SnpperWhisperer

Hi Colin. Mmm, from Maui to Texas - a hard decision to make!

Obvious choice is Crist 8 ft(+tip) - well made and at lower end of price category.
Omer Manny Puig spear + sliptip option ( 8 ft o/all and a well made product) but you may want more length.
Riffe is looking ideal at the top end of the range, variable sizes and high quality, some nice refinements. I haven't tried it yet.
So 'top notch' is going to be the Riffe, but all these spears will satisfy your requirements nicely.
You will break and lose the odd spear in those rigs with big fish, so you can always try another brand on your next spear!
Good luck in Texas!
Reid Quinlan

Aloha Snpper!!!! It looks like your the man to ask this question. I just moved to Austin Texas from living in MAui for 23 years. I'm an avid spearfisher but sold and gave away all my gear when I moved to Austin last year....I had no idea that these guys take trips all the time to the gulf coast and dive the rigs. Holy S%&#!!! those places hold some toads!!! But from the video I've seen, it does not look all that challenging AT ALL. I'm a good freediver and have speared some awesome toads in my career, but now that i' going to start over again with all new gear, i'm really thinking of getting a pole spear. I've owned tons of three prongs and know about those, but in Maui pole spears are pretty much non-existent.(because no mo fish) The rigs looks to hold maybe 20-30 and bigger. If you had one top notch pole spear that can handle these, which one would you pick? I appreciate your help. Aloha, COlin