Matheson Hammock Report-Test Drives and Bugs

We finished some final work on the old whaler and decided we'd shoot out for a test drive last Friday. I've mentioned test drive "s" in that I'm totally outa shape, so I honestly wasn't planning on getting wet...but the temptation of testing the last of the mohican prototype pole spear was too much (of course the lake placid type conditions weren't any help either). I also happened to have all my gear on board, as well as a lobster lasso prototype I've been tinkering around with, for a few months. So you can say I didn't have much choice. MH is a "fun" marina located http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/parks/matheson_beach.asp It truly has quite an assortment of activities and a family can easily spend a day enjoying this great park and marina http://www.divespots.com/scuba/destinationID-3/partnerID-7/typeCode-4/partner.info for more info I purposely tied this link into this report, because this site is awesome packed with great info and some pretty neat dive spots, don't miss surfing into http://www.divespots.com/scuba/site-miami/destination.info we've spearfished all these dive sites and some can be incredibly productive for public numbers!!!! So we headed out and the Whaler was a gem, engines purrred like sphynx http://picsdigger.com/image/1c3d5cc0/...hate to repeat, I'm pathetically out of shape...over worked and over indulged, made me think how much I enjoy the sea, and how long its been, amazing how just a simple day out in the ocean can be so calming- it also gave me a reality check that I need to get my lame ass in shape...so expect a few of my old spearfishing workouts, as well as some new ones that are being used by alot of spearos during training these days. Expect also to see some spearfishing exercises as it relates to apnea...can't get one without the other, right? Lately crosstraining is the in term, and their are also quite a few crosstraining and core exercises (yep another in term) geared perfectly towards spearfishing- so expect a few great workout training tips for spearfishing coming soon. The seas were flat water was patchy- milky in some areas and gin in others, and seems to be cooling up-really wasn't expecting much, other than to try out my final version of my custom pole spear which I hope will soon be available at http://www.settingsteel/ speargear.com...and yeah I guess trying out my custom prototype lobster snare would have been nice, but not high on the list, as the area we were cruising was and has always been hit hard, we ran outa sands cut, a tricky booger of a cut, and immediately were met with same very clear waters and some weird readings on the sonar had me hustling with my gear. We found some pretty nice color changes in about 30 feet that proved to be a lobster bonanza, so with custom lobster snare in hand, I managed to fetch over 15 bugs in a 15 minute time span- with quite a few keepers in the bunch, a short drift bought me to a transition area that was, ahhh so very hoggie looking that I had to go up and fetch me custom pole spear, to be met be a decent (for that area at least) hoggies- a short pull, a gentle release and hog fish snapper on the stringer- and a quiet celebration knowing that my new custom pole spear is finally finished!!! so a few lobsters and a hog on the first drop-off MH- who says Miami has no spearfishing????





We proceeded spearfishing on to some deeper ledges, in about 80'ish, then 60'ish, but zero, nada, of fish of in the house, and viz was challenging. I notice some nice bottom as we headed out so we back tracked back to the area and I bumped into a boulder of a rock that had over 30 roaches so I picked them over pulling another handful from the bunch; apparently all the commotion brought some hogs in that all virtually impalled themselves on to my pole spear, and that bought in a very nice mutton snapper well over 22", of course while I was horsing the hog....no worries I got his number ;)...so all in all a nice day spearfishing in Miami with some new spearfishing waypoints....and not to mention a classic whaler http://www.whalercentral.com/Boston_Whaler.php that has a new life-final tally a few bugs and hogs, a great custom pole spear, and soon to come an awesome lobster lasso....oh and yeah some serious training to be cont.....








Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone

http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com

GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS

Which do you want first?????

GOOD NEWS!!!! Of course....
Went out this weekend for a spearfishing quickie trip, well it was more like a test run (both engines-insider joke) report to follow today.

