Stabmen were traditional styanax hunters of Tralus, most commonly on the Sea of Jarad. They hunted the styanax in traditional wide-hulled canoes called nagaks, which required a rowing crew of about a dozen in addition to between two and four stabmen with harpoons. Because of the necessity of stealth, a nagak did not use a repulsor or propeller engine. The styanax were clever hunters and also clever prey and could sense powered watercraft.
Once the stabmen had lanced a styanax with a harpoon or two, the styanax became enraged, and a massive struggle erupted between the creature and the hunters. A good crew could reel the creature in over the course of several minutes; however, a powerful styanax was capable of overturning a nagak.