- Leap Motion, new way of interfacing with you PC
- 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
Tactical Fishing Clip by Tacticalanglers.com
Cool product I just tried out called the Tactical Clip by the Tactical Angler.
Some guy name Alberto hit me up on Facebook a couple moths ago and told me the next time I’m heading down south he wanted to meet me for lunch. So a month ago I did and hooked me up with these fishing clips.
At first I told him I don’t use clips, I tie knots and which were fast, easy and didn’t weigh my lures down. He insisted I would like these as they were strong and very little hassle. I took them and went on my merry way.
It sat the in the truck for weeks before I decided to try them. Since I have been using lots of plugs lately, a couple weeks ago I gave it a shot.
I was quite surprise how easy they were were to take on and off. With the plugs I was using it did not affect the action little if at all. So now I find myself changing from top water to sub surface depending on the depths of water I am fishing quite often. Since it only takes a couple seconds, I was no longer looking for cutters, cutting my flouro carbon down and retying.
The clips I was using are rated at 50lbs which is more than enough for inshore fishing. They also have them up to 175lbs.
The come in a package of 10 I believe for about $5.99. There is not bearings or moving pars to go wrong so they are pretty darn durable. Unless you get cut off a bunch it will last quite a long time. I’m still using the first one I tied on.
Tarpon Fly Reel Specs… Choose your weapon!!!
I often wondered why nobody has ever printed a side by side spec sheet of today’s most popular Tarpon fly reels. Perhaps it was printed somewhere and I missed it? Well, in any case, here is a spec sheet for all to use as a reference (no biased reviews, just hard specs).
Snap Shot ruler, a more controlled way of measuring your catch
Here is a quick review of a new gadget called the Snap Shot ruler I got in. This little item solves the sometimes issue of measuring fish on a regular measuring board. At times you don’t have much control over the fish. The ruler is going all over the place, the fish trashing and at times can be a bit dangerous with toothy critters.
Combined with a boga(or similar product), The Snap Shot Ruler holds the nose of the fish at zero and allows you to see the measurement of the fish very clearly. The clip attaches to boga and measures the fish automatically when you raise the fish vertically. For smaller fish this is a great way to get a quick measurement.
The ruler measures out to a hefty 40 inches. However, if the fish is that big and you intend on letting it go it is better to lay it flat on the boat instead of holding it vertically. This puts less stress on the fish and it’s jaw bone.
The product is waterproof and very compact. The only thing I would like to see it has smaller increments so it can be uses in a tournament situation.
The product sells for $12.99 on their website: http://www.snapshotruler.com
Or
You can find it on Amazon for $10.99: Snap Shot Ruler
3T Barefoot water shoe – Body Glove review
I have been using this 3T barefoot by Body Glove for a couple months now. I’ve used them to paddle board, Kayaking and wading the flats. They even traveled with me to Bahamas last month for 6 days for wade fishing.
The shoes are similar concept to the rest of the finger shoes out there. Low profile, light weight and fits like sock/glove. These ones by body gloves have 3 Toe area. I guess that is why they called the 3T.
It has drain holes in the sole w/ mess guard, Velcro straps and a bungy cord in the back to make the fit very tight. Tight is what you want in a water shoe. You want the shoe to drain quickly and feel snug for better feel. What you don’t want is excess water to remain in there along with other debris which can get quite uncomfortable.
The shoe fit great and was very comfortable. The drain holes drained well unless you get a bunch of sand in them. Not a big surprise since this is the case with pretty much all the shoes of this type I have tried. The sole of the shoe was surprisingly quite sturdy. I walked on some very jagged sharp rocks in the Bahamas and these things held up nicely. For the Bahamas(the area I wade fished) you definitely want something with more ankle protection.
I mainly use them for Stand up paddle boarding. It’s low profile so it allows me to have great balance and if I need to step off I’m not worried about stepping on oyster bars and cutting my feet all up. Yes I have stepped on oyster bars with them and they held up nicely.
If you’re into these type of shoes and do paddle boards, kayaking and do some wade fishing this is worth checking out indeed. The shoe retails for $49.00 which is about 1/2 the price of the competitors similar products.
Here is a quick video I shot today in the garage before I head out on the SUP.
Note: Video was shot on the Nikon AW100.
New for 2012 the 25′ Contender Bay Boat
2.20.2012
The last few days I was attending the largest boat show in the east coast of the united states, the Miami Boat show.
One of the more interesting fishing boat I came across this year was Contender’s first entry into the Bay Boat market. At 25′ it is on the larger end of the bay boat spectrum no doubt.
I did take a test ride on the boat in 15mph winds and we manage top speeds in the 60′s powered by the Yamaha 300 and 3 people on board. (I hear top speed so far has been 64mph) With the stepped hull, getting on the plane was quite quick and did not really need the trim tabs at all.
Draft is reported to be about 13″ of water. With a 90 gallon fuel capacity and 10 gallon freshwater tank making a day on the water worry free at least on the range end. I thought the ride was nice , soft and as dry as any other bay boat I have ever been on.
The one knock I keep hearing is that the bow does not allow for easy trolling motor installation. Knowing this is their first two hull of the bay boat, I’m sure there will be many changes before the production one gets built. No doubt the trolling motor issue would be quick to resolve.
Here are some snap shots I took of the boat at the Miami Beach marina.
L.O.A.: 25′ 4″
Beam: 8’6″
Weight Dry: 2500 lbs
Deep V 15.5′
Fuel: 90 gallongs
Max HP: 350
Contender 25' Bay boat
bow conrteder bay boat
I don’t sell boats. No connection with the company. This was just a point and shoot camera.. one handed ..holding on for dear life of a 25′ bay boat running in a choppy shipping channel on boat show day.
People say it looks like it rides bad but I like to see you try to hold a camera with one hand and while holding a point and shoot with the other going 50 mph, going over chop. If your footage comes out tripod silky smooth I would be highly impressed.
RCI Optics NEW for 2012
RCI Optics is a new sunglass company that was founded and designed by a group of friends from Brevard County that have a passion for surfing and fishing. Having been in the sunglass business for a very long time, these guys have put in years of research to create a company that represents the East Coast surfing and fishing community, hence the name RCI which stands for “Right Coast Independent”.
The names of each frame(which is 100% Made in Italy by the way) will be named after surf spots and fishing spots that are most popular by locals. The 2 frames that are available now are the “Monster Hole” with a copper lens/gold mirror and the “2nd Light” with a grey lens/blue mirror. “Monster Hole” is a surf break outside of Sebastian Inlet that only breaks on bigger days and is known for it’s big resident sharks lurking around the line up and “2nd Light” is a popular surf spot in Cocoa Beach that produced world champs such as Cocoa Beach’s own, 11x World Champ Kelly Slater and a bunch of other local rippers. A 3rd frame which will be named the “Mosquito lagoon” is in the works and should be available by Summer of 2012.
The lens on these are like no other. I’ve owned a lot of different polarized sunglasses and these are by far the most technical lens that I’ve ever used. I tested the copper lens with gold mirror for inshore fishing the other day, it was the first time that RCI Optics have been field tested by someone that has to rely on polarized sunglasses for their success and I have nothing but great things to say about them.
Not a lot of sunglasses fit my face, I need a more wider, flatter frame and the “Monster Hole” fit as if it was a mold from off of my face. I wore them on the water for 8 hours straight and had no discomfort what so ever. The frames and lens are lightweight and was suctioned to my face all day. The copper lens lightened up the flats which made spotting fish a heck of a lot easier like an amber lens would do.
The most amazing thing to me about the lens is that they have a special coating that is permanently bonded which repels water, oils, dust, etc. When I tested the lens while out on a charter, the crosswinds were a good 20-25mph which sprayed us pretty good from head to toe with salt water while crossing the larger waters in my boat, normally I would have to wipe the lens after a ride like that in order to see, but with these lenses on RCI Optics, I did not have to do that. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to, it was because I didn’t need to. I realized by the end of the day that I haven’t cleaned the lens all day, which if I had my previous sunglasses on, I’d have to wipe them off every time they got sprayed by water.
Here is what one of the designers from RCI had to say about the lens: “The Monster Hole is ANSI Z87.1 certified but by no means is it a safety glass. It is one of the most advance lens system out there. The Xiphos 4.0 lens treatments is a permanent application that is Anti-static (dust & stuff) don’t stick, anti-scratch, anti-water and anti oil or contaminants. It should hold up forever, but that needs to be real world tested.”
Lens test on Maui Jim’s polarize tester.
The lens took a T37 shape projectile traveling at 660ft per second at point blank and stopped it in its tracks.
Right now, the only shop carrying RCI Optics is Shady Characters Sunglass Emporium in Cocoa Beach, FL. and in Indialantic, FL. The website for the shops is www.opticflare.com and the RCI Optics website should be launched by March 2012. These 2 models that are out now retail for $240
Give the guys at the shops a call for more info on RCI Optics. I am proud to be part of the RCI Optics Team, with the technology in their lens and good sense of style, big things are coming for the future of this company.