BAD NEWS, boo woo...
Well it could also be good news. If you recall I've been tinkering with a pretty rad speargun, that a few friends have been testing for about a little over 2 years....the spearguns has been
"debugged" and "tweaked", and was going to launch the grand opening of our new online store www.settingsteelspeargear.com, then lo and behold outa the blue (literally) comes this spearfishing company and they want the speargun....I've worked with a few manufacturers before with their own designs/ers, but have never actually been exposed to this side of the business (although I'd imagine its no different than selling a furniture design- which I have quite a bit of experience)...should be interesting journey, as this is/was my baby....ok enough babbling...so it seems perhaps (sadly) I may enter in to some type of agreement that may put restrains on our marketing end of the gun....but the good part is this amazing concept speargun my finally be available to the masses, and I hope will set a new standard in underwater hunting.
I'll keep you all in the loop, on the process and hope to even throw in some sneak pix of the gun, along the way!

On a side note I hope to have my humble site up and running by the end of Nov. (dang didn't I say that last Nov.) anyways thanks for dropping in, be safe out there.



Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone

http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com

Wheeew that one was close....

Looks like it missed us...but jeeeeez is it wet over here- I know, been outa the loop as of late, but all for good reason....stay tuned

Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone

http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com

Speargun Line Retainer Bungie

I often get guys asking me how I make my speargun bungies, also known as muzzle bungies, shock bungies, and/or just plain "bungies". Perhaps my speargun bungies draw some attention due to the lack of any type swivel on them, or maybe its just they look a bit too simple (read not technical). Anywayyyyys hear in Miami spearfishermen tend to do quite a bit of improvising as do our European spearo friends so here is my version of the muzzle bungie.

BUT before I jam the pictorial let me enlighten thee on my take of the shock bungie. First, of all names given to this device "shock" is the least acceptable in my book, why??? cause in most cases by the time your spearfishing shaft reaches the end of the wraps it hardly has any more smack, penetration, power, force....well you get it. Second, ideally the less you have going on between your speargun, line, and spearfishing shaft, the less chance of something going wrong...so yeah if you can make do without a spear gun bungie then go for it..."Less is more"...true that! And yes their are other type of spearfishing "line retention" methods that at one point or another I'll be blogging on with a saweeet pictorial for the picture happy spearos. Third, if you insist on a bungie then try to make/buy one as streamlined as you can and fasten it to your line anchor...alot of spearos are always tweeking their spear guns, for optimal power and distance, to later have a huge piece of rubber halfway between the line and shaft. And finally the main reason why you should consider a bungie is to keep your line tight to the stock, this both lessens tangles and more importantly prevents it from getting caught to your self or bottom structure-that said a small, swiveless, bungie should suffice... and this is my take on the spearfishing muzzle bungie

Give yourself ample line to work with- for a 3" rubber I use about 15" of line, as you can always cut the excess. Double up the spectra (dyneema) spearfishing line (at this point make the call whether you want to use a swivel or not if you do I'd recommend these http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_8555____SearchResults

and make



a simple overhand knot. Alot of the Miami guys I go spearfishing with think I'm a knot guru, but truth be said I'm knot, er, um I mean I'm not, I just simply dip over to this site http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

and whalah!

OK still with me? This next step is vital, after your knot get some "super glue" you know, the strong smelling watery type glue that sticks your fingers together...yeah yeah that one....and add a few drops to your knot, this little step goes a long way, as it virtually welds your dyneema spearfishing line on to itself- In fact, I put a few drops of super glue on EVERY knot I tie thats gonna see water

ok so now you got your first knot done and you proceed to the next knot which is on the other end of your line, here you do the exact same function as above and you nip off the excess line here is a picture of your spearfishing bungie half way through the process

EDIT ok heres a better pic. So now you have your 2 loops and next you attach some whipping line (also called rigging twine) to one of the loops this will ease running your dyneema spearfishing line thru the rubber tube in the next step

Moving right along, next you get some liquid soap and dip your spectra line in it this eases the entire process, as a close spearo friend says "lubrication, rules the nation". You then proceed to thread the whipping line (which is waxed allowing you to straighten it out) through the rubber tube and pull the spectra spearfishing line through to the other side....wondering where to get that whipping line....here you go compadre http://www.meltontackle.com/products/heavy-duty-waxed-rigging-thread.html

once thats done you set up a couple of constrictor knots, here's another another cool site for the Miami spearo or for that matter any other spearfishing person that would like to be up to date on the best knots for spearfishing

