change it to a 130cm?
Never used a sliptip much until i got the new gun.
Shot a jack in the top of the head with 1 band. (big mistake) Spent about 20 minutes on the boat cutting up the fish head while everyone else was killing fish. I know that i must have one for the bluewater though.
Awesome no matter what! Was it hard to get the sliptip out?
I bet that the tip removal involved a hatchet.:laughing3:
That is so very cool!
Please tell me you shot it with the Koah! I got mine all set up for the Texas wahoo trip. The trip has been postponed till the end of February due to work. Tell me about the large capacity reel on yours. What make is it? what size line?
Shot some Jacks and Cobia with it and the Mori slip tip to practice for the 'Hoo
I never thought about attaching a penn reel to a handrail for trolling.
Congratulations on a great fish whatever the method (or combination of methods)
Keith
Display MoreThanks:-).
I love them, too, for sure. And I even considered stating that the video was in no way sped up - as you know, the vaccum-muzzled guns just shoot that fast, haha.
Good to hear your shoulder is working again.
I think the very first time I came across the Maco guns it was because of your posts about it.
Honestly, I have a few shoulder issues myself. It's on/off, though. Perhaps, some rotator cuff stuff but what's interesting is that the movements I have to do to load a pneumatic, don't bother me. But give me a band gun, and I risk messing up my shoulders.
This is a recent discovery, though. I fell in love with pneumatics for the power in a smaller package and since I am nerdy;-).
I still use the pneumatics, just not for blue water. An old Cyrano 870 is my go to Sheepshead gun. I love the MACO2, but it is not a pneumatic, rather a co2 powered gun. I changed the shaft to an 8mm from the 10mm that came with it, and it really changed the performance of the gun.
I use it for Amberjack, Cuda, and large reef species. I use a custom wood gun with multiple small bands for blue water. For many years i used a single tight 20mm band on all my guns. Those days are gone.
KC
Display MoreI just edited a quick video of the four rainbow catches I have video of.
Now, since I only show the successful shots, they will look like turkey shots, haha. And the video do make them look a lot less skittish - even docile!. But as I mentioned, often they don't even come in but you just see them out in the distance or they just come in for a quick glance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM45z6FtwC0
A few notes:
Shot #2: I had missed on a fish moments earlier, so hurried my reload and had forgotten to flick the power regulator on my Mares Mirage to full power, so the shot is extremely weak. It's not even a low power shot - it is a setting only meant to be used for loading.
Shot #3, notice the runners mixing with small jacks as has been pointed out by others.
The first three shots were on my 40 year old Mares Mirage 84 upgraded with an STC vacuum muzzle.
The last shot was on my Sporasub One Air 120.
I love the pneumatic speargun shots. Used one a lot when my shoulder was messed up. Still use my Sten and MACO2 ocasionally.
Good video, thanks.
Heres a video of Ced shooting one last may. (plus other things)
I have shot them before offshore, but that was the first one that i had as sashimi.
It weas very good.
But shooting the AJ story sounds a little far fetched. How stupid do you have to be to not notice the strange position of the fish, never mind not see a diver with tank.
Yes i agree, and this story has been retold by many people that visit that shop. There are porbably other factrors thay played into the guy winding up with a spear in his hand. Maybe he is using these stories to not allow spearfishing from his vessel.
Anyway he told it to me and a couple of colleagues from work, and we have had tons of laughs from it.
Keith
I dont have pictures, but i heard two great stories from a local scuba dive charter captain;
1st - 2 scuba divers on a wreck. One shoots an amberjack and swims over to show it to his scuba buddy.
He is holding it out horizontally in front of him and is swimming towards his buddy On seeing the fish his buddy shoots it and impales it to the other guys hand.
2nd - Scuba couple spearing lionfish, and putting them in one of those plastic bucket things. The lady spears one with a 3 prong and stabs her companion in the leg while trying to put it in the bucket.
The boat operator said no more sharp things on any charters. Just picking up shells, sand dollars, taking pictures and crap.
Lots of them here now, but small. We get big ones in spring, and numbers in fall. Its rough now, may not get another cobia trip before they are gone.
None of the cobia were big, and we lost some mackerel, but still a good month of diving. The trip back from the last adventure sent me to the doctor, and broke spreader lights off of my T top. Got rough quick. Ced thought it was fun. i had to wear my mask to see. actually got the life jackets out. My Coast Guard Son lectured me after we got back.
