Paralyzer tip or spear tip?

[LaneC]

I have never used my pole spears yet and was trying to get some input on the advantages, disadvantages of paralyzer tips. I am thinking of using my 3 piece jbl with a paralyzer tip for shooting mainly mangroves, sheepies,etc. during our surface intervals around the rigs. If anyone else does this maybe you could give me some pointers. Thanks

[deepdestroyer]

I dont spear around rigs, and I dont usually use pole spears, but I would think that if you were spearing fish on the surface in deep water than a barbed tip would work better. This is because usually you have to jam a parlizer tip into the bottom so the fish doesnt come off. I could be wrong though.

[ROCK BOTTOM]

I dove Wednesday at the rigs hunting the mangroves. I started with a paralyzer tip but after the first dive, I switched to a shaft with a single flopper. The paralyzer worked on the smaller fish but if you don't know what you are doing you will lose a lot of fish. First timers with a paralyzer will probably lose over half of the fish they shoot. Not very good.

Because my old one was a bit corroded, I bought a new JBL Comp Mag, rigged it with a single loop of cable and a paralyzer tip. Limited out on mangroves and reds on the first dive. After that dive, I switched to the flopper and started hunting for grouper in the murk(only saw a handful of shorts) and cobia on the top.

Tips - single band, single wrap of cable and straighten the tines after ever shot. The tines really need to be tight (about an inch from tip to tip) or you will damage and lose the fish. Tight tines and head shots are the way to go. Too much power and you will have trouble getting the tines out of the fish's head.

My suggestion is that if you are asking this question, you should stick to a single flopper on your pole spear.

[LaneC]

Thanks for the input. By limiting out you must be using a stringer I would guess. If so what type do you suggest?

[ROCK BOTTOM]

We take an old shaft and cut it to about 8-10 inches and drill a hole in the middle then connect it to a piece of cable about 16 inches long. Put a caribiner clip on the other end and you are good to go.

Just be careful freediving on your surface interval. I will do it sometimes but always stay above thirty feet. Repeated dives deeper than that will put you at an increased risk of taking a hit.

Zz

[azspearo]

The best type of paralyzer tips for open water shots are the ones that have their tines running parallel with each other or slightly open.
When this type of tip hits the fish they will open up much wider and will help grip the fish because the tines want ot get parallel again.
From experience the spring steel tines work the best. They rust over time and the roughness helps grip the fish.

When you stick a fish you may only be getting 1 or 2 tines hitting the fish if your using a tip that has it’s tines spread apart like JBL's. This equals less chance of recovering your fish.
Also with this type of tip if you happen to catch 1 tine on the gill plate of a tough fish it will bend or break off. The single tine can’t handle the power of the spear.
I like and use paralyzer tips with the tines parallel or slightly open at the end with the tines no more then 3/4” from each other. Also when you sharpen your tines use a file and file towards the center at a 60deg angle so the sharp part is on the outside of the tine. This will promote the tines to open up when they hit the fish. Don't use a pencil point on your tines.

[LaneC]

Thanks for all the helpful tips.