newbie has a couple questions

[philgo]

Hello,
Actually I'm not a newbie yet-- I haven't started spear fishing. I tried to go spearfishing once- but the belts were rotten on my step-dads old speargun. Does anyone know a place in Houston that can repair them?
After reading and seeing some of the pictures on this site, I'm itching to get in to diving and spearfishing. I have been going offshore fishing out of Galveston and Freeport for the past few years, and recently I started snorkeling every time we go out. Some of my neatest experiences were seeing three large ling swimming right towards me (thinking they were sharks-- of course). And also watching a Dolphin (Porpoise?) eat a snapper that had been thrown off of the boat. Some of the fish I've seen are Barracuda, Gray Snapper, Lane snapper, Triggerfish, Spadefish, Sheepshead, Bluefish, Ling, Suckerfish, and Blue Runners. I'm not sure I've got all of these names right. All of these I seen just snorkeling around the rigs. I am pretty curious to see what I might find on a dive.
My best fishing experiences out here include hooking a sailfish 15 miles off of freeport, and catching a 20 pound dorado, 20 pound ling, and 3 or 4 different kinds of snapper. Our most common catch is Kingfish and Snapper. We usually go anywhere from 10-40 miles out.
So here are some questions I have-- What's the best place to get diving instruction around Houston (Southeast Area)? Would it be difficult to spear a 10 pound snapper directly under a rig? I see these all the time when I am snorkeling. Wouldn't he swim in to the rig and get tangled? How close do you have to be? Are there any good places to dive in the 10-40 mile range off of Freeport/Galveston? Has anyone ever speared a Dorado? I see these in the water a lot-- particularly near weedlines, but I'm guessing they are probably too fast to spear. Any other advice for spear fishing while free diving? What type of gun would be best?

Thanks,
Phil

[PatMyGreen]

You can spear anything you can see in the water (local regulations allowing of course) tuna, wahoo, mahi. The auzies even shoot marlin. I have never shot on the rigs but a bunch of guys here do. They use cable instead of regular line setups to prevent the growth on the legs and pipes from cutting the line. You can buy new bands for a speargun at most dive stores.
Learn how to "stone" (in theory at least) big fish before you go after them or you might wind up without your gun really fast.
Remember to use common sense and be as safe as possible, these are wild animals struglling for their lives in their native environment, a 30# fish has the abiltiy to kill you under bad conditions.

[Rig Magician]

you can check out www.universalscuba.com they are on westhimer(Spelling?) there is about 5 dive shops on richmond and westhimer. also try R&D scuba, I think there web site is r&dscuba.com. spent 2 weeks there for school and found these while I was there.

[LSUBigL]

Philgo, check your PM. I sent you some information that will help. I live in Houston, and was certified here but primarily dive in Louisiana.