Neah Bay Trip

[Aquatic Hunter]

In the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the Olympic Peninsula, took this nice size Kelp Greenling. It made a fine dinner.

I lost a Lingcod. I shot straight down thru its head, but hit the rock beneath it. The flopper failed to deploy. It tore off with one quick jolt. I searched but couldn't find it. Visibility was poor. Current and waves took it away. Next time I'll circle around and come in at face-to-face level.

Thanks,
Tom

[quattroluvr]

Hi Tom,
Yours is a very common story when shooting lings with flopper shafts that come with spearguns by default and are not really suited for PNW spearfishing imho. Rocks are nearly always close by lings and floppers don't deploy when they get stopped by rock. It's terrible feeling to lose a fish that's probably mortally wounded. I urge you to get a threaded shaft and get a JBL rocktip for it (6mm threads are available for both). The key is the short-wing rock-tip deploys in about 1.5" instead of up to $+ inches for a flopper that's much further down the shaft. I've never lost a Ling or rockfish after switching 3 years ago. (ok one rockfish lost due to a poor gutshot). Plus the JBL rocktips are so hard, they put dents in the boulders instead of dulling a bit. no filing required. you can get the best spearfishing gear from PNW shop "Oregon Freediving Company", and support a regional shop, where I got my JBL tips. BTW I use a Riffe 55 Euro.

[Aquatic Hunter]

Thanks Leigh! I really appreciate your advice. I'll certainly checkout the rock tips as you suggested.

With Rockfish and Greenlings, out in the kelp, I don't usually have a problem with flopper deployment because the fish are usually swimming or suspended, and the shaft penetrates all the way through. But around rocks, it's definitively a problem.

I would have preferred to use my short Riffe speargun, but the bands were old and broke, so I had to use my long speargun. I missed many opportunities because it was too slow and cumbersome to swiftly move and aim the long gun. Having the short gun is much better for the close shots. It's just point and shoot.

Thanks,
Tom