Spearfishing essentials

[jeffe]

A lift bag ?
Do you carry one with you when spearing ?
Or a camera ?
Most Arkansas spearos don't seem to carry a camera, but a few carry a small lift bag. Some carry a signal sausage to use as a lift bag, though it is limited in it's lift capacity.
The way I started carrying a lift bag was simple. I had a new signal sausage and a new BC that was my first weight integrated BC.
Knowing my weighting system would change somewhat with the new BC, I also carried the signal sausage, to see about it's weighting changes, if any.
I had found a underwater hump in Lake Greeson that had some structure to it and held some fish, on sonar anyhow.
After a minor weight adjustment, I made the drop and immediately shot a Large Bluegill. The lineshaft carried it just out of visibility and I went up the line to string the fish. It was laying beside a old wagon hub. After stringing the fish I thought about sending the hub up so I could continue on with the spearing. I tried the signal sausage, but it wasn't enough lift. I left the sausage tied to the hub and continued spearing,
planning to recover it later.
Yep, you know I had trouble finding it again, and it shortened my spearing time, six bluegills on the stringer.
I now carry a tightly rolled 50lb. lift bag.
I just clip it to a d ring on the bottom edge of my BC so I can quickly attach it to a "Lake trophy".
Heres a photo of the wagon hub after it was cleaned up. It is awaiting the grandson of the origonal user to make a visit for a family reunion. I always enjoy the look on someones face when I can return something that has spent generations submerged.:)

[727hog]

jeffe, Last year was my first year spearfishing on Greers Ferry. So I tried to keep it simple, but stringing fish is pretty time consuming when there are a couple of bass around trying to figure out why their friend is acting so strange around this big thing with bubbles. What kind of stringer do you use?.

[jeffe]

I use the one in the photo that is attached.
SPEAR ONE on this spearboard forum has a video clip of a stringing technique that will shorten your time spent puttin' one on the stringer.
FISHKILLA did have a link to it on his website at:
www.fishkillaproductions.com
If you have trouble locating it I can send it to you.
This method "puts em' in the dark" without giving them a chance to get away, they stay secured at all times.
This is a easy way to do it and I think you will enjoy the short video.

[jeffe]

The stringer is a little hard to see in my first try, so i'll put another one here.

[jeffe]

Here is a good look at the type of stringer, also a good source for them.
The website owner is the one with the srtinging video clip.
http://www.slinginsteel.com/stringers.html
He post to this board as spearone

[joens]

I use one of the Spearfishing Specialties stringers as well.Say Jeffe is that an SS gun in the picture .It looks like the perfect freshwater gun.What length is it. I have a 52" Rhino that I use in the gulf but I was thinking of getting a short SS gun for freshwater .

[joens]

But to answer your question. I dont normally carry either a camera or a lift bag while spearing .I have a 100# lift bag I keep in the gear box in the truck but don't usually take it underwater unless I know something is down there.

[jeffe]

Originally posted by joens
I use one of the Spearfishing Specialties stringers as well.Say Jeffe is that an SS gun in the picture .It looks like the perfect freshwater gun.What length is it. I have a 52" Rhino that I use in the gulf but I was thinking of getting a short SS gun for freshwater .
Yep, an' jest' Love it !
It's just 38" from speartip to the butt, two bands, plenty of power.
I like it so well, I don't even own a Pneumatic anymore. I sold my Nemrod Clipper that I used for many years on eBay.
In this photo it is beside my Gulf gun that is 80" butt to speartip.

[one_lucky_shot]

carry a lift on every fresh water dive (mostly cave/ springs) and a 50# lift surface marker for ocean.

it is tucked out of the way and i would not realy notice if it were there or not, so it is great. just think.... what would you ever do if your wing (or BC) were to ever blow out (more likely the inflat deal would break or fall apart).....

[jeffe]

what would you ever do if your wing (or BC) were to ever blow out (more likely the inflat deal would break or fall apart).....
>
Fernandezh had just that very thing happen not long ago, see post elsewhere on this board. He used his Deco Buoy/bag to adjust his buoyancy and not have to cut short his spearing dive.:cool: