2012 Miami Beach Boat Show

The 2012 Miami Beach Boat Show was another great event in sunny Miami, Florida. The show had three locations that displayed the latest and most innovative products on the market today.

Sail Miami at MiaMarina at Bayside located at 400 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL. 33132 was the first stop that displayed only sail boats.  A “blow boaters” dream come true for any enthusiast of the wind powered vessels, ranging from your beginner’s sail boat to the extreme, ranging into the millions.

As usual, the Miami Beach Boat Show provides free bus shuttles and water taxis to and from each event annually. Allowing a safe and hassle free environment in South Beach Miami, Florida. Parking can become an issue and driving yourself to each venue can be a headache even for the locals. The free shuttles are highly recommended and who doesn’t like to be driven around?

Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center located at 1635 N. Bayshore Dr. Miami, FL 33132 was the second and most brief stop for me as this location displayed some of the worlds Mega Yachts that range well into the millions as well and sky is not the limits with these Super Yachts, your bank account is. Some of the vessels easily exceeded $10 million, depending on the make and materials, the electronics, and don’t forget the toys.

In the market for a new vessel, the boat shows not only display their new products and vessels but you can order a boat, customize it, and get a better deal from the boat shows. Most of the vendors at the boat show will give a discount on their products for attending these shows as well.

The Miami Beach Convention Center located at 1901 Convention Center Dr. Miami Beach, FL. 33139 was the focus of my day. The convention center hosted many new names to the industry as well as the established ones. Most vessels less than 40’ were on display with very friendly associates to help answer any questions one may have or simply show you around their booth.

Todd Fuller, General Manager for Hells Bay Boatworks was kind enough to give me a demonstration on some of their new attributes on their flats boats.

I also got the chance to rub elbows with marine artist Peter Agardy of Peter Agardy Fine Art.com which I met at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show and was the neighboring booth next to Kracken Kool Gear.com (apparels)and I met K.C. Scott of KSCOTTArt.com, both very talented and down to Earth guys with impeccable attention to detail and capture marine life on canvas through their eyes empirically. “A true marine artist is an angler at heart”, says marine artist Carey Chen and International Professional Billfish Angler.

TV personalities were all over the property and I got the chance to see Stu Apte, member of International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Hall of Fame and past holder of 44 World Records. I met Mr. Apte at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show just a few months prior and he was kind enough to autograph my FINS catalog again. As a fellow Pro Staff member for FINS, it was great to see some of the more prestigious members of the angling worlds still doing their thing.

Among the TV personalities, I ran into Peter Miller, host to Bass2Billfish TV show and 3 time winner of the Sailfish Pro Series aboard the GET LIT which broke the record for the most sails released in one day on the first day of the tournament earlier this year. The race is on with the top five teams in contention for the coveted prize of the Sailfish Pro Series Championship team at the end of April. The points based tournament is very close and be sure to tune in on the action as it unfolds.

Mr. Miller was also kind enough to not only autograph a Bass2Billfish shirt that I won on one of his many Facebook Photo Contests, but he gave me a fresh one, signature and all. “The shirt you won is still looking pretty good but here is a fresh one”, said Peter Miller, a true ambassador to the sport and a really great guy.

I also got the chance to meet guide Captain Michael