Alright, you're goin' deep, do you lead with your gun(arm extended) or do you grab it mid barrel(tucked to your side) and head down? I definitely feel more "slick" with the gun tucked on my side, but don't like having to flip the gun forward if I see a mid water shot. What's your take?

I stick it out front like a woodie,,,:toast:

Good question, I do it both ways, tucking it in on the 70 plus foot dives and holding it out for the shallower stuff.

gun 9 in 10 in front

I hold on the handle but keep my arm down on my side. When you see a fish you just extend your arm. Also this way you can easily change the direction of you gun quickly without having to swing it around.

I always carry mine as in this photo from Terry Maas's book. It lets me extend the gun in the direction of the fish rather than swinging it.

Of course I'm not using such a big gun, so the muzzle is right next to my head with just some shaft sticking out in front of me

I always carry mine as in this photo from Terry Maas's book. It lets me extend the gun in the direction of the fish rather than swinging it.

Of course I'm not using such a big gun, so the muzzle is right next to my head with just some shaft sticking out in front of me


I use that style once I get to the bottom of my drop but what about on the way down? Don't you feel "draggy" with that arm across your chest?

I use that style once I get to the bottom of my drop but what about on the way down? Don't you feel "draggy" with that arm across your chest?

No, I don't need to hold the muzzle up with the left hand, particularly when heading straight down. But even on the bottom of my drop, the gun is well balanced enough so that I still don't need to hold the muzzle up with the left hand. In fact, I often grab a piece of kelp with the left hand to keep from drifting up, and I couldn't hold the gun up then.

But come to think of it, my left hand is holding my nose to equalize all the way down, so I guess that is "draggy."

Ok Mr. Bill, I think I see how you're doing it now, I've tried it that way but it always seems like I'm having to fight to keep the gun from planing off on the way down. It definitely looks like it would be easier to quick draw like that, do you grip thumb down when carrying it like that or conventionally?

Gun tuckage, is that what Wild Bill was doing dancing around in front of the mirror in Silence of the Lambs? :redcard:

Ok Mr. Bill, I think I see how you're doing it now, I've tried it that way but it always seems like I'm having to fight to keep the gun from planing off on the way down. It definitely looks like it would be easier to quick draw like that, do you grip thumb down when carrying it like that or conventionally?

The only time I had trouble with the gun planing off was when I put muzzle wings on a Riffe Island. It drove me nuts. But with my other guns, they seem to go in the same direction I'm going.

I'm not sure what you mean about grip thumb up or down. I've just got the gun on its back with my hand wrapped around the handle normally. My thumb isn't in the trigger guard. Then when I see a fish, I rotate the gun clockwise as I bring it forward and extend it toward the fish. It feels a little awkward at first, but you get used to it.

BTW, the guy who was one of my main mentors had told me I should carry it this way, but I wasn't convinced. Then one day when he happened to be along, I was hanging at around 20 feet with the gun out in front of me and noticed three white sea bass sitting right off my right shoulder. I tried to swing the gun at them, and they just exploded out of sight. I came back to the boat and mentioned it and he said "dammit, they don't like to have guns swung at them" so I decided to give it a try. I'm convinced its right for me, but I'd say most guys I dive with don't do it that way, so it sure isn't the only way.

Carrying the gun that way is the main reason I traded my Alexander handles for Aimrites. If I carried it out in front of me, it wouldn't make much difference. But carrying it behind me and upside down with thick gloves, that smooth aluminum just isn't as easy to grip as the imitation 45 cal Aimrite.

But even on the bottom of my drop, the gun is well balanced enough so that I still don't need to hold the muzzle up with the left hand. In fact, I often grab a piece of kelp with the left hand to keep from drifting up, and I couldn't hold the gun up then.

I'm with you, Bill. I wonder if this technique is more prevelant on the west coast where we swim amongst the kelp stalks and we typically don't dive as deep. Having a gun out front makes it hard to thread your way through. Plus, like you said it's virtually impossible to swing an extended gun, particularly in the weeds.

That said one of the grand poobahs from PV makes every dive with the gun extended, because he doesn't think he'll have time to extend it before the fish spooks in that dirty water.

When I swam around with your gun last week, I was surprised how difficult it was to hold it the way I like it. It seemed really nose heavy. Is that gun nose heavy or am I just a wimp?

When I swam around with your gun last week, I was surprised how difficult it was to hold it the way I like it. It seemed really nose heavy. Is that gun nose heavy or am I just a wimp?

There is no doubt that you're a wimp, but I would think even your limp wrist would be able to hold that gun up.

