Fillet Knives – The Pros and Cons of Different Fillet Knives
Fillet Knives – The Pros and Cons of Different Filet Knives
If you enjoy spearfishing you know the joy of cleaning your fish at the end of the day. Filleting can be a real challenge depending on the knives you have available. As you develop as a diver you tend to accumulate several fillet knives to meet the needs of different styles of filleting or skinning your catch. Over the past few years there have bee big improvements in fillet knives on the market. In the past you would find the cheapest knife in the tackle store that would do what you needed. In the past few years that changed, and divers and fishermen are starting to realize that a quality knife holds an edge for longer and makes processing your catch easier at the end of the day.
The Quiet Carry Pilot Fillet Knife
This knife is on the expensive side of fillet knives. With that being said, it is unmatched in quality. It is made with N690 stainless steel to help keep the blade’s edge and prevent the knife from rusting. This is the type of knife that you can cut up a half dozen wahoo with before considering sharpening the blade. With an 8.5” blade length it has the length necessary to cut through large fish, but the flexibility to handle the fine cuts on smaller fish. The textured grip is comfortable in your hand, and gives your the grip needed to handle the knife accurately. The only bad thing about the Quiet Carry Pilot Fillet Knife is being scared to lose such an amazing knife.
JBL Saber Knife
This is the ultimate breaker knife. It is one of the sharpest knives we have ever seen. It is made of 420 Stainless Steel. The JBL Saber is so sharp that you should never test the blade with your finger. That is an easy way to need a bandage very quickly. It has a sturdy, thick blade that allows you to cut easily though meat, and even smaller bones. This is the knife you need if you are breaking down a fish frame to take the head to make fish head soup.
Bubba Blade Electric Fillet Knife
The Bubba Blade Electric Fillet Knife is the modern solution to cutting up a large quantity of fish. You might not get every little ounce of your filet, but it makes quick work of large grouper, jacks and snapper. Once you gain some proficiency, it can even be very effective at skinning your filets. This electric fillet knife is a game changer when it comes to processing your fish after a long day of diving.
- Published in Product Reviews
Making Your Own Chum
Making Your Own Chum
Chumming is one of the oldest strategies for bringing in fish. Depending on the type of fish you are targeting it can dramatically improve your chances of shooting the fish. If you deploy it correctly you can lure reef fish up into the water column, or bring pelagic fish in to check out the activity. We will go over some strategies for chumming and types that have worked best for us in the past. Supplying the chum for a trip can be a time consuming, and sometimes even expensive task, but it can also be the guarantee for an invite on the next trip.
Components of Chum
The conditions have to be right to use chem correctly. Having visibility is an important element for chumming. In limited visibility fish can’t see your chum and more importantly you can’t see the fish coming in. This is a problem for trying to target fish as well as keeping yourself from predators. It should have a visual component. This means there needs to be shiny fish in the water. The most popular fish for this is the Glass Minnows. They fill multiple elements of the ideal chum. It also needs a smell based element to it to work best. Menhaden Oil is the industry favorite for getting fish interested in smells. The next ingredient needed is something that allows the fish to eat. The slower the it sinks the better.
Deploying Your Chum
How you deploy your chum helps determine how to make your own chum. One of the easiest and most versatile methods is to use the Chum Dinger. It fits pre-made chum blocks well, or you can add your own mix in. The durable container allows you to set it at any depth without fear for predators destroying a chum bag. You can keep it near the surface with a flasher float, or tied off to the back of a boat.
If you have a person on the boat you can use a bucket of sand, menhaden oil, water, and whatever else you want to add to the bucket. This works well over reefs to get fish higher up into the column. It may be worth getting an ice scoop just for this purpose. You can do it by hand, but you won’t smell right for a few days after.
Picking Your Ingredients
Glass Minnows! They are everything’s favorite chum. There are a lot of things that work well for chum, but glass Minnows are pretty much the top of the line. Combine those with sand and menhaden oil and you have a great, and simple combination that will bring the fish in. If you are better at planning ahead, and particularly opposed to store bought chum there are other options. You can save the fish frames and guts from your previous catch to use for future trips. It may be worth getting a separate chest freezer for all this. Very few significant others are understanding enough to have bags of fish offal taking up space in the kitchen freezer. If you like hook and line fishing spoiled frozen bait makes for great chum for spearfishing. Old sardines, shrimp, or squid can easily be repurposed for some great home-made chum blocks.
Building Your Blocks
Pick up some dedicated food storage containers. You do not want to keep your leftovers in these. The first step is to make sure you have enough space to store your chum blocks when they are done. After that you can start to thaw out any pieces of frozen components you have. Get a good mix going of different things. Experiment a bit with what works best in your area for what you are targeting. Different species come in on different chum better than others. Once you have your mix of chum in your appropriate sized container get them stored and frozen in your freezer. From there it just comes down to managing what you are using on certain types of structure.
- Published in Spearfishing 101, Spearfishing Techniques
Hatch Amero Product Review
Hatch Amero Product Review
The Hatch Amero is a hybrid speargun design. It provide the accuracy that enclosed track American spearguns provide, while having the streamline design of a euro speargun for tracking and maneuverability.
Construction and Design
These Spearguns are built out of high quality teak and Neptonics parts to allow for a lifetime of durability and use. These spearguns are works of art. The fine lines make this speargun a beauty to the eye without compromising functionality. The Hatch Amero is simply a workhorse speargun that put fish in the cooler and on the table.
Customization
These spearguns are easily customizable with a variety of different grips and colors to choose from. Giving your own Amero a distinctive look defiantly has its perks because once your buddies borrow it for a drift the entire boat will be lined with these amazing spearguns. Being able to differentiate with different band colors and types of handles comes in infinitely useful.
Amero Size Options
The Hatch Amero comes in four different size options. This ensures the range and maneuverability for any spearfishing. If you are shore diving in shallow or dirty water the 45” (95cm) ensures laser accuracy at shorter ranges. The 60″ (125cm) has the range to allow for some light Bluewater spearfishing or deep reef spearing. With the 50″ (105cm), and 55″ (115cm) as options you can have a speargun for any spearing needs. With a consistent design every speargun shoots the same.
Simply put these spearguns are a combination of a beautiful wood speargun and a workhorse that puts fish on the dinner table. If you are looking for the best spearguns on the market look no further. These spearguns simply shoot here you point them. Also, The simple design ensures functioning and a beautiful form. Get yours today and improve your spearfishing.
- Published in Product Reviews
JBL Spearguns Revival – How The Classic Brand Came Back
JBL Spearguns Revival – How The Classic Brand Came Back From The Edge
JBL spearguns have been a part of spearfishing for decades. They have gone through though phases of being great, to having some challenges, and back to being a quality product. JBL spearguns are worth taking serious consideration when you look at new spearguns.
History of Success
JBL is one of the longest last spearfishing brands. They have stood the test of time. They were originally known for having simple, high quality spearguns. JBL spearguns were always easy to use and meant to last. Many of their guns were long railgun designs that were great for taking long shots on big fish. If your dad or grandfather were spearfishing there is a good chance they were using a JBL. One of the best things about them was that they were available everywhere and at a reasonable price. Unfortunately that was part of their decline.
The Decline
JBL spearguns never really had a dramatic decline in quality, but they stagnated terribly. JBL also had the bad habit of being available just about everywhere. While that can be a good strategy when you are one of only three options on the market, being everywhere started to make JBL spearguns look ‘cheap’ rather than valuable. As more options became available on the market they failed to adapt and eventually started to lose market share to newer companies that were making better products designed around customer needs and wants. This continued until ownership changed hands around 2010.
The Revival of JBL Spearguns
Once JBL changed hands they took a dramatically different approach to how they do business and brought the company into the modern era. Over the past several years JBL gradually focused on creating quality products that create value for the diver. They took their classic designed and refined what was great about them, while improving other aspects of their spearguns. One of the areas that JBL spearguns excel is their scuba spearguns. With most of their wooden spearguns designed to be hip loaded they are designed to be used by scuba divers. Some JBL spearguns, like their euro style speargun, the Reaper, were new additions to their line, but are high quality. The reaper is perfectly paired with the JBL Pacific Reel, which is a simple, but well built spearfishing reel. JBL is certainly back on the rise a speargun companies go. The JBL tips are also an area that they excel.
- Published in Product Reviews
Neptonics Tri-Fold Rigging Bag Gear Review
Neptonics Tri-Fold Rigging Bag Gear Review
The Neptonics Tri-Fold Rigging Bag is holds all of the rigging equipment you might needing a simple and organized package. They can have countless uses from being a handy save a dive kit to a toiletry kit organizer. The bags are convenient and highly portable. They are a must have piece of equipment for the serious diver.
Tri-Fold Rigging Bag Uses
With all of the different pockets you can customize your Tri-Fold Rigging Bag to meet any of your diving needs. The Tri-Fold Rigging Bag has six different gear compartments. This allows you to customize and organize all of your smaller gear as you see fit. With hook-loop-line fasteners on clear pouches you can see all of your equipment while keeping it secure. The best use of these bags is as a rigging kit for if you need to fix any of your equipment before your dive trip, or even out on the boat. They have proven useful as toiletry kits, and even to be useful for organizing camera equipment and computer cords while traveling.