I told him that calm seas are nice, but you will never learn to be a mariner in them.
KC
Might be the only scenario where Mako out performs its competitors.
You made me spill my drink!:laughing3::laughing3::laughing3:
My friend Sterling had to let go of a Daryl Wong speargun because of a reel tangle on an amberjack. fortunately it was on a rig and the fish became tangled. His wife (better diver than anyone in our group) retrieved the gun later.
I never liked the idea of belt reels but there may be one in my future
same with me. having a reel attached to my belt, then to my gun doesnt sit well with me, especially around oil rigs. had a similar situation this year though, almost lost the MACO2 CO2 gun. too much water, not enough line. Wound up throwing the gun over a beam, it was still there when i returned. (Thank God)
KC
Cool video, good editing, I enjoyed it.
Part of the fun is crushing the bubble blowers' egos no? :laughing:
Are those the Speardiver CK fins we shot with an air rifle 6 years ago?
Me, my youngest son and my Niece were there a few years ago. I scared the crap out of 2 guys with rebreathers on. I was up in the little cavern when they bravely swam in.
He came to our picnic table later and said "how long can you hold your @#$%&n breath?"
seiko automatic.
10TH Anniversary present. (23 yrs ago)
Could buy any watch i want now, but cant give this one up. Was a big purchase back then, and means a lot to me.
Display MoreKC, Agree 100%, Lots of people cutting corners or not knowing what they are doing. People following up behind them are the one's at risk.
This goes for much more than Electrical.
Here are the two Biggest STUPID electrical hazards I have seen. ( many more)
-1- My old company was buying out smaller companies and combining capability. Anyway, My Crew was on site to disconnect equipment and load on trucks etc. In Power Disconnect box to one machine, Fuses were short sections of conduit.
Conduit for Fuses..... :@
Post that discovery, Crew Stopped work and all got outside of building to review procedures and what else they might find. This type of ignorance was through out the Facility.
-2- This was from a different company that was bought in the same time frame. Behind a Safety Screen that was not labeled or interlocked. Anyway some 1/4" Copper rods used as conductors on a supply.
The Copper rods operate at 10KV and 1 Amp max.
What ticked me off is some idiot wrapped the rods with Red and Black electrical tape. He had no clue thinking this was making it safer.
This did nothing at 10KV and he did was provide a false sense of safety to guy following up behind him. That guy would get killed.
I can get on a Roll on my Soap box for crap out there that makes something look safe when it does nothing.. Bare copper rods was safer than the stupid Tape job.
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I had another Electrical Tech using 12VDC rated plastic caps on 480V terminals. Tech had some 30 years of Electrical Experience. He just didn't get it after multi efforts. He just saw it as better than nothing.
I Freaking Hate systems designed with "Switched Neutrals". I get all excited when I see them. Had a few techs not really understand , Post my rants they are like WOW, I Hate them too. These will kill the tech, not me. I stand back he's the one measuring or working on equipment.
So, I see it every day still.
People who treat medium voltage the same as 600vac nominal. People who think that enough 33+ will insulate anything regardless of voltage. Hard for me to say what is the worst thing ive seen, but the pool light wired to one leg of 220vac and the other to the pool ground had to rate right up there. I put a meter on the ladder and it read 60 volts to ground. The guy that called me said his daughter complained that the ladder shocked here. I called the county on the pool contractor.
It makes me angry to hear reports like this.
I am a Licensed Master Electrician with over 30 years in the business. The National Electrical code has laws governing the minimum requirements for electrical installations, including pools, baths, spas, marinas, fountains etc. If these installations are grounded and Ground fault protected by these laws, the risk from electrical shock is greatly reduced. Nothing is perfectly fail safe, but I have never heard of an accident where all requirements of the code are met. Notify your local inspection department if you have concerns in your area. I once reported the county fair due to concerns about the temporary power to several of the attractions. It was shut down for a short period of time till GFCI'S were installed, and temporary cables were removed out of standing water. I have seen some nightmares due to home owners and jackleg contractors performing work. A pool light is required to be low voltage, GFCI protected, or both, depending on the state. Any electrical on or near the water or wet surfaces is required to be properly grounded and GFCI protected.
Electricity is not a hobby. Make sure that the contractor is licensed and bonded. If you have concerns, dont go near it, and call the local authority.
