I am waiting on decent weather to try out the new one, the local mullet's days are numbered :martial
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Help, my pole spear sucks!
- Thread starterJason IR-2010
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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I did it that way just to give myself every bit of traction I could when pulling the band down, in the water there is practicaly none you see.
Thanks for the reply,
Jason.
Thanks for the reply,
Jason.
Nice work man. the DIY aspect of diving is one of the great things about it. That second pole looks plenty long enough to get a lot of fish. One important thing that a pole needs is a bit of weight on the front to help it punch into any fish but not so much as to make it lose all range. Hard balance to find. I have never made one but my store bought one is aluminium tube with a short section of stainless on the front for weight and to thread the heads to. Pranger heads are the go for poles, much more chance of holding fish when you hit them.
Hunting with a pole is the best way to hone skills, need to be so much closer to fish. Is by far the best training you can do for chasing fish. If and when you ever graduate to a gun, your skills learnt here will see streets ahead of the guys who went straight to a gun. Trust me.
Stick with it, you will be amazed at the fish you can get with a pole.
Hunting with a pole is the best way to hone skills, need to be so much closer to fish. Is by far the best training you can do for chasing fish. If and when you ever graduate to a gun, your skills learnt here will see streets ahead of the guys who went straight to a gun. Trust me.
Stick with it, you will be amazed at the fish you can get with a pole.
Hi all,
My polespear doesn't suck - yet, but I'm thinking of making a one for use off the North Wales coast. I don't see myself spearing that much to consider buying a gun, but I can get my hands on aluminium tubes fairly easy. So I thought that this might work better than say old ski poles? Any suggestion as to external diameter, wall thickness and length? Bobdonny - you think that 6' is small - would you be able to use an 8' pole (inc shaft) off the coast of Ireland? Is such a spear fast enough for Bass, Pollack and Mullet? Or is that more dependent on the bands, and loading higher up the spear?
As to the shaft I was going to add on a scrounged spearing one. Thoughts please!
Cheers,
Stuart
My polespear doesn't suck - yet, but I'm thinking of making a one for use off the North Wales coast. I don't see myself spearing that much to consider buying a gun, but I can get my hands on aluminium tubes fairly easy. So I thought that this might work better than say old ski poles? Any suggestion as to external diameter, wall thickness and length? Bobdonny - you think that 6' is small - would you be able to use an 8' pole (inc shaft) off the coast of Ireland? Is such a spear fast enough for Bass, Pollack and Mullet? Or is that more dependent on the bands, and loading higher up the spear?
As to the shaft I was going to add on a scrounged spearing one. Thoughts please!
Cheers,
Stuart
I've made 2 so far. The better one was half inch (12.7 mm) 6061 aircraft aluminum tubing. It's high quality and doesn't cost that much. Find someone who works on small planes and they should have some. I used epoxy to glue in a wooden dowl to add strength and weight. Seems to work well.
quality work there Wasted Seaman.
Testament to the value of a pole. Is always good to go back to it for a change, get rid of some bad habits picked up by using a gun. Am considering upgrading my current pole to something more substantial. I want to plug some big fish with a pole.
Plenty of youtube out there with the pole, Cameron Kirkconnell is one that springs to mind. Some mad stuff with his pole spear.
Just got to keep at it and the fish will surely come. Won't go hungry.
Testament to the value of a pole. Is always good to go back to it for a change, get rid of some bad habits picked up by using a gun. Am considering upgrading my current pole to something more substantial. I want to plug some big fish with a pole.
Plenty of youtube out there with the pole, Cameron Kirkconnell is one that springs to mind. Some mad stuff with his pole spear.
Just got to keep at it and the fish will surely come. Won't go hungry.
Logan, thanks,
Stuart, the spear I showed was 5 feet of 1/2" stainless tube with a 3/8" thick 60" tuna gun shaft inserted into it about 8" and then drilled and spot welded. I re threaded the shaft tip to accept a 6mm jbl slip tip adapter (pictured) with a 4" cabled slip tip. Of course I can now use any standard 6mm tip depending on what I'm hunting.
It's powered by 5/8" thick walled surgical tube cut for optimum stretch at the grip point of the spear which is the lashings covering the spot welding. By chance this happened to have good balance when the spear is cocked.
This spear is substantial. I haven't weighed it but it needs the 5/8" band to push it.
Having said that I don't think that the species you are targeting require this kind of heft. However if you choose to use the aluminium tube, make sure you get as thick a walled tube as you can. Also please keep in mind that if you intend to join a steel shaft to that as your injector section, please, please, keep in mind that the dissimilar metals will react in the salt water. Over time this will cause a weakening of the joint and present a safety hazard and possible loss of a nice fish. I have learned this lesson the hard way. This isn't to say you can't make it that way but always be vigilant with your maintenance and care of the spear after use in salt water. Always rinse thoroughly with fresh water and preferably make it with a female thread in the aluminium and take the spear apart when not in use.
I think a spear in the 6 to 8 foot range will be just fine for your needs.
I'll try to get some more details specs on my spears for examples. But the possibilities are really endless.
I think that my most versatile spear is my plain old trusty 6 foot solid fiberglass pole. I've had it for over 20 years and it is still a solid performer. I bought it off the shelf but after losing the tip and adapter in a reef I manufactured my own stainless tip cap on a lathe from an old propeller shaft. Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.
Stuart, the spear I showed was 5 feet of 1/2" stainless tube with a 3/8" thick 60" tuna gun shaft inserted into it about 8" and then drilled and spot welded. I re threaded the shaft tip to accept a 6mm jbl slip tip adapter (pictured) with a 4" cabled slip tip. Of course I can now use any standard 6mm tip depending on what I'm hunting.
It's powered by 5/8" thick walled surgical tube cut for optimum stretch at the grip point of the spear which is the lashings covering the spot welding. By chance this happened to have good balance when the spear is cocked.
This spear is substantial. I haven't weighed it but it needs the 5/8" band to push it.
Having said that I don't think that the species you are targeting require this kind of heft. However if you choose to use the aluminium tube, make sure you get as thick a walled tube as you can. Also please keep in mind that if you intend to join a steel shaft to that as your injector section, please, please, keep in mind that the dissimilar metals will react in the salt water. Over time this will cause a weakening of the joint and present a safety hazard and possible loss of a nice fish. I have learned this lesson the hard way. This isn't to say you can't make it that way but always be vigilant with your maintenance and care of the spear after use in salt water. Always rinse thoroughly with fresh water and preferably make it with a female thread in the aluminium and take the spear apart when not in use.
I think a spear in the 6 to 8 foot range will be just fine for your needs.
I'll try to get some more details specs on my spears for examples. But the possibilities are really endless.
I think that my most versatile spear is my plain old trusty 6 foot solid fiberglass pole. I've had it for over 20 years and it is still a solid performer. I bought it off the shelf but after losing the tip and adapter in a reef I manufactured my own stainless tip cap on a lathe from an old propeller shaft. Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.
Just a short query. Do you ever rig it up to a float line? Boats are a constant menace over here and I never dive without my float and flag.
prior to having a gun I used a clip at the mid point of the rubber to attach the float line. Basically the float line attaches where the rubber loops over the hand. Manny Puig sets his rubbers up with a loop tied in them I believe. Works well and of course the rubbers act like a bungy.
Another question. Pranger tip vs single point? likes, dislikes. Kind of feel prangers will be more forgiving on more fish? Certainly think it gives a better chance of hitting a fish.
Have been contemplating a build actually, fibreglass core inside a carbon wrap with a short stainless section up front. looking at about a 7-8ft total length. One piece.
prior to having a gun I used a clip at the mid point of the rubber to attach the float line. Basically the float line attaches where the rubber loops over the hand. Manny Puig sets his rubbers up with a loop tied in them I believe. Works well and of course the rubbers act like a bungy.
Another question. Pranger tip vs single point? likes, dislikes. Kind of feel prangers will be more forgiving on more fish? Certainly think it gives a better chance of hitting a fish.
Have been contemplating a build actually, fibreglass core inside a carbon wrap with a short stainless section up front. looking at about a 7-8ft total length. One piece.
When I'm shooting large groupers I often use a slip tip to a float. I have a foam filled polyethylene rescue float with a 50 foot Riffe float line. The Riffe line comes with a large swivel clips at both ends and I clip that to a 10 foot length of kevlar line with a 400lb Sampo snap swivel on the end of it. Then i connect that to the 2 foot length of stranded cable and 4 inch JBL slip tip. I use single tips exclusively. Don't like the multi-prong paralyzing tips.
The down side of having only the tip connected to the float is that you introduce the extra drag of the shooting line. This is why Manny ties his float line to the rubber. To give some compensation I snug the cable and kevlar to the spear with very small elastics and when i cock the spear I hold the extra kevlar line going back to the float line in the same hand that's holding the rubber and spear. In doing so it minimizes the extra drag to just the single loop of kevlar instead of the entire connection to the float.
Doing it the Manny way works and the bungee effect of the rubber is good but if you don't get a kill shot the larger groupers can and will eventually destroy your rig. I've seen both Mannys and Henleys main aluminium sections bent by the large groupers trying to swim into the reef with them. That's alot of money down the drain (Henleys are WAY overpriced) as you will never get them perfectly straight again. Another benefit of the Manny setup (I have one in my quiver) is that you can swap out the injector shaft as it is just 6mm threaded rod into the aluminum main shaft.
I've seen large black groupers simply turn their heads once and bend the injector shafts so that is a nice feature.
The down side of having only the tip connected to the float is that you introduce the extra drag of the shooting line. This is why Manny ties his float line to the rubber. To give some compensation I snug the cable and kevlar to the spear with very small elastics and when i cock the spear I hold the extra kevlar line going back to the float line in the same hand that's holding the rubber and spear. In doing so it minimizes the extra drag to just the single loop of kevlar instead of the entire connection to the float.
Doing it the Manny way works and the bungee effect of the rubber is good but if you don't get a kill shot the larger groupers can and will eventually destroy your rig. I've seen both Mannys and Henleys main aluminium sections bent by the large groupers trying to swim into the reef with them. That's alot of money down the drain (Henleys are WAY overpriced) as you will never get them perfectly straight again. Another benefit of the Manny setup (I have one in my quiver) is that you can swap out the injector shaft as it is just 6mm threaded rod into the aluminum main shaft.
I've seen large black groupers simply turn their heads once and bend the injector shafts so that is a nice feature.