- The only known adult Orca in the world
- IGFA event April 14th and 15th.. Jose Wejebe event
- Fishing TV show Spanish Fly host Jose Wejebe Killed in a plane cash in Everglades City, Florida April 6th 2012
- Only in Florida
- CCA Florida – Tampa Chapter Announces Twenty-Seventh Banquet, April 22, 2012
- Fly like a bird
- Biscayne Bay Estuary deep dredge threat
- A fish named “Ball Cutters”, yes it is exactly what you think!
- Rod Naming contest, Win 1 piece 12 wt Fly rods or Spinning rods, Deadline March 26th 2012
- Ladies Only fishing tournament in Sunny Florida, March 23rd 2012, Chix n Stix
The Fish Gripper
The Fish Gripper by Dale Snead
Back on July 17, Sammy reported on some new products at ICAST. One of the products that caught my eye was “The Fish Gripper“.
http://www.thefishgripandmore.com/
In a subsequent report on July 25, Sammy gave a brief review of that product. Shortly after that I was on our friend Hank’s boat and saw it in use also my fishing buddy Del got one and was using it in a video Sammy did.
That did it for me. I was the last kid on my block to get one.
I HAD to get one!
Usually I fish out of a yak and most of the time I am in the water. As a result, lightweight is very important to me.
I have been a fan of the Boga grip for a few years and I still am but it is a good bit heavier and bulkier than “The Fish Gripper”.
The dimensions of “The Fish Gripper” is
1/2 inch wide
10 inches long
it has a opening gap of 2 inches (fully opened) and there is a distance of 5 1/2 inches from the lip opening to where your hand is.
It weighs only 5 ounces (it floats)
It comes in 5 colors (the white one I have glows in the dark)
I got my “Fish Gripper” about a month ago and am very pleased with it. It opens and closes like a vice grip. I have not experienced any premature unlocking as it closes securely. When you are ready to release the fish, a simple outward push on the lever does the trick. The use of it is quite simple – you simply insert the lip into the fish’s mouth and lock The Fish Gripper.
The angle you use to insert it is not at all cumbersome and boy does it hold! A couple of weeks ago I has a 30 inch or so red that I used this on and it worked like a charm. Because the lip closes flat and in 1/2 a inch width it does no damage to the fish’s mouth.
This is also true with the more tender mouth of a trout. Sometimes (being metal and having a smaller lip) a Boga can do damage to a mouth so tender. It also holds up to the less than tender mouth of a small shark. When using this on a larger fish the lanyard could be used to hold the fish after The Fish Gripper has been locked.
This way the lanyard would be used as a pivot and the torque would not be passed on to the body of the gripper from an active larger fish. It would be suitable on a tarpon or other offshore fish. Tests using weight well in excell of 150 pounds did not compromise the Gripper.
One final attribute is, being the excellent catfish fisherman I am, I was very pleased for the 5 1/2 inches of plastic keeping my knuckles away from those #@^^ ^ catfish barbs.
Another use for it is in actually grabbing the hooks on a lure (such as Del does in the video previously mentioned) or even a circle or J-hook and getting a frisky fish off without having to tough it or without having to risk a hook being thrown into your hand or finger.
The components are simply plastic and stainless pins at the 4 pivot points. A wrist lanyard is attached and there is a slot to attach a scale if for some reason you would need to weigh the fish. The design is quite simple but the genius of it is it’s simplicity and lightweight.
They are available at many local tackle shops (I got mine at Dogfish Tackle) and through Cabela’s or the company’s website.
I still have my Boga and on occasion I will still use it. But this little tool reminds me of the “Little Train That Could”. Time will tell just how durable it is but for $15 it is an excellent buy!
Dealing with changes… Winding down for Winter…
Sneak Preview of Hells Bay's new Skate
We were continually blessed with bluebird skies this past weekend. I walked outside in the morning to look at my boat and immediately noticed a difference… a slight chill was in the air, winds were out of the North, and dew had formed on the deck of my boat. This was a definite sign that things are changing as we transition from Fall to Winter patterns.
I joined my buddies Tony and Juanki the first day of fishing as we took out Tony’s new Hells Bay skiff. This new skiff in our arsenal will change the way we fish as well as give us that edge we need when having to pole down a school of speeding bonefish. Today’s mission was to break in the new skiff so we decided we should take the day of fishing more seriously (yeah right). Our seriousness on the water extends only to the point in the day where we start busting each other’s chops. It is always a gauranteed fun day on the water amongst this company. We started out our day with a first shot at a quadruplet of very big bonefish. Tony makes the perfect presentation and gets the eat, only to loose the fish while clearing line. The day was then filled with more exciting moments from, hooking and loosing big bonefish, poling down wads of fish, missing some bites, loosing balance and making a watery entries, and finally breaking in the skiff with Tony’s new signature move… the Islamorada bonefish toss and plunge. There was never a dull moment out on the water this day. I look forward to our next day on the water…
The next day on the water was a definite eye opener. Tim and I decided to take my Mirage out today for a change. Have you ever heard the superstition about your day being over after catching the fish on your first shot of the day? Well, besides only having less then half the bonefish shots as the previous day, both Tim and I caught a bonefish on each of our first shots. This sealed the deal for us as we delt with loosing fish, mising bites, and having to work harder to find fish. These are days you learn a bunch about the bonefishery…especially when you have a bonefish guru (Tim) on the boat with you. Winter is definitely on it’s way. Skies are becoming less cloudy, the water levels are slowly dropping, the air is becoming drier and cooler, fish are starting to get into a transitional phase, and bonefish are getting FAT. Life is good indeed…
Let’s change the pace up a little the next week… until next time…
Dragonfly Boatworks LLC – Midge
We at microskiff.com profess to be all things micro. Admittedly we are not all things very micro, namely kayaks. Our idea of manual propulsion typically comes via a push pole. So when we received an invitation to check out the latest kayaks from a skiff builder with a form of propulsion outside the necessity for upper body strength, we decided it was worth checking out.
Mark Caslow from Dragonfly Boatworks LLC contacted us about checking out their new line of kayaks, the Midge 14 Elec-Trek and the Midge 12 Fly Fisher. These kayaks are two very different approaches to a single goal according to Mark: “Build the best possible, most functional, kayak for the angler.”
The Midge 12 Fly Fisher is the smaller of the two designs from Dragonfly Boatworks with a length over all (LOA) of 12’ and a beam of 35”. The Fly Fisher is their “car topper” kayak. For propulsion the angler can use a paddle, or when optionally equipped, a wireless trolling motor.
The Midge 12 Fly Fisher with wireless trolling motor we tested came with a footpad control though we didn’t use it with our feet. Instead from the seated position we picked up the controller and used it like a game console controller. It was like playing a video game, only in super high resolution. After a few minutes familiarizing ourselves with the controls, we were zooming around, carving tight turns and wild zigzags. The Fly Fisher behaves like an expensive Italian super car. It was light, quick and responsive. The kayak can easily spin in it’s own length. One feature we liked about the Midge 12 was the fact that if the water depths got too shallow for the trolling motor, it can be tilted up and a paddle can take over.
For the angler, the Fly Fisher includes an adjustable backrest to stabilize against while fishing. It was a touch unsettling at first. Balance and positioning is imperative. Once we gained a sense of how the kayak would react under our feet it proceeded to be amazingly stable and comfortable for it’s size.
The Midge 12 comes in several build options. A simple 40-pound all composite model with padded backrest and integral rod holders, to a tricked out Fly Fisher with optional removable wireless trolling motor. Prices start at $1000.
For an entirely different approach, Dragonfly Boatworks offers their Midge 14’ with the optional Elec-Trek package. The Midge 14 is 14’ LOA and a beam of 28”. While the Fly Fisher could loosely be considered an open sit inside style kayak, the Midge 14’ is much more reminiscent of a sit-on-top style kayak.
Midge 14 base models start with an all-composite construction. Dry forward storage, center storage with an optional shotgun configuration, rear storage sized to fit a 5 gallon bucket and 4 integral rod holders finish the design while tipping the scales at 60-pounds.
Dragonfly Boatworks then add their “Shallow Drive” system that includes a 12-volt sealed battery, 12-volt 53lb thrust wireless trolling motor integrated into the Shallow Drive pod, and a charger.
Maneuvering the Midge 14 is quite different from the Midge 12. To steer, it uses a foot-controlled rudder system behind the fixed trolling motor, making it handle more like a classic American car from the 1960’s. However, when pared with a paddle, the turning radius is reduced. On the Midge 12 Fly Fisher we relied on the wireless trolling motor for most of the propulsion and maneuvering. On the Midge 14, a paddle was used with a higher frequency.
Fishing from the Midge 14 will mostly be done from the seated position. Forward storage is plentifully for a day’s tackle even when the electronics and battery are installed. Rods can be stored away in one of the 4-rod holders and if using small crustaceans like shrimp or crabs, they can be held in a bucket behind the backrest. Prices start at $2,200.
Both kayaks are built and finished with the same attention to detail that Dragonfly Boatworks gives to their skiffs. The kayaks are hand-laid fiberglass over composite construction. Each kayak is custom built to their customers’ specifications.
Developing a kayak for a market like discerning anglers is a difficult task. Developing two very different and distinct kayaks for the angling market is a serious challenge. This is what Dragonfly Boatworks LLC does best with their think-outside-the-box attitude.
Cheers
Capt. Jan
Video courtsey of Dragonfly Boatworks LLC.
DRAGONFLY BOATWORKS LLC.
4574 North US1 Suite 11
Vero Beach, Florida 32967
phone: 772.567.8835
fax: 772.567.8836
web site: dragonflyboatworksllc.com
email: dragonflyboats@bellsouth.net
SPECIFICATIONS AS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER
Midge 12 open Fly Fisher w/ wireless motor Specs:
* 12′ X 35″
* weight 90-pounds (45-pounds without wireless motor)
* all composite construction
* adjustable back rest
Midge 14 Elec-Trec Specs:
* 14′ X 28″
* weight 100-pounds
* all composite construction
* 12 volt (sealed) battery
* 12 volt charger
* 12 volt 53lb thrust “Shallow Drive” motor
* wireless hand held control
* 4 integral rod holders
* forward dry storage
* padded backrest
* foot-controlled rudder
* rear storage (sized for 5 gallon bucket)