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Old 11-16-2019, 05:11 PM   #1
rnln
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how to set up pole spear?

Hi pole spear users,
I just acquired a pole spear the first time and need to add a band. May I ask which of the setup below is better and why? I hope someone can share the experience.

Thanks in advance.

https://www.nootica.co.uk/media/cata...5/4/3/4322.jpg

http://cdn3.volusion.com/psrbn.xmcnq...che=1438327635
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Old 11-16-2019, 10:00 PM   #2
Bob Ballew
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

...The long pole spear is your best selection...With it, you can pin a halibut or bigger fish to the sand. Too much room for error on the handheld free shaft, plus, you will lose the shaft in the murk...Suggest stretching out the sling to where you intend to hold the polespear when shooting. Then, wrap some electricians tape in a tapered ball around the tube at that spot, so, you can grip it without cramping in your hand as you hunt reefs, ready to fire instantly. Often, you will spook halibut or reef fish and being ready to shoot instantly can mean the difference between losing your chance and landing a big fish...
...Also, if you are going to use a single barb point, wrap a rubber band around the point behind the hinged pin to hold the barb away from the point. This will move the barb outward after it goes thru the fish, holding your catch firmly. Otherwise, the meat of the fish may jam in the hinged pin area, preventing the barb from opening and the fish will slide free.
...If it is a screw on type point, put some Loc-tite sealant (Pep Boys or auto stores) on the threads to lock down the point to the shaft. Otherwise, fish like Sheepshead and halibut will often spin and unscrew the tip, freeing themselves and losing your spearpoint in the process.... There, everything I know about pole spears in 3 paragraphs....
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Old 11-17-2019, 04:01 PM   #3
PigStikr
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rnln View Post
Hi pole spear users,
I just acquired a pole spear the first time and need to add a band. May I ask which of the setup below is better and why? I hope someone can share the experience.
Congrats on the new pole spear. The flopper in your pic looks way too small, and what Bob said re: the freeshaft - use a band attached to the back of the spear.
One hint I can give you is that rather than try to deal with getting a fish back over the flopper, you can slide it completely over your spearshaft and bands, meanwhile threading it onto your stringer.
Another hint (scar to prove it) is that even a small halibut can slice you wide open in a flash with their razor sharp teeth!
What to shoot? Everybody seems to start out with a sheepie or opaleye. Calico's and halibut are what you want - that's why they're harder to get! Sneaking up on those wary calicos will give you some practice for WSB as you progress to a speargun. Don't blow your snorkel clear, lift a leg and slide down before finning and etc. Aim for the lateral line way up front on calicos, if they are moving you will have to 'lead' them. Since there are size limits, a nice trick is to make some bright marks on your polespear, typical size limits apart, for judging fish. Things look bigger underwater and you don't want to pop a short, or even risk a marginal one.
When shooting down at a halibut, remember that in kelp beds there is usually rock just under the sand. A file and replaceable tips are your friends.
Now you've got your fish, gut/bleed it out asap and get it on ice. Use a real fillet knife to process it. Eat it as fresh as possible. Too much meat? Time to salt and smoke it.
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Old 11-19-2019, 03:12 AM   #4
rnln
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

Thanks guys. How about the band setup? I see most people have the band tight to the end of the pole, and hold the pole and band with 1 hand. The other type is using a tube for the pole to go through. The band is tight to the tube at 2 point, like using bow and arrow. Which type is better? Inexperience like me, I tend to see it is easier with the tube type because I can aim. I wonder how can people aim with using 1 hand type... or you are not suppose to aim?
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Old 08-09-2021, 04:09 AM   #5
rnln
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

I stopped by the store to get band and they offered to set it up. umm....I am not sure if I know enough to comment but honestly the pole spear I have is too weak compare to my speargun, 120cm, with small dual bands. The reason I want to try a pole spear was because I feel the need to knowing it before letting my son use it. Second reason was because sometimes searching around shallow reef with surf and current, it took too long to load the speargun... after letting him use the pole spear, he told me multiple times that he almost got the fish, or his pole tips "push" on the fish. I tried and it was funny when I experience what he said. Once, I was trying a perch, not that big. The spear pole tips just touched the fish and pushed on him a bit. The fish swam away . Second time was a little bigger bared perch, the pole started to fall probably couple inches before touching the fish. Both times, I stretch the band all the way up closed to the top end of the pole.
The tip is a short 3 prongs type. Is this the reason? Will single tip with flapper go much further and stronger?
After that experience with the pole, I decided to remove the reel off my gun for easy loading.

Last edited by rnln; 08-09-2021 at 04:26 AM.
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Old 08-09-2021, 11:17 AM   #6
NaClAddict
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

Sounds like your band is old or needs to be shortened.

Use a strip of old bicycle inner tube cut lengthwise, more grip than electrical tape.

A few twists while loading helps with accuracy, band strength and stunning your fish.

How old is your son? A heavier pole spear requires more band strength making it harder to load and hold. Consider making one out of aluminum electrical conduit?
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Old 08-11-2021, 05:13 AM   #7
rnln
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

NaClAddict,
My son is 14. the pole is a 3 pieces fiberglass, considered small, diameter is a little smaller than the small electrical pipe but a lot lighter. The band is new, the store installed it. I can stretch a little further, but for him I think it's the max. well, I can shorten it, he doesn't need to stretch it all the way to the end anway. I did glued on some strings wrapping around the pole at couple places for easy to grab.
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Old 08-11-2021, 03:11 PM   #8
andrew37
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rnln View Post
NaClAddict,
My son is 14. the pole is a 3 pieces fiberglass, considered small, diameter is a little smaller than the small electrical pipe but a lot lighter. The band is new, the store installed it. I can stretch a little further, but for him I think it's the max. well, I can shorten it, he doesn't need to stretch it all the way to the end anway. I did glued on some strings wrapping around the pole at couple places for easy to grab.
How close are you getting to the fish before you shoot? Pole spears will all hit differently depending on how they're constructed, but my experience with those little fiberglass three-prongs has been that my range isn't even the full length of the spear. Instead it's about the length of the spear up to the point it stops accelerating (the spot where you can hold the spear with the band tight but not stretched). The bigger aluminum spears with heavy bands will hit like trucks all the way to their full length. But it might just be a matter of getting closer. The prongs also shouldn't be spread too far apart, otherwise they hit at weird angles and spread the impact out over too large of an area, which decreases penetration.
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Old 08-12-2021, 12:14 PM   #9
NaClAddict
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Re: how to set up pole spear?

My pole spears all hit out beyond their length at the end of the band. I only have up to a 8’ though.

Most commercial setups are under powered. My old ulua whopper is at least 1/2” fiberglass. It needs more band than my graphite. Distance depends on weight v power. Heavier spears carry more momentum bud need more power to get going. Spiraling the band down helps.

Grip strength is the limiting factor on band power. There are many different thin walled tubings for pole spears. Any decent hardware store in Hawaii carries at least 6 different varieties.
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