Late report 8/29, 8/30 Carmel

Sorry this is so late, meant to report conditions as soon as my new account was up.  Carmel over the weekend was spectacular!  30' viz, massive balls of bait, warm water and sunny skies. 

Kayaked out of Stillwater and hit a couple of the usual spots.  Took home a few of the regular fish: black, black and yellow, and an olive.  I did shoot a pacific mackerel off of a huge bait ball which was a first for me.  Gave it to my dive buddy who's going to feed that stinky fish to his mother in law  .

I tagged a goat which was cruising through the kelp at 40' but the spear didn't penetrate enough and it swam free.  It would have been my first goat.  Same thing happened with a ling.  Going to have to check out my band setup on the Pathos 75 (purchased after seeing BigJim slay in his videos with his.)

Hit a personal best of 50' which I'm happy about.  It was a fantastic weekend in Carmel.  Sorry for no pics, I should remember to do that. 

-Neill

Glad you got out and had a good time! And congrats on the PB depth!

Glad you got out and had fun!!

Bummer about the goat and Ling!!

Yeah, check out your band set up...the 75 should have plenty of power to punch through anything out here (assuming you were within decent range)....

Even the 60 can take down nice sheep, so the 75 for sure can....

This is a sheep vid I'm still working on and deciding whether or not to publish etc...can see sheep taken with a RA 70 (double band) last year, and Pathos 60 (red single band) and 75 (blue single band on last fish shot) this year....I think the only shots that didn't punch all the way through were using the RA 70 on a big male way back in a crack and a female that I hit right in the spine....not the fault of the RA at all.



Anyway, congrats again and I'm looking forward to seeing more reports!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Sounds like you had a great time, congrats!

How sharp is your spear? A blunt tip will shoot all day on close shots on rockfish and lings, but one you take a shot on a skiddish sheep, you're SOL

I'm running 1 18mm band on my Pathos 75.  All the shots I took that didn't penetrate were on the first shark fin tab of the shaft.  I can't get the band to stretch to the 2nd shark fin tab, it's insanely tough.  I got it once but it was a miracle. 

The tip is really sharp still. 

I'm running 1 18mm band on my Pathos 75.  All the shots I took that didn't penetrate were on the first shark fin tab of the shaft.  I can't get the band to stretch to the 2nd shark fin tab, it's insanely tough.  I got it once but it was a miracle. 

The tip is really sharp still.

Yeah...I load my single band on both my 75 and 60 to the third shark fin tab...if I'm tired I load to the first tab, then its just a quick motion to bump the band back to third tab...

Good luck!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I think my band is too short for the next tab.  I'm far from a weak dude. 

I'm thinking maybe my mono is binding up the way I have my light rigged to my gun.  It hasn't been a problem in the past as I've had this same setup on my two other guns.  I'm thinking the mono may be getting squeezed between the gun and the bracket that holds my light.  I may have to modify that a bit.  I love hole hunting and hate holding a light so I absolutely have to have the light attached to the gun.  Besides, I have to pinch my nose to clear my ears so I need a free hand  .

Please excuse the zip ties.  I lost the bolt that goes through the bracket to the light. 

Being a newbie myself and having the Pathos 75, I had the same thought about the wrong band(you know being yoked and tan but cannot load both bands). You have to load using the chest method or it will be very hard. Check out this video:

I think my band is too short for the next tab.  I'm far from a weak dude. 

I'm thinking maybe my mono is binding up the way I have my light rigged to my gun.  It hasn't been a problem in the past as I've had this same setup on my two other guns.  I'm thinking the mono may be getting squeezed between the gun and the bracket that holds my light.  I may have to modify that a bit.  I love hole hunting and hate holding a light so I absolutely have to have the light attached to the gun.  Besides, I have to pinch my nose to clear my ears so I need a free hand  .

Please excuse the zip ties.  I lost the bolt that goes through the bracket to the light. 

Just my 2 cents but I would get rid of that bracket...

It does look like the shooting line might get hung up on it and that would totally limit your range for sure...

Also...having the light in your free hand will allow you to get a more detailed look in corners and nooks and crannies of cracks and holes instead of having to rely on moving your gun with the light...

If you get a light with a wrist strap and a thumb switch you can use your free hand to equalize on the way down, then just grab the light and flip the switch and look in the holes/cracks...

Best of luck!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

on the pull, I know what helps me on longer guns is to first just get onto the first tab on shaft. then if you reposition the butt right up into the solar plexus or higher, it makes it sooo much easier. you'd be amazed how, if you are starting with the butt even 2" or 3" lower. it's really not strength but the advantage of pulling almost straight back.

So I knew I wasn't going crazy, not being able to load my gun.  Turns out I had a 20mm band instead of an 18mm.  Not only was it NOT going to get to the furthest tab, the stretch was totally off and was under-powering my gun. 

I bought this gun from Spearamerica so I paid them a visit when I was down last weekend bug diving.  I met Petros, the store's owner, and he made everything right again.  Awesome dude, and aaaaaamaaazing shop.  If anyone is down in the Irvine area I suggest you stop by.