Not if we keep passing on shrimp boats, because Matt promised his wife he'd be home in time to take her out to dinner. <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">
MOFO! If we keep filling the fish box like that we will continue to get shitty gas mileage too! <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">
GR -
Is that the Mako you smashed at the Pride?
Looks like it was a great day! Good job on the Kingie Matt! How you like that new gun?
I believe it's the same model you have? 130cm Super Venom. I have the 120cm coming later in the week. I'm extremely pleased with it John. I broke her in on a few faster and smaller fish too to be sure she was running on all cylinders (bonita, rainbow runner, deep water mangos).
The usual baseline crew (Smilin Matt) and I pulled a team together and did one of our last deep water trips for the year yesterday. Hit 3 spots in 115ft + and managed to fill the box with a few lbs of fish. By the time we got the reds to start showing up, we had to call it a day because the wife requested an early dinner date. Unfortunately, we only managed 3 of them before I had to pull Smilin Matt out of the water by his ears. Kind of a mixed bag today with a little of everything but the AJ's were thick as ever! They are healthy out there in deeper water! The King I shafted only looked about 20 lbs out in open with no other fish for reference. Pulling him in for a bear hug, I realized I was off about 50% with the estimate. A great day on the water with great company! Time to stay shallow for a while. 
Daniel, thanks for the education. That seems to fall in-line with what the ENT told me recently.
Ben, I'm currently going through the same issues. This past year I've often had to abort diving halfway through the days due to not being able to equalize any longer. Exact same symptoms as you've mentioned. I went to the ENT about 2 months ago and he removed large pieces of compacted wax out of each outer ear canal. When I say large, I'm talking kidney bean sized petrified garbage. I about passed out at the sight. So wrong. I was given anti-bacteria medicine for the inner ear also. I stayed out of the water for 3 weeks and then went back in. Halfway through the day I needed to abort and did not force equalizing. A bummer for sure, but a smart play. I'm not over the hump yet and believe I will have some issues the next time I go out, but will not force it. I'm hoping I find the recipe, whether it's ear drops after each dive, earlier ear equalizing during drops, or vicks under the nose. FN sucks because it has not allowed me to dive to the depth or potential that I was at last year...
Very interested in seeing the rest of this...for my next gun, I was considering something along these lines. I have come to the conclusion that I prefer rear handled guns over mid-handles, although I can shoot either. It's simply a matter of preference.
Keep it coming Steve!
John,
I also agree with you here. While midhandles seemed beneficial in CA waters wondering kelp rooms and kelp edges for those very few opportunities to unload on WSB or Yellowtail, it just doesn't fit our diving here in my opinion either. We are typically firing the gun 20+ times in a day and in general, tracking much faster moving targets in the GOM. Loading 3+ bands is tedious when attempting to pop another mangrove zigzagging in a school below you or hurrying to pop a rainbow runner or king doing a fast flyby. I can also shoot both styles of guns fairly comfortably, but definitely lean more and more each trip to the rear handle cans of whoopass. A quality tri-tip shaft on even a moderate sized euro can still reach out and touch the palegics in the right hands. Being disciplined with shot placement and range applies to both styles of guns. I will be shifting all of my custom builds to euros in the near future.
Great thread Steve and awesome gun.
Few GOM pics. Everyone has those days that standout from other spearing adventures. The pic below with my two dive buddies holding up cobes was one of them. We had a ray come by with a 10ft wingspan near a wreck in 70ft with 10-15 cobias in tow. All were well over 50 lbs and I will take it to my grave that one or two in the group were in the 100-110 lb range because they significantly dwarfed all cobes landed that afternoon and 2 of the 3 speared were 72 lbs ea. We jumped out of the water to take a picture of the first 60 and 72 lb cobes, threw some high fives, hydrated, and I went back in the water 20 minutes later and found another 72 lber under the boat doing a flyby under his deceased friends. Anyways, a day to remember and the kind of adventure that makes us, eat, sleep, and dream diving. The best part of diving isn't the fish, it's the ocean and enjoying it with great company! Top pic was my very first cobe back in 07'. Kind of like getting your first WSB!!!
Beautiful country Kolt! Alot like California without the liberals? <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">
Seriously though, it appears to have the water clarity, temps, geography of northern CA, yet the species like yellowtail and lobster in southern CA.
I remember you posting something a while back about getting bored with spearguns! Awesome job with the pole man 
Hey John. Welcome back!
I'm dealing with alot of ear issues as of late and it sucks!
Later man,
Matt
Ha ha ha! You're killin me with this 29fs and 80lb cubera bullsheet!!!
Now the semi-public spot we hit sunday 55 miles out shows some serious potential. Too bad we only got 15min in the water before the wrath of God was unleashed (aka summertime in FL) 
Good to see and dive with you again my friend. Been too long! Thanks for the killer recipe 
New to the forum, but dive with a few of the members.
Brief intro:
Began spearing in the Los Angeles area around 03-04 while stationed in the Air Force. Enjoyed the lobster, seabass, yellowtail, and halibut hunting while in the area. So much in-fact that I decided to move to FL where I could be on the water, own a boat, and dive more often in 07. Couldn't be happier with that decision. Have met some great spearos here and enjoy some fine diving.
Glad to be part of the freediving community.
Matt
