Weekly we receive questions about what would be the best pole spear for big fish. The answer is clear: The Leo Pro Pole Spear made by Keller Aquatics. An advantage I did not write about yet: no more bent shaft!
It happens to all spearos. Catching big fish means a chance on a bent shaft. You might choose to use a slip tip, though with really big fish you still have a chance for a bent shaft. When you land the fish we all say “It is worth it”, haha. Here in the Caribbean especially big fish like big Grouper and big Cobia almost guarantee you a bent shaft.
When I started fishing with a polespear, I replaced many shafts and tips of a polespear as I started to shoot bigger fish with it. Hated it. Especially as a set up with a slip tip felt like having less power entering fish.
When Karl Keller and I developed the Leo Pro Pole Spear he did tell me he was using stainless shafts that are very tough and corrosion resistant. He kept it a surprise that he treats a shaft differently so it bends and does not break. The good news: the shaft of the Leo Pro Pole Spear bends back.
Spearfishing Today had manufacturers and brands sending us shafts to test; promising “they can not break, they only bend and have a memory”. So far… none of them became Spearfishing Today proof.
The first time I had a really bad bend with the Leo Pro Pole Spear was when I shot a 28 kilo Cubera Snapper. The tip of my polespear got bent so badly, that I knew while coming up I would have to replace it. Back on the boat I thought I might have seen it wrong as the pole spear seemed perfectly ok.
This week I had another big fish on the pole spear and another bad bend was noticeable, see the picture. Back on the boat, my polespear was perfectly fine.
I contacted Karl immediately. I said “man…. this is AWESOME, amazing, badass and unbelievable. Everybody should know this”.
So I have another reason to recommend the Leo Pro Pole Spear when someone asks what is the best pole spear for big fish: no more bent shaft. Check it out: http://www.kelleraquatics.com/Paquete_Pro_Leo.php
Saludos cordiales.
Leo