fish escape

what type of fish are you shooting? palagics, reef, how big? Different fish often take a different approach. In hawaii you can get away with using a Tahitian flopper 90% of the time. It might result in a bent shaft now and again but... oh well.

The other 10% is usually when we are targeting pelagics. Due to the fact that many pelagics (mahi,ono,rainbow runner) have very soft skin the tahitian floppers will often times tear out due to the drag on the shaft. Many spearos will still dive with a tahitian but many others opt for a slip tip (mauri or riffe).

blaiz gave some great advice - match the weapon to the quarry. Another tip is to work on shot timing and placement. I don't know how much experience you have underwater, but newcomers (and even old salts with buck fever) often attempt shots that are less than ideal. For instance, if you are making snap shots at fish running away from you, there is a very low chance you'll land them. Moving slow and letting the fish's inquisitive nature take hold will allow you to make high-percentage shots in the bony areas of the head, gill plate and spine.

With all that said, the 4S is a decent sized gun, and with a 5/16 shaft, is designed for larger fish and slightly longer shots. The Riffe double barb is IMO way too big and bulky. In most situations, your best bet would be to go with a flopper shaft. You can also downsize to a 9/32 shaft and have less recoil, which in many cases, improves accuracy. Make sure your flopper is working properly (not sticking closed, not swinging back shut after opening). A lot of people get turned off from floppers because they are poorly "tuned".

Best of luck!

if you shoot em in the gills, chances of a tear are minimal and will also cause the fish to fight less, at least by my experience