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Thread: spear fishing

  1. #41
    Primitive Hunter Jericho117's Avatar
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    Willow is perfect. It usually grows straight and is on the forest floor so it will be easy to cut. Another sapling like willow that can be another alternative is Birch, but that usually doesn't grow straight, but it is strong. If the willow you cut for your spear isn't weak and is strong, keep it. But if it is weak than try Birch saplings. Try to keep the willow thick. Use the "ok" hand signal with the pointer finger and thumb touching each other to determine the aprropriate thickness ( or at least inch to an inch in a half thick). If it feels to heavy than shape down the thickness. Length is easy to determine. Im six feet tall and I make my spears my exact height. So you do the same. Just keep it as tall as you are or at least 6 feet or over. I hope you get the idea, "strong and long" for the spear. Good Luck and happy fishing.


  2. #42
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    Thanks. Six feet isn't probible. I am only 5'4" tall. and how do you go about fire hardening a point? mine always scortch or burn.

  3. #43
    reclinite automaton canid's Avatar
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    then you are either holding them too close to the fire or are leaving them there for too long.

    it's fine if they brown a bit but the idea is to have them over the fire long enough to dry them out significantly or completely. 2-5 min.

    try it over coals instead of flames. whenever it begins to brown, back it a little farther off.

    i use a white gas stove in my garage when i work with hardening or even heat straightening. it works fine.
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  4. #44
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Using a Hawaiian Sling is my favorite spearing method (actually I suck horribly at other spearing attempts). As previously mentioned splitting the tip, fire hardening, and keeping it separated with a pebble works. I always bring a bit of surgical tubing (bunches of uses) and several nails. I make a three pronged tip with the nails using the pebble method to keep the points separated and the tubing at the other end for the propulsion. With three nails you don't have to worry about making barbs. The nails are also handy for a bunch of stuff. In my kit I have monofilament line, duct tape, etc wrapped around them.

  5. #45

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    I spent a lot of time as a kid with spearfishing, off Baja. Great times and tough fishing. I have always liked the sling method, too. I had a store bought one, for about 15 bucks. I made a few, also. A PVC pipe for the tube, surgical tubing for propulsion and the spear itself was a wal-mart style frog gig on a wooden dowel/curtain rod. Tough luck with it.

    In a survival scenario, I would thing spearing from shore would be better. Goggles, a snorkel and fins are pretty much required. I have tried to spear fish sans goggles and it is almost impossible.

  6. #46
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    I think i will have to try snorkel spearing. any advice on that?

  7. #47
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    nobody snorkel spears?

  8. #48
    reclinite automaton canid's Avatar
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    i don't but i assure you i will the next chance i get. the water around here i wouldn't want to put my hand in.
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  9. #49
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    so what do you do? just swim around looking for fish? and when u see one just shoot it?

  10. #50
    non-senior senior member Assassin Pilot's Avatar
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    I would try looking in relatively shallow water. But I have always had better success in fishing w/ a pole.
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  11. #51
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    what about not going underwater? just go where you know there are fish?

  12. #52
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crashdive123 View Post
    Using a Hawaiian Sling is my favorite spearing method (actually I suck horribly at other spearing attempts). As previously mentioned splitting the tip, fire hardening, and keeping it separated with a pebble works. I always bring a bit of surgical tubing (bunches of uses) and several nails. I make a three pronged tip with the nails using the pebble method to keep the points separated and the tubing at the other end for the propulsion. With three nails you don't have to worry about making barbs. The nails are also handy for a bunch of stuff. In my kit I have monofilament line, duct tape, etc wrapped around them.
    So you seperate it into thirds, spread them apart and fireharden it? then put the nail inside the point and stab away?:

  13. #53
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by flandersander View Post
    So you seperate it into thirds, spread them apart and fireharden it? then put the nail inside the point and stab away?:
    Not quite. The nails are an alternative method. Method 1 - make sharp point and fire harden it. Method - 2 split the tip, sharpen, separate the points so they are about 1 to 1-1/2 inches apart then fire harden (splitting the tip keeps the fish from comining off). Method 3 - use three nails to form a split tip. Method 4 - buy a collapsable sling and carry it with you. They can use a variety of tips.

    With a Hawaiian sling you don't stab. The opposite end from the tip has a big "rubber band" attached (this is where the surgical tubing comes in). the spear part should be about 5-6 feet long. Place the tubing between your thumb and index finger. Hold on to the spear (sling) The further you move your hand toward the pointy end, the tighter the tubing gets. If you are snorkeling, simply float and wait for the fish to get close. As they do, slowly put the pointy end near the fish, loosen your grip on the spear, the tubing will propel the spear quickly at the fish. Make sure your spear shaft is smooth, or be wearing gloves. Once you release your grip on the shaft, the spear travels very fast. You are not letting go of the shaft, just loosening your grip.
    Last edited by crashdive123; 02-19-2008 at 08:21 AM.
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  14. #54
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
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    It may look like this for spear fishing which is the way I use it.
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    And I have also used a frog gig for spear fishing and thise work great.
    Last edited by Beo; 02-19-2008 at 12:13 PM.
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  15. #55
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    I figured that a sharpened stick wasn't sharp enough. is it or do i need to fasten some pins in the end? i made a spear with pins in the end and haven't tried it yet.

  16. #56
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
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    No if you sharpen the ends to points and carve barbs (I only use one barb on each side) you should be fine, this is how I have done it many times. I don't know if spear fishing is legal in Ohio, never thought about it, but I do t anyway. Since I'm not in a real survival situation I use artificial deer sinew to mine up with as cordage, its thin, strong, and easy to manage. Not as thick as paracord which works well also.
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  17. #57
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    thanks beowolf!

  18. #58
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Beo posted some good pictures. The first spear is a great one to use to pin the fish to the bottom of a stream bed while the second one can be used in deeper water.

    Spear fishing is very restricted in Indiana to specific locations even to the point of a stream's flow of cubic feet per minute so be certain to check the laws in your local before engaging.
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  19. #59
    Senior Member flandersander's Avatar
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    ok well i own my own pond with fish in it so it really doesn't matter. what if i made a three pronged spear that had pins for points. no barbs but really sharp points. would it work???

  20. #60
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by flandersander View Post
    ok well i own my own pond with fish in it so it really doesn't matter. what if i made a three pronged spear that had pins for points. no barbs but really sharp points. would it work???
    Not sure what size "pins" you're talking about. This site has a picture of the tip I use on my collapsable sling. Just scroll down to the special prawn tip.

    http://www.bluewaterhunter.com/shops...ml/spears.html

    While living around Seattle, spent many a weekend scuba diving and spearing fish. They will not "fall" off this tip, but are very easy to remove (no barbs)
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