-Capt. Willy Le
Native Fly Charters
www.nativeflycharters.com
Aperture Books & Borders FX Plugin
Been playing with new ways to present pictures to friends/clients and came across a pretty cool feature in the photo editor I use – Aperture 3. The software allows you to select a number of photos and then include them in “book” format. The intention is for you to arrange your photos to form a coffee table book or a book to share with family (I’m actually considering doing a coffee table book for the house with some fishing pics). Coffee table material aside, I think the “book” layout is pretty cool just for one single photo assortment. You can document a day’s worth of fishing on one big photo collage…just chose several photos and click “new book”. You can tweak the size of each photo and color the background however you want. You can also use the borders fx plugin to add text without going into photoshop. I used it to give a friend of mine some ideas on a new flyer for his charter business…they’ve got tons of letter fonts to chose from. You could potentially arrange flyers, business cards, or whatever with your photos and designs without having to fork out a bunch of cash. Anyway, hope this is useful for somebody out there. I’ve had fun messing around with it.
January Redfish Trip
Summer Grass Flat Fishing
Random Georgetown Pics
Douglas’ Flyer
Loon Nip N’ Sip review by Brian Sawyer
By: Brian Sawyer
I was growing tired of carrying the same dull pair of finger nail clippers in my back pocket I decided to surf the internet for a decent set of line nippers. Low and behold I stumbled up upon these little guys, The Loon Nippers. So I got on the horn with Loon, and I was delivered pair within three days. Seeing as how they were priced at only $20 I didn’t exactly think I was getting the world’s greatest fishing tool. Man was I wrong, these things are amazing!
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As I am on the water quite frequently I always carry a pair of pliers on me, any fisherman would be a fool not to. However, sometimes your standard pliers just don’t cut it (no pun intended). When I need to cut the tag ends of a blood knot all the way to the knot or clear an eye of a hook, regular pliers tend to fall short and you need a more specific tool. That’s where the Loon nips have really come in handy.
Of course I had a few test of my own:
I cut several thickness of mono line including 10lb -120lb and even 400lb! Although the 400lb line needed quite a bit of pressure, it cut through all of them flawlessly.
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(400lb Monofilament Line)
Another great feature that performed impeccably was the eye clearing needle. It is located just in-between the jaws out of the way of any accidental slip of the finger. Its stainless steel thorn will clear the toughest powder coat build up on any jig head as well as any excess thread build up around the eye of a fly.
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Overall, the Loon “Nip ‘N Sip” nipper is quite an impressive tool. Whether you are a hard core fly fisherman or just a beer drinking weekend warrior these nips are perfect for any angler’s pocket. At a low cost of only $20 and a stainless steel construction you can’t go wrong.
Amazon Link to the Loon Nip N’ Sip
X-Fish SUF Fishing Boards review, based out of Sarasota Florida
The last few years I have seen the popularity of the Stand up paddle board(SUP) grow drastically. Most were buying them for exercise and some fisherman started to modify them to fish from.
They figure by adding coolers, seats, leaning post and rod holders they can get to the fish quietly and in the up right position. Versus a kayak, this allows for better sight fishing and of course there’s the “coolness” factor as well.
With every gadgets of this sort there are always people willing to pushing the envelope. Soon what was once just a big surf board gets bigger and bigger. People beyond just the rod holders and added trolling motors, seats etc.
This brings me to the X-Fish SUF fishing board my friend told me about it when they attended a boat show recently. After reading about my interest on Facebook, Frank Wade one of the guys that own one, called me up and ask if I wanted to demo the unit. One fine morning, I was glad to meet him down at EG Simmons park to check it out.
Being on a SUP only once in life I’m by not means an expert one but I sure as heck fish a bunch and know what I like.
I would call this a micro skiff, stand up paddle board hybrid. Not quite as light as a SUP but not a real boat either.
The SUF looks great and well thought out. Handles to carry it easier, wells for fly lines in the front, rod holders and such.
The model Frank had rigged up was the motorized version. The rig was cleverly done. The controls for the trolling motor is tethered to the chair. When you pivot left it turns left, when you pivot right it turns right. The control of speed, forward and reversed next to your thigh.
The sitting position is super comfortable. I say more comfortable that any kayak seat I have been in. Stability while sitting is also excellent. I stood up and did not have any issues with balance. If you like standing up and fish you will like how the X-fish fish.
There is a cooler holder in front of your seat which fits perfectly a Coleman cooler. Not only does this allows you to travel with food and drinks it also doubles as a casting deck. The casting deck gives the angler better view and vantage point when looking for those sneaky fish on the flats.
In front of the cooler is recessed area. This space is great for holding fly line from blowing into the water.
Once in the water the boat moves around very nibble. The draft is minimal but you will need about 12 inches if you are using the trolling motor.
I ran the boat with the motor as well has turning it off, paddling it standing up. Even with the excess weight of the battery and motor I though it was paddled well and was very stable.
If you’re looking for cross over from Kayak, SUP + micros skiff this might be the unit for you.
It will not be for you if you are looking to throw it over a fence or put it on top off a SUV. It has more weight than your regular kayak and a bit cumbersome to launch but once on the water it is a very good fishing platform.