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Pull the rubber tubing over one end of the dyneema loop knot and constrict it. I use two needle nose pliers for maximum torque, same goes when I tie my bands



You'll have some rigging twine left over you can do another constrictor or just nip off the excess

And here you have it...neat and purdy like, next you move on to the other side of your dyneema loop. Here it gets just a tad bit tricky ideally you'd like a third hand to help out, as in this way its one simple fluid move, but if a third ain't happening then just proceed without. First slip your second constrictor knot over the rubber tube and let it hang loosely there (in the picture on the bottom left you can't see it but its there on the bottom half),

next pull the rubber tube this allows the spectra line to "creep" into the tube, and generally stays well within it up to where the knot is. To get the knot in get those needle nose pliers, pinch the knot with them and cram them in, the dish soap we aid in this step

Slip your constrictor knot over the tube and constrict away...............then nip the excess, as so neatly, shown above. So their you have it a spearfishing bungie worthy of many an outing in any spearfishing adventure near or far!



Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone

http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com/

New world Record cobia

A huge cobia was shot spearfishing off Espírito Santo, southeastern part of Brazil. I don't have to many details on the fish, but its said to be at or around 140#, if so, that torqued the current WR by over 30#'s

I'll keep you spearo's posted as I get word

Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone
http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com/

A Cold window opened, today.

Headed out for some Runnin'&Gunnin' today. My sources said it was gonna be a good day spearfishing so I headed outa Goverment Cut swung North and headed to some Miami spearfishing numbers that never fail! Weather was nice and cold as....well you know. Seas where less than 2', viz was hazy in some spots , but mostly top to bottom down to 60'...seems fish are still shallow, which is good for spearfishing, hopefully the water will warm up as it was close to unbearable in my 3mil...but I got my mammalian reflect kickin' in fast when that icy water hit my face. Glad to see Miami still has its share of fish still wating to be hunted. Shot a trio of mutton snapper to 20" a few hogs in the high teens and a godzilla mango, a hair under 24"...some sashimi mac's rounded the bunch.



Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone
http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com/

The $$$ Fish

GOOOOOOOD riddance 2009 has come to an end! Aside from some great spearfishing not much else can be said for 2009.....now 2010 seems like its gonna be a winner!!!!!!!

Quite a few fellow spearo's have been trying to get a hold of me for sometime....good news is yes I'm still kickin (my fins), bad news is not as much in the water as on land. I'll hopefully be spearfishing a bit more now that I've added a few more employees to my team... I'll have a few Miami spearfishing reports soon, as well as a few evaluations on new spearfishing gear as well as a few new carbon spearguns, ooops I mean Miami-made carbon spearguns. I hope to provide my readers with up-to-date news on Spearfishing Florida and surrounding waters, as well as the latest spearfishing rules and regulations. OK that being said....

How would you like to shoot yourself a $177k fish? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34711137/ns/business-world_business?GT1=43001
A 500# Bluefin tuna was caught off of Japans northern coast, auctioned off for a startling $177,000....imaging how many of my custom carbon fiber spearguns you can by with that! Quite a few articles have popped up on the www. regarding Bluefin Tuna and the crazy $$$ a fish like that fetches, food for thought in this depressing economy. Imagine running into a school of bluefin like this http://www.savethebluefin.com/profiles/blogs/aerial-video-of-big-bluefin on your next bluewater spearfishing expedition.

What a majestic fish, although it fetches a big chunk of ka-ching bluefin tuna are not exactly targeted be bluewater spearfisherman, in general as much as its close brother the yellowfin tuna. The spearfishing gear necessary to spear a fish like this is not only specialized, but downright tough as these fish can put up 2-3 hours worth of blood, sweat and tears http://vimeo.com/2311555. Speaking of which looks like the bluefin is on a decline- thanks to commercial overfishing http://www.bigmarinefish.com/bluefin.html.

Speaking of Bluewater spearfishing I'll soon post some quick tips and pointers on gear an methods for bluewater hunting, look for them soon.



Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

Tone
http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com/