Purpose and Use of Multiprong Spear Tips

[BoltSnap]

Can anyone clarify and give details of why/when/what/how to use the multiprong spear tips please? When I used these multiprong (screw on) spear tips with my Mares Cyrano 97 air gun, the fish I shoot with this spear tip always ends up split in two pieces where this tip hit the fish. I lowered the power on the gun but same result.

I'd like to know what circumstances require the use of this type of spear tips (what type, size, etc. of fish or other circumstances) and how to use them and any other information on their use please.

It will also be fantastic if you can share links to sites/references that give more details on this subject please.

 

[tomfcrist]

I've never used them on a spearGUN....they are very useful in a pole spear though.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

In Europe, the in-line 3 prong tip is somewhat popular. It is my understanding that it is most often used for small fish - probably less than 3-4 lbs and for fish that are in holes and the shots are short. "hole hunting". The hunter should strive to place a shot into the head or gill plate to avoid damaging the meat and tearing the fish up. Body shots are not desirable.

We sell a 3- prong tip with long prongs (10-12 inches or so) and they are arranged in a triangle. As Tom mentions, this tip is most commonly used on a pole spear. It is effective for small fish (less than 10 lbs)- again it is best to aim for the head or hard gill plate and you want to pin the fish to the bottom, and grab the fish before trying to remove it from the spear tip. These tips are not as effective at retaining the fish compared to a flopper. There is probably no better tip for hunting flat fish on soft bottom.

The benefits to this tip are that the fish is easier and faster to remove and may be easier to get a kill shot since you have three points of impact. This tip can be used on a speargun, but it is a relatively unusual application. There are some commercial scuba hunters who use this tip on big guns and are effective at free shafting with them.

We also sell a shorter multi-prong tip that is often used for lionfish or other small fish. Typically used on a pole spear rather than gun. Often, our customers will select an unbarbed tip for lionfish, since they need to quickly and easily strip the fish off the tip as it is placed in some type of containment device.

In general, I would say that it is especially important to make head shots with a multi-prong tip. The tip is clearly less hydrodynamic than other speargun tips. This is a minor issue with a pole spear, since the speeds and distances are slower/closer and they would probably not be the best choice for large fish or long shots with powerful spearguns.

dive safe!
dano

 

[lowviz]

In Europe, the in-line 3 prong tip is somewhat popular. ...//... These tips are not as effective at retaining the fish compared to a flopper. There is probably no better tip for hunting flat fish on soft bottom.

Following with interest.

WHICH tip is the best for flat fish on a soft bottom? Ambiguous. Please be explicit.



On a completely different note:

Just back from surf fishing. Several nice bluefish. Ate at a coastal restaurant. My fried flounder would have cost me my gear had I harvested it. How do the commercial behemoths get away with that?

Bycatch? http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/T4890E/T4890E06.htm

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Thanks for giving me the chance to clear up my vague comment.

Probably the long 3-prong tip I pictured first is the best tip for that. Spearfisherman have strong opinions and these may be inconsistent between different geographic areas - but this is my opinion on the matter.

You can use a single flopper tip (or even a knife in some cases), but s sturdy 3-prong tip to the head helps to keep the fish pinned to the bottom and reduces the chance for it to spin or get off or damage meat.

 

[CuzzA]

In Europe, the in-line 3 prong tip is somewhat popular. It is my understanding that it is most often used for small fish - probably less than 3-4 lbs and for fish that are in holes and the shots are short. "hole hunting". The hunter should strive to place a shot into the head or gill plate to avoid damaging the meat and tearing the fish up. Body shots are not desirable.

We sell a 3- prong tip with long prongs (10-12 inches or so) and they are arranged in a triangle. As Tom mentions, this tip is most commonly used on a pole spear. It is effective for small fish (less than 10 lbs)- again it is best to aim for the head or hard gill plate and you want to pin the fish to the bottom, and grab the fish before trying to remove it from the spear tip. These tips are not as effective at retaining the fish compared to a flopper. There is probably no better tip for hunting flat fish on soft bottom.