Construction
The Tri-Fold Rigging Bag is made of ballistic nylon to ensure durability. The bag folds three times to give four panels of gear storage. Two of these panels are divided in half to give six separate storage compartments. The clear inner lining allows for easy identification of the equipment you have stored. The hook loop line fastener closures keep everything contained and organized. This all combines to make for a perfect storage system for spare bands, tying cord, shooting line, crimps, crimping tools, spare slip tips. The Tri-Fold Bag fits any of the dive gear you could possibly need through a day of diving. The dimensions for the Neptonics Sri-Fold Rigging Bag are 38”x11”X1” while open. The closed dimensions are 9”X11”X4” depending on the amount of gear you are storing.
- Published in Gear Maintenance, Product Reviews, Travel
Neptonics Speargun Travel Bag Product Review
Neptonics Speargun Travel Bag Product Review
The Neptonics Speargun Travel Bag is the ultimate way to transport your dive gear locally, domestically, or internationally. If you are looking to keep all of your equipment in one bag, including spearguns, this is the bag for you. These speargun bags are durable and functional.
Speargun Bag Design
The Neptonics Speargun Travel bag is designed for extended international bluewater trips. At 75 inches long this bag can take even the longest bluewater spearguns and shafts. If you pack this bag with care you can easily fit three spearguns, shafts, and all of your dive gear. The built in shaft sleeve gives a designated place for your shafts to prevent them from being damaged. Simply add a piece of PVC tubing to keep spear shafts safe in transit. This also gives a bit more rigidity to the bag.
Durability and Features
The padded ballistic nylon ensures durability of the speargun travel bag. It also ensures protection of your dive gear during the challenges of travel. The bag has three hook loop line fastener pockets to keep small gear organized within the speargun travel bag. Those same pockets have open compartments for more gear storage. This bag is capable of keeping all of your dive gear organized on a small panga, up to the largest charter boats. With built in heavy duty carrying handles and strap it is easily carried anywhere.
Why This is The Best Option
When you are planning an international, or even a domestic trip, luggage size and weight is always a struggle. Everyone looks a hard cases as a solution, but the problem is that they are heavy and create another problem. Once you get to where you are going you still need a bag for your equipment. It just stands to reason that using a durable speargun travel bag to transport your gear is a better solution.
- Published in Product Reviews
Picking The Right Foot Pockets For You
Foot Pockets for Freediving Fins
Picking The Right Pockets For You
Foot pockets are an under appreciated by many freedivers. Other diver may place too much faith in the marketing of some pockets for freedive fins. The most important qualities in a foot pocket are comfort, fit, durability, and that they are compatible with your fin blades.
Some of the Myths
There is a concept in the freediving world that it is important to have ‘light’ pockets. The problem with this concept is that the weight of an object is not important once it is in the water. The object then has the new issue of buoyancy. These are not entirely unrelated subjects, in how the density of an object and the amount of water it displace impact how ‘light’ an object feels underwater. Most brands of freedive fin foot pockets may have some differences in their weights above the water, but once submerged, the difference becomes a few grams difference.
Comfort is Key for Foot Pockets
Foot pockets need to be comfortable. If you swim all day with freedive fins, you want your fins to be an extension of your foot. That means your fins need to be the right size. This can be impacted by several factors. Most pockets come in a size range. These ranges are usually two shoe sizes. Another element to this is the thickness of your neoprene booties or socks if you wear them. If you wear a thicker bootie this changes the size of your foot and may change the pocket size you need. A foot pocket should fit snugly on your foot with your foot pointed out. You should not have a bunch of space for the heel of your foot to move around. If there is excessive space it can result in blisters or hot spots on your feet.
Durability
Freedive fin pockets durability is largely determined by the quality of the rubber they are made with. If the rubber is too soft the foot pockets will tear quicker than pockets made with harder rubber. If the rubber is too hard there is no give for your feet as you kick, and they become uncomfortable. Getting the right foot pockets makes a big difference in how long your fins will be useful before you need to replace important parts.
Manufacturer Specific Foot Pockets
There are some brands of fins that require their specific pockets. C4 fins are a great example. Their pockets only work with their blades, and their blades really only work with their pockets. There are a handful of other brands like this.
- Published in Gear Maintenance, Spearfishing 101
Hatch Super Amero Speargun Product Review
Hatch Super Amero Speargun Product Review
The Hatch Super Amero is the ultimate bluewater spearfishing speargun. The range and power make it the best for those long shots in clear, blue water. It has enough mass to handle the recoil, but still manages a streamline design. After years of use all over the world, this speargun is tried and true on countless fish of a lifetime.
Super Amero Power
Powered by 4x 5/8” bands and with a 65” length it has the range and power to land nearly any bluewater species. The bands ensure enough power to punch though tough and thick fish species. The length ensures plenty of range. Wether you are shooting Wahoo in the Florida Keys or Dogtooth Tuna in Africa, this speargun powers through all of it.
Design
All Bluewater spearguns need to be a certain size and weight to compensate for the recoil of the bands. The Super Amero still manages a streamline design. This allows for easy tracking in the water. The mass of the speargun reduces the recoil allowing for accurate shots on those once in a lifetime fish. The amount of wood gives the opportunity for perfect ballasting making the Super Amero almost neutral in the water.
Poured Epoxy Enclosed Track
The poured epoxy enclosed track keeps the shaft traveling true once you pull the trigger. The Super Amero enclosed track keeps the shaft from whipping. The bands on an open track speargun will try to whip the spear shaft, which causes inaccuracy.
Super Amero Tested All Over The World
We have tested this speargun all over the world and have found it to be the best bluewater speargun around. The only real limits this speargun may have is 600 lbs Marlin or Bluefin Tuna. Those fish may require a few more bands. With that being said, the Super Amero covers about 95% of all blue water spearfishing needs.
- Published in Product Reviews
Garmin MK2s Product Review
Garmin MK2s Product Review
The Garmin MK2s is the best dive watch on the market in a compact package. It has all of the functions of the MK2 dive watch while maintaining the size of a normal watch. This watch is hard to beat given the ease of everyday wear.
Dive Modes and Functions
With multiple dive modes this watch is prefect for freedivers as well as scuba divers, or even rebreather divers. With built in GPS capability and mapping it allows divers to zero their spots perfectly. The big difference in this watch is that it does not integrate with the Garmin T1 Transmiter, like the Garmin Mk2i.
Garmin Fitness and Smart Watch Capabilities
Diving is just the start of this watch’s capabilities. It has all the capabilities of a great training watch, with built in pulse oximeters and heart rate monitoring. With countless fitness activity modes this watch is prefect for any active person. Then there are the traditional smart watch components to these watches. Call, text, email, music and so much more. This watch has unmatched durability for everyday wear.
Garmin Mk2s Size
The difference in this watch from the other MK2 is its size. It is a more traditional watch size, comparable to the Garmin Phoenix. Some people see Garmin’s other dive watches and think they can be a bit bulky. The Garmin Mk2s is the solution to that.
Garmin’s Legendary Customer Service and Durability
To top it all off Garmin has legendary customer service that has set the standard for going above and beyond for the customer. These watches are very durable. They have heavy duty crystal screens that are nearly indestructible. Because of this durability you rarely ever need to contact Garmin. That being said, we have never run into an instance where Garmin has failed to assist a customer.
- Published in Product Reviews
Garmin Descent G1 and G1 Solar Product Review
Garmin Descent G1 and G1 Solar Product Review
The Garmin Descent G1 and G1 Solar are the newest in Garmin’s line of dive watches. Garmin has once again outdone itself with creating an even more impressive watch. This watch now has even more features than the other Garmin Dive watches at a lower price.
Garmin Descent G1 Dive Modes
These watches have all the amazing dive features of the past Garmin Descent watches. They are preloaded with modes including: Freedive, Single Gas SCUBA, Multi-Gas SCUBA, and Closed Circuit Rebreather. With the built in GPS this watch is able to record your entries and exits on the surface. The watch still needs to connect with satellites for the GPS to function, so no underwater GPS. With that being said it can record up to 200 dives before it needs to sync up to the Garmin Dive App.
Dive Related Features
The Garmin Descent G1 dive related features are numerous and valuable. One of the biggest safety features is how it is compatible with the Garmin InReach Mini and Case. The ability to communicate with emergency services is one of the greatest features this watch has. Other great features include tide information and Surfline information.
Performance and Sport Watch
This watch comes pre-loaded with over 30 different sport modes, with performance tracking for all of them. The Garmin Descent G1s have the same performance features as the other Garmin Sport watches. It calculates you estimates fitness age as well as suggested workouts and recovery times. When you are done training it records helpful productivity statistics to help indicate if you are overtraining.
Garmin Descent G1 Battery Life and Solar Charging
The biggest change in this watch is the solar charging capability. The solar element doesn’t remove the need to charge the watch, but it significantly improves the battery life of the watch. Garmin claims the watch will have a 25 hour battery life while in dive mode, and a 124 day battery life while in smartwatch mode while solar charging is enabled. They estimate the watch to last 39 hours while in GPS mode. This is a significant improvement over their other watches.
Smart Watch Features
The Garmin Descent G1 comes with most of Garmin’s smart watch features. It has call, text, and smart notifications. It additionally has the Garmin Pay function to allow for easy purchases with compatible devices. The only feature that is cut back on this particular device is the Music function that some other Garmin watch have. For the price the Garmin Descent G1 is a hard dive watch to pass on.
- Published in Product Reviews
