Okay, time for yet another tutorial. I have used the JBL and the Gat-Ku to nab a few smaller fish. But how in the hell are people taking larger fish with them? I just do not get the penetration with the three-prong tip and am guessing that it is my technique.

I am hesitant to take shots out to 5 feet or so from the tip of the spear. I wait until I get in the 2 to 3-foot range. Mind you, I shoot a 10-foot pole spear and the front 3 feet or so extends past where the rubber is cocked so the fish is 2-3 feet away from the tip but a good 6 feet from my eyes. Also, I hunt rigs and usually don't have a good opportunity to pin the fish to structure. So am I right in assuming that my spear is not having the time it needs to gain enough momentum?

Swimming around with a cocked spear tires my hands out pretty quickly. What I have been doing is making a dive with a semi-stretched band and both hands on the spear; one out front and one behind. I swim down to my hunting depth, which for me right now is only around 30 feet. When I pick a fish I fully cock the spear and begin to aim at the same time. Then I extend my shooting arm and let fly with my hand still guiding the spear losely.

It is at this most exciting moment when the cussing begins and I need advise.

John,

That's what I've done traditionally. Then again, I've never shot anything monstrous either.

I have pretty good success with bigger fish but under different circumstances. I use a pole spear with a 3 prong paralizer with no barbs. I hunt mostly around a rocky reef which is like a maze. Shallow, deep, open spaces and corridors. quite a lot of snapper and biggish reef fish hang out or pass through these coridors quite often. When I'm in the open or deep areas I wait until I have chosen a fish cock the spear then stalk it, shoot it or fail. but if I'm in the shallow areas I swim with the spear fully cocked. swim very slowly and usually a snapper will swim around a corner following the corridor almost into my face. before the fish knows whats happened I've got him.
As mentioned before it's hard to swim for a long time with the spear cocked, so I alternate between the areas I hunt on this reef or if I get one or two snapper I generally stop.

With my 3 prong paralizer I dont have many fish getting of so long a I get full penetration.
I target snapper around 50cm and my polespear is about 3m in length.

5 foot shots with a 10 foot spear should be no problem at all. What type and size fish are you shooting? I ask because some fish have very hard gill plates and if you are taking head shots this could keep you from getting penetration.
Big fish in open water with a paralyzer tip can be done but you'll need to get full penetration or stone them too have success.
I've taken fish in the 25lbs range in open water and this is what I do. As soon as I hit them I kick as hard as I can towards the end of the spear with my arm still in the straight position. While at the same time I push the fish forward and upward and take my hand and grab the end of the tines.
The forward thrust helps to keep the fish on the paralyzer tip and the heading up part is because I freedive and I don't want to end up deeper then I want fighting a fish.
The big secret is to keep your shooting arm straight after you hit the fish and after you started to kick.
If your shooting hand is closer to the back half of the spear you won't have much control of the fish and you will need to bring your shooting hand or free hand closer to the front of the spear. Just make sure you never let the spear get slack, always have forward motion of the spear.
Most people loose their fish during this critical time because their shooting arm relaxes or they retract it which pulls the spear out of the fish.
You will have greater success spearing fish if you go with a spear shaft on the end of your spear.
If you have a Gat-Ku they make one with a slip tip.
www.gat-ku.com/index_files/page0014.htm

You can build yourself a grip on your spears so it will be easier to hold throughout your dive.
I use amalgamating tape and tuna cord to make grips for my pole spears that I build.
I first wrap a piece of cord around the spear and hold it in place temporarily with a piece of scotch tape then I wrap it with the self sealing tape. I wrap it twice.
There is a picture of this on my website. http://members.cox.net/azspearo/

Most divers think shooting fish with a pole spear is a beginners type of spearfishing and no skill is needed to accomplish. They are mistaken. You are experiencing just how difficult it can be.
Aaron

__________________
Aaron Crist
Crist Spears
http://cristspears.com/

azspearo has it down.

To make the pronger work, pull the tines in real tight, and make sure you have a big powerful band. When that thing hits the fish it should feel absolutely devastating. I polespear scamps, mangos, small gags, hogfish, I recently got my first cobia (in 160 fsw, doing deco, shot it off the back of a small bull shark and didn't lose the pole by grabbing the rubber when I shot) all with a 7 ft fiberglass POS polespear with no barbs. As long as you have enough power to stop a tank, you'll be ok. What az said about driving the pole through the fish after the initial shot it key. Hit 'em as hard as you can with the band, then ALWAYS drive the pronger down to the hilt and grab the tines with your other hand, then string.

I love my polespear, it's a wonderful compliment to a speargun on scuba. Total rapid fire/rapid reload.

__________________
Can someone please throw a jug for me. -Rob Wolfe

Jlittle, don't underestimate the differences between scuba and freedive pole spearing. I think you're freediving.. forget about the prong and get a slip tip for your pole.

Just realized this is an old thread..

Right on, Speareasy, who ever reccomended a parylizer for real big fish?
See a big one taken on a pole spear at
http://www.spearfishing.cc/Pole%20Spears.htm
Ray

Nice fish Ray, prolly didn't know you were coming until he felt that three prong in his brain, and still didn't know it..

No way jose'. I wouldn't think of using a three prong on a fish that size. The good 'ol 12" spring stainless shank w/flopper was on the pole, although, if I had known that guy was around I would have had my detachable.
Ray

Ray, you had me confused, I thought you were advocating the prong for big fish and brought yours up as an example of what you can get with a prong. Thanks for clearing that up. BTW did you stone him?

I had a question on using a polespear/3 prong. When its loaded and your ready to fire, do you have your arm bent a little and when you let go of the pole you simultaneously push with your arm to get more power? Or do you let the rubber do all the work?

If you push just before you let go you may spook the fish, let the rubber do the work as you said. You might want to push after to pin the fish against the bottom or a rock.

Speareasy,here is a pic of the fish.
The tail shot is where I first hit him. My shaft didn't go through 'cause I hit his backbone. He pulled off and went swimming in a circle, I had broken his rudder. I proceeded up above the circle, shot him in the back and the pole spear went two foot through his belly. I have never before or ever since been able to stretch the rubber that far. He weighed 72 pounds.

Attached Thumbnails

 

That fish still amazes me. Every time I am freediving in the same area that you shot It I pray I see one. Hell If I saw one 1/4 that size I would be happy.

__________________

WWW.SPEARINGMAGAZINE.COM

Yep, I'll take an 18lb cubera any day.

I think this is exactly where I was going wrong. Thanks!

Yeah, I'm freediving. I dive with just skins though, so after my chest is nice and sore from loading my gun, I grab the polespear. I've got a Gat-Ku and my success rate with the three-prong is for shit. The prongs are parrallell and very close together. My problem is definitely technique because that is one badass polespear.

I've got the slip-tip too, but haven't tried it out yet. Holy hell Ray... You are a fish killing icon. Thanks for the advice.

__________________
What's new, Normie?
Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach. They're demanding beer.