But now you have me wondering. If I can find someone to go with me in the middle of the week, I'll have to carry that gun and see if I've just been ignoring it.

Gun tuckage, is that what Wild Bill was doing dancing around in front of the mirror in Silence of the Lambs? :redcard:

IT PUTS THE LOTION ON...:D

Bill, the lightbulb just went on, thanks, you taught me something. I'll be using that technique on my next dive:smthumbup:

There is no doubt that you're a wimp, but I would think even your limp wrist would be able to hold that gun up.

But now you have me wondering. If I can find someone to go with me in the middle of the week, I'll have to carry that gun and see if I've just been ignoring it.

Well, there you have it then. I'm a limp-wristed wimp. Do you carry your gun like that all the time or just when you're submerged?

Well, there you have it then. I'm a limp-wristed wimp. Do you carry your gun like that all the time or just when you're submerged?

I used to carry it like that all the time, but then it cost me surface shots because its basically pointed parallel to the surface and it takes too long to get it pointed down when that white sea bass comes out of some kelp and is disappearing into some more kelp.

So now I try to remember to let it dangle down while on the surface, but them move it back as I tuck.

But why the hell are you asking me questions? You get more fish than I do.

I used to carry it like that all the time, but then it cost me surface shots because its basically pointed parallel to the surface and it takes too long to get it pointed down when that white sea bass comes out of some kelp and is disappearing into some more kelp.

So now I try to remember to let it dangle down while on the surface, but them move it back as I tuck.

But why the hell are you asking me questions? You get more fish than I do.

:bsflag:I don't think so. Anyway, I've been lusting over those two shorter Wongs you have for a long time. I've been using the same primary gun for so long, I haven't a clue if I'd be better off with new one. I don't miss much, but I don't stone many fish either. The mystery is trying to tell how much is the gun and how much is me.

But, because I've had Old Reliable for so many years, I've got it perfectly balanced to carry the way we've been discussing, only I carry it that way all the time. It seems like I see a lot more fish (wsb) when I have it tucked up neatly while I'm on the surface

But, because I've had Old Reliable for so many years, I've got it perfectly balanced to carry the way we've been discussing, only I carry it that way all the time. It seems like I see a lot more fish (wsb) when I have it tucked up neatly while I'm on the surface

Now you are making me doubt myself again. But I keep thinking of the real monster, at least in the 60s, that I saw up at PV once. The vis was really bad and I just had a few seconds look at it before it disappeared, and I've alway wished that the gun had not been all tucked in with the tip pointing uphill.

BTW, that gun you carried was the regular hybrid, and the magnums have a lot longer wood butt for the same length of gun. Now I'll have to try the regular again and see if its more tip heavy.

Edit: now that I ponder it, I think I heard that in the last year or so, Daryl was even making the butt of the regular hybrids longer now than he was back when I got that gun. So many people are adding reels now, but when I got that gun, hardly anyone was. When the gun arrived, I recall asking him if it would float with a reel on it, and he said that he didn't know because no one used a reel in Hawaii. I tied the reel to the trigger guard and threw it off the dock at the launch ramp to make sure it would float before I drilled any holes in it.

When swimming I grip the gun in the middle. As I bend to dive I don't change my grip but extend the gun down and ahead of me. I feel that I use the gun as an oar slightly to impulse me straight down. Once I'm straight and on the way down I still don't change the grip but let the gun and arm drift back until they are flush with my body. I only change this postion once I reach the bottom or see a fish.

my gun goes straight in front of me, other hand is tucked on chest and pinching nose cause i dive quick sometimes.

I dont plan on doing any thing over 50ft in depth, So I want my gun ready to go at all times when I come into Viz of the bottom.

So I want my gun ready to go at all times when I come into Viz of the bottom.

That's a great point. If I understand correctly, most of the fish you guys shoot (groupers, snappers, hogs, etc.) are oriented to the bottom, so it kind of makes sense to have the gun ready and pointed as you drop.

Out here, our fish are usually free swimming and can come from anywhere. Plus, we don't usually go to the bottom, and instead find a comfortable depth and either lie quietly or cruise horizontally. WSB and yellowtail come from all angles while we're cruising, even above us, so we take lots of shots at funny angles, and it's easier to point the gun and then extend it rather than the other way around.

Thanks for describing your diving, it's interesting to find out the differences.

depending on what suit configuration I wear, sometimes I have trouble tucking in my love gun in a comfortable position, due to pressure changes, vis-a-vis compression issues, I find myself adjusting it every now and then.