Spear point question re: Lion Fish

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reghunnicutt

Contributor
Messages
75
Reaction score
18
Location
Midland, NC USA
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm headed to St Croix again where lion fish abound. Over the past few years we just shoot and remove the fish off the barbed point and leave them for eels or reef sharks. Usually with the aid of a dive knife.

I have noticed, at least last year, that the lion fish are bigger, and the sharks are on deck for the recovery. Bigger lion fish with long spines with an anxious shark waiting nearby can make removal from the barbed point difficult and stressful. My knife is not long enough to kill/remove the fish and avoid a sting. I have used my fins but hear the spines can penetrate the fin thereby stinging my foot.

I was thinking about filing off the barbs from my trident point for faster removal.

Do you think this will accomplish what I'm after....deliver a fatal wound, free me from struggling with removal of the lion fish from the barbed point, and assist getting out of the sharks dining room ASAP?

Ideas appreciated.

Reggie in NC


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Been spearfishing for Lion a few times. Just recently in Belize. Used a 5 prong barbed which was excellent then removal in between split fins. Realized as you mentioned that on completion of dive my fins looked like they'd been attacked by a porcupine. Shark, barracuda, and groupers all happy to remove directly so didn't worry too much in the end. Barracuda can be quite aggressive when removing a fish from a spear. We had one octopus come up off the bottom 10 feet to get one fish on the spear and spend 5 minutes devouring before letting go and finding a place to hide.
 
Yes, barb removal should be helpful.

We offer a lionfish pole spear. The tip is specially designed to facilitate easy removal. We have no barbs on the lionfish tip

Mako Lion Fish Killer Pole Spear



Lion Fish Killer Pole Spear

Strictly designed for the killing of Lion Fish, this mini pole spear measures 27" long plus a removable 6 inch (3 prong) paralyzer tip, giving it a total length of 33 inches long and packs enough punch to quickly dispatch a menacing Lion Fish.

MAKO uses a high strength, corrosion resistant, anodized aircraft aluminum spear which will NEVER yield painful fiberglass splinters in the hand (like some inexpensive fiberglass pole spears do when worn down). The connecting joints of the MAKO Lion Fish Killer Pole Spear are supported by recessed flush screw on connectors for a smooth release.

The special 3-prong tip, designed exclusively for Lion Fish, has no barbs so removal of the fish is fast, easy and safe.

The MAKO Lion Fish Killer is perfect for travel too. By removing the 3-prong tip, it breaks down to only 27" long.

Includes:


  • One anodized aluminum pole spear (27" long)
  • One removable 3 prong barbless paralyzer tip for easy removal (6" long)
  • One removable shorty MAKO Latex Power Band for maximum power

MLFK-2.jpg


---------- Post added January 18th, 2014 at 04:26 PM ----------

the tip

mlfk-3-prong-tip_dtl.jpg
 
Just take along a length of hollow plastic tubing the same length as your spear. That way you can push it off your spear. Best is to collect them in a container and take them back on shore and eat them or sell them to a restaurant


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Barbs keep fish from swimming off your spear. Since your not intending to keep them remove the barbs. Good chance they'll flail off your spear and into something ready to eat them up.


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a very nice spear indeed. Performed admirably. :)
 
I have three of the mako spears they work great and like said above bring em back with u man they are good
 
as someone mentioned, if you have no barbs then bigger fish will just swim strainght off your spear with a wound that they'll likely recover from. If you have a really clear shot of a Lion Fish relatively out in the open with a hard surface behind him then not so much of an issue but for the ones that are in some kind of sheltered area then having no barb will make it hard to kill them. In the store that I work in we have spears that look very similar to the one pictured above and I have now taken to carrying 2 on a dive. If you get a really big fish and do not shoot it in the brain then the 1st spear will pin it against something and the 2nd will be used to kill it before lifting it off in to the bucket.

If you have to spears then you could use one to help slide the fish off the other but that will likely be messy. Personally I'd agree with taking a bucket and then eating them at the end of the day
 
A lot of the lion fish over the years in St Croix have tested positive for Ciguatera Fish Poisoning. Plus the charter I use is a diving vessel, and not a fishing vessel. They don't allow any marine life on board.


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---------- Post added January 19th, 2014 at 09:38 AM ----------

Last year I fashioned a bayonet with some pipe clamps but the bayonet (a letter opener) bent under the stress.

Reggie in NC


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You could make a small, short shaft hawaiian sling using wood dowels as disposable spears.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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