The benefits to this tip are that the fish is easier and faster to remove and may be easier to get a kill shot since you have three points of impact. This tip can be used on a speargun, but it is a relatively unusual application. There are some commercial scuba hunters who use this tip on big guns and are effective at free shafting with them.

View attachment 429417

We also sell a shorter multi-prong tip that is often used for lionfish or other small fish. Typically used on a pole spear rather than gun. Often, our customers will select an unbarbed tip for lionfish, since they need to quickly and easily strip the fish off the tip as it is placed in some type of containment device.

View attachment 429418

View attachment 429419

In general, I would say that it is especially important to make head shots with a multi-prong tip. The tip is clearly less hydrodynamic than other speargun tips. This is a minor issue with a pole spear, since the speeds and distances are slower/closer and they would probably not be the best choice for large fish or long shots with powerful spearguns.

dive safe!
dano

Less than 10 lbs??? Jim's out there pole spearing Amberjack.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Good ole @BurhamMuntasser inquired :

"Can anyone clarify and give details of why/when/what/how to use the multiprong spear tips please?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps ? As I was informed so many years ago

Why? to efficiently spear fish

When ? diving in the water- some times using normal powered guns other times underpowered pole spears (aka Jab Sticks )

How?

The multi point spear tip is based on the principle of the points spreading ever so slightly before penetration and slightly closing after penetration of the fish. This some what duplicates the action of a huge predator biting the fish - who once bitten gives up

There maybe some of you who have developed the skill of catching very small fish by hand (The absolute Horror ! touching a fish!--but not a horrible as going to MC D and ordering as fish sandwich... )--- As long as the fish is held tightly in the gloved had the fish will not attempt to wiggle free - once the pressure is slightly reduced the fish will wiggle free and scoot away.
Try it some time

A book could be written on the history of spearfishing points and I suspect some day some one will write a book devoted to the development of spear points.

In the 1930's Gilpatric and his jolly crew used a variety of points most notably was the slip tip which has had a strong resurgence with current blue water spearfishermen.

The Mako point number 2 with its multipoints was described in Hosaka's 1940 book as one of the Hawaiian spearfishermen's point of choice. However it never popular with the SoCal tribe who the pioneers of American spearfishing because of the massive damage to the fish.

Mako point number one with it's long 10 to 12 inch tines apparently was developed down under in Australia, either serendipitously or by a long forgotten Aussie spearfisherman, who identified it as a "Pranger Point", possibly after the developer or the sound it made ??? It appeared in the 1950-early 1960s via movies and stills presented at the yearly International UW Film festivals in Santa Monica.

Almost immediately the great Charlie Sturgil began making custom Stainless steel Pranger points for $4.00 -- I purchased two which I used for so many years with out a failure on the California reef & bottom fish. Certainly a tribute to a great design and Charlie Sturgil

A few years later a commercial version appeared -- as I recall Bot Mitchell the owner of "Aqua craft," the first diving after market manufacture located in San Diego in San Diego California might have marketed the first commercial version as the "Paralyzer point " Which is what it is called by the modern spearfishermen

Point number three - No comment
@MAKO Spearguns , Dano I sincerely hope this provides a we bit of insight into the development of theses points. If used in advertisements I would appreciate credit

@CussA good fish -- horrible unedited footage ...but keep spearing and posting

Sam Miller,111

 

[CuzzA]

Hey Sam, not my video... That would be dumpsterDiver using one of Dano's polespears. I was surprised to see how easy it appeared to take a reef donkey with a 3 pronged polespear compared to a line gun.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@CuzzA

Hey Sam, not my video... That would be dumpsterDiver using one of Dano's polespears. I was surprised to see how easy it appeared to take a reef donkey with a 3 pronged polespear compared to a line gun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dumpster diver is a disgrace to spearfishing

A garbage collector - shoots every thing in sight and then tosses them back ..big hero ???
Not my type of a Spearfisherman

Sam Miller, 111

 

[CuzzA]

That's none of my business. Did you tell him that before he was banned?

He's over on spearboard if you're so inclined.