Harpoon
Appearance
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Harpons_de_Fontal%C3%A9s_MHNT.PRE.2011.0.654.jpg/230px-Harpons_de_Fontal%C3%A9s_MHNT.PRE.2011.0.654.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Inuit_hunter_with_harpoon.jpg/230px-Inuit_hunter_with_harpoon.jpg)
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It does this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal. A harpoon can also be used as a weapon.
Typically, a harpoon for fishing has backwards-pointing barbs which stop the fish getting free.