Spearpoint
BasicsThe most important part of your spear and speargun is your spear tip. It is your point of impact. Choose the right spear head for the fish you seek, and your odds of landing that fish greatly increase. Choose the wrong point and you will make mincemeat of the fish, usually only to lose them. There are three main categories of spearpoints: rock points, openwater points, and multiple points.
Rock
Points
Rock points are heavy bodied and made from tough but forgiving steel
that will give a little. They are meant for spearing reef fish in and
around rocks at close range. They are made to withstand the
accidental impact on a hard surface, either if you were to miss your
shot entirely, or if the spear penetrates the fish and impacts on a
rock on the other side. On a rock point, the tough steel will give,
rather than crack or break and can usually be reshaped with a file.
The rock point's conical shape makes it impact resistant and easy to
reshape at the same time, while still retaining good penetrating
ability.
Openwater Points
Openwater points are sleek, sharp and streamlined. They are made of
the hard steel designed to hold a sharp edge and point. Openwater
points are designed for hunting fast openwater fish at medium and
long range. They are designed for maximum range and maximum
penetrating and holding ability. They cannot, however, withstand an
impact on a rock. Openwater points shatter or crack easily and
usually cannot be repaired. Given that they are the most expensive of
the spear points, some running over $100, one should avoid improper
use.
Openwater
points come in a variety of shapes and styles. A tricut is very sharp
yet heavy bodied for a stronger impact. A tricuts penetrating ability
is excellent and is a good leading edge in the flight of your spear.
Probably the most popular openwater tip is the slip-tip. The slip-tip
is a long detachable head resting over the end of a shaft and
attached by a short cord. It is very streamlined for flight through
the water. The point fully penetrates the fish, with the head
detaching, rotating 90 degrees and lodging on the opposite side of
the fish. The cord keeps the head attached to the shaft but allow the
fish to thrash without dislodging the head.
Spearpoint Features
A number of features make spearpoint more effective. The most common
and effective is the detachable head. For fish of more than five
pounds you should use a detachable head. A powerful fish will thrash
a great deal and can easily bend or "throw" a spear shaft, resulting
in loss of the fish. The detachable head is tethered to the shaft by
a short stainless steel or nylon leader. The head lodges either in
the fish, or on the other side of the fish, detaches (sometimes with
a pull from the diver), and allows the shaft to swing freely from the
spear head.
Barbs are in single or dual. They are shaped sheet metal attached in a hinge fashion to the spearhead. The hinge allows the barb or "wing" to lay flat against the point while in flight. Once through the fish, the open securely holding the fish.
Multi-points
While these points are excellent for beginners, there are a lot of
seasoned spearfishers that use them often. They are designed for
smaller fish at close range. They subdue fish quickly and
efficiently. Multi-pointed heads have three to five points. On a
short speargun, these points are good for small fish around reefs.
A continuing favorite is the paralyzer point. A three-pointer, the long points in a triangle pattern spread on impact effectively "paralyzing" the fish. It is very effective for small fish at short range. This point is used almost exclusively on pole spears. While meant primarily for small fish, a proficient user can land good-sized halibut and rockfish using simply a pole spear with a paralyzer tip.
A spearpoint is a tool and you need to choose the right tool for the job. A high-powered gun with an openwater tip around a rock reef will just result in the destruction of an expensive spearpoint with an impact on a rock. Have several "tools" in your tool box. One final tip: In purchasing a spearhead, make sure the threads and size of your shaft match that of the spearhead. Adapters are available in some cases.
