Gun Questions

[DanR]

Hi all, I have a few questions and was hoping to get some advice. I'm looking for a reef gun, I have a 135cm Arbalete which is too long for my rock creeping, any advice? Also, I live in Japan and will need to have it mail order so, can anyone recommend a reliable dealer?

Thanks a bunch-0-groupers,
Dan in Japan

[fernandezh]

DanR,
Welcome to the board. Before anybody can answer that question we need some information.

How deep are you diving?
How big are the fish you are catching? (weight and length)
Freediving or SCUBA?
Are all your fish near the reef or pelagic (free swimming open water)?

Once we get this info, a lot of people will be able to help out with that answer.

Hector

[DanR]

Hey Hector,

Thanks for responding, to answer your questions:

I freedive in about 18-40 of water

I catch reef/fish from 20 inches/ 2lbs to 36inches/5 or 6 lbs.

However, my friends have shown me photos of fish they catch in the summertime that are easily 20lbs. Im not sure the species, the big ones I think they are a sandbass or yellowfin, I havn't translated all the names yet and this is my first season spearing in Japan.

I was thinking a 32 or 36 inch gun for all around use and I like the look of the SS Rhino guns coating.

[DanR]

Oh I forgot to ask how people like reels? They look convenient and I've only used loop lines.

Thanks again,
dan

[Spearooo]

Reels are great especially for freediving but can be a bit of a pain to reload the gun with all that line. I have shot several kingfish that I would have never landed without a reel. They would have surely torn themselves off. They give you a bit more room to deal with a fish that has been hit and has alot of life still in him. The kings that I shot pulled about 150 feet of line b4 getting tired if I had not had one they would have surely torn off even though the shot was good. You can get the same acomplished with a float line but they make it harder to get in and out of the water and make more of a mess but are safer especially when shooting big fish. One of my freinds lost a nice cobe bc. he was line shafting with no reel a guess what the gun got yanked right out of his hand on no more gun something that could have happened with a reel too but at least he would have had a couple of hundred feet of line to work with b4 he had to give up his gun something that isn't likely to happen unless you shoot a pelagic that will spool you in a minute but for other applications they shine.

[Spearooo]

Have you considered a 90cm Rob Allen rail gun. with two bands it packs a mean punch

[DanR]

Thanks, I'm lookin at a couple of guns and I'm going to try a reel. I appreciate you taking your time to answer my ?? which I'm sure have been asked on the board a hundred times.
dan

[Kasshia]

Here's the web address to my local Riffe dealer here on Okinawa:
http://www.reefencounters.org/

According to the Riffe web site http://www.riffespearguns.com/ there's another one in Osaka.

[DanR]

Thanks Kasshia, I 'll check them out!:D

[kabo123]

floridiafreediver.com

hope thats right
they have all your rob allen gear and the omer pelegic reel.

[DanR]

I ended up getting an 32"AB Biller Sea Hornet on ebay for $76.00. It solves my I want a shorter gun problem. I have also been speaking to Kevin at S.S. and want to say that he kicks A@#! He offered some advice and he is willing to work with my strange situation. When I go for my step-up gun it'll be a S.S. commercial for sure. Thanks to everyone for their advice. I have checkd several spearing boards but this one is by far the best.
Thanks,
dan

[f94gator]

Kevin is a great source of knowledge on spearfishing and is very helpful. You're talking to the right man!