Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Top Shots - New Spearfishing Video Series

Top Shots - The Best Spearfishing Shots Series

In The Zone Productions the company that makes the Onefish spearfishing DVDs has just launched a new video series online. It's actually super cool! The whole idea is to find the most epic spearfishing shots on film and then skype call the guy and get all the details. Then put it down in a seriously hot little vid for all to see on line.

I guess there are loads of guys out there getting epic shots on GoPro and other video cams. The problem is that often they dont have enough footage to make a complete film or segment or have the skills to edit down the videos in a cool sleek way. This video concept will probably appeal most to these guys, and they will be able to get there epic spearfishing footage out and edited.

Here is the first episode here:
Top Shots - Spearfishing Series - Ian Brookes - Australia

As always it's not all that simple with loads of guys already submitting their footage for consideration. So I am sure only the choice vids will make the cut. The guys who get chosen also stand to win some cool prizes from Ultimate Spearfishing Magazine Subscriptions to spearguns and more.


If you want to get your insane spearfishing shots on ‘Top Shots’ then email: topshotsvideo@gmail.com

It would also be super cool if you could let me know what you think of these videos and the concept. Just post a comment below.

 For More on Gopro Setups, Tips and Tricks for Spearfishing Get the whole 'Behind the Lens Series' by Richard here Spearfishing GoPro Setups and Instruction Series

Cheers

Coatesman

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Great Amberjack Spearfishing Footage


Last year we released the spearfishing video "OneFish Going East" that landed up being one of the most popular videos ever. With many of the guys who bought the film admitting to watching too many times to remember.

It has become a bit of a tradition with us to take one of our favourite scenes in a film and publish it on Youtube.
Yes it is part of a plot to take over the spearfishing net work on Youtube ...... we have a new series brewing and want to get some action going on our video channel. But you did not hear this from me :-)

So we could not help but put the Amberjack section of the film up. This is the segment were Mohammed Alkuwari made a name for him self with some of the most epic kill shots filmed on Amberjack.

Even if you have watch the whole video a 1000 times ... I know you will not be able to help yourself and watch this section again ...... I bet you pressed PLAY didn't you?

I hope you enjoyed these epic shots again ... please share and spread the love for us.

Coatesman

P.S keep an eye on our Youtube Channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/ITZTV there will some seriously cool things happening there in about 2 weeks time.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Vintage Undersee Bantam Speargun

Ben Fernance's Vintage Undersee Bantam Speargun
Every once and a while you come a cross a strange speargun that gets you scratching your head. Ben Fernance sent me a couple pics of this contraption that was given to him. I did some scratching around and there is very little info on this very interesting speargun.
A strange cross between a Hawaiian Sling and a Speargun.
This strange gun looks like it is a hybrid Hawaiian Sling with a crude speargun type grip and mechanism. Might not be a bad idea for cave hunting and close shots in bad vis. I am not sure where the shooting line would go tho??

Top view of the Undersee Bantam
I think as the name 'Bantam' suggests that this was supposed to be a mini or compact speargun. Although I am not sure how effective it was and can picture this being used more by one of the James Bond girls in the 70's .... you know the shot with the busty bikini clad babe walking out he water with the speargun looking all sexy?

Anyway it would be seriously cool to find out more about this 'porno' speargun and maybe even find out if anyone can remember using one. Please leave a comments below ... this is going to be interesting :-)

Coatesman

P.S thanks to Ben for sending in the pics.


Monday, March 4, 2013

Spearfishing a Lucky Yellowfin Tuna

My Lucky Yellowfin Tuna 27kg
When you think of spearfishing Yellowfin Tuna you generally think of Cape Town. Yes sure guys get the odd Tuna here on the North Coast, but it is the exception and not the rule.
For years I have always envied the guys who have gotten Yellowfin Tuna on spear here on our coast. It did not matter if it was a luck shot or skill, I still envied them.

It's not like I have not had some chances, but generally the tuna just don't hang around to get a shot in and you land up watching the tails swim away with out even getting a shot off. At best you prick the fish and they zoot off leaving your spear behind. The small ones in shoals are easier, but we seldom get shoals so shooting one is rare.

The most common place we see the bigger Tuna following the Dolphins. This does not make them easier to shoot, its just when I have seen them the most and gotten half a chance. Too often I have been watching the pod of Dolphin and suddenly noticed the Tuna and before I can get in hunt mode the fish is gone.

So for the last few years I  have tried to be more vigilant when seeing Dolpin knowing that in an instant I might get a smal window and an opportunity on a dream fish. So when coming off the bottom this morning and seeing some tuna swim over head my mind kicked into gear ..... I must admit I thought that this was going to be another fruitless chase.

About 5 or so Tuna of about 10kg, well so I though swam over me when I had just turned to return to the surface. I was thinking do I try chase them, them moved out of range very quickly.  'Oh well just another shoal of fleeting tuna I won't get a shot at' ... well so I thought. I carried on for the surface when I noticed a Dolphin, then another one. Dolphin + Tuna = Opportunity

So I turned my attention to the Dolphin changing direction towards them with speargun at the ready. They quickly darted off as they don't like to be confronted head on. Again I thought opportunity lost, then another Dolphin came in at speed. It turn way before reaching me and behind it where 2 Tuna. The Dolphins sudden turn blind sided the Tuna and before they realised it they were swimming past me.

I stepped on the gas and tried to close the gap but they were not getting any closer. I figured they were 10kg fish and with in range so before my eyes popped out my head from lack of air I would do the ol 'flyershot' and see where the cards fall. They were fairly far away so I aimed high and squeezed off a shot.

Joy!! The speed line disappearing into the murk is a great feeling. "Gee this reel is emptying fast." next the beltreel and that ran out just as fast. "Damn the Dolphin have the fish!" well a 10kg fish cant pull that hard! So tried to put on the breaks only to have my hands burn ...Damn Dolphins!!
Then it just stopped, there was still weight , but very little movement. I though the Dolphins had left it, but next thing it goes again.

Now normally my routine is shoot the fish with one gun, swim back to the float and get the other gun ... even if all let all my line out. This way I dont loose the fish while landing it if the shot was bad. In this case I didn't get that memo and before I knew it the current and fish had pulled me at least 50m from where I had reefed up.

Eventually I worked my way towards the fish and I could see the shooting line knot coming up followed by the fish. *^$@ its huge! Oh Crap ... and my shot bad! But it looks pretty poked, so I will just grab the tail. I tried to get the best grip possible on the tail but it just shook me off and bolted off again. This was when I realised I really could do with my other gun, but it was 50m away.

So I let the line back out and swam for the float, keeping an even tention on the fish. Long story short, I get the gun, get back to the fish and plant a solid second shot and secure the fish. Super stoked with the fish, I realise that it is 'sushi' time so I bleed the fish while swimming back to the float. The blood eventually slows and I dispatch the fish with a knife to the brain, and get the fish on my stringer.

Next thing the fish takes off, 2 guns and spears, float, 8 crayfish, and Snoek all straight to the bottom! Then back to the surface and then it throws in a couple twists, tuns and some chaos for good measure. Now I have 60m of reel line, about 70m of belt reel line and the second guns shooting line all in a knot .... epic!

Eventually I sort everything out and start to plot my long journey home .... but thats a long and boringly painful story. It dawns on me, this is a seriously 'lucky' fish. Yea sure there might have been some skill involved. But like most game fish there is a serious amount of luck involved.

I was 'lucky' :
  • The Dolphin blind sided the Tuna
  • My high shot was high (damn gun it too accurate and the spear did not drop as I thought) or I doubt the spear would have gone all the way trough as the fish was bigger than I thought.
  • The high shot got some good though tendons and skin to hold onto.
  • The Dolphins did not capitalise on an easy meal.
  • I was able to get my second gun ...
  • And of course right place at the right time.
So I finally get my Yellowfin Tuna off the tail of a Dolphin ... probably another ten years before I get this right again.

Coatesman