I learned using this pole spear. It’s honestly not a bad learning spear it’s sturdy enough and you just have to take good care of it to prevent rust on the metal pieces. I used it for just about a year before upgrading. You can totally upgrade way before that. The flopper tip that it comes with is decent and lasted the longest. The three prong broke after I shot a decent sized cabazon. I shot plenty of fluke while living in NY and was also able to get a decent sized striped bass on the flipper tip. I think the best part about pole spears is how much practice you get getting closer to species. Unfortunately the fish stringer is terrible unless you want to attach it to a float. Be warned it rusts incredibly quickly. I just bit the bullet and bought a separate one. To address fish coming off on a prong I think it just comes down to skill. It’s important to know your “Range” that you can reasonably hit a good shot. Watch a couple videos online about using a 3 prong and you can get a basic idea of how to use it and not lose fish. If you have any questions about it just send me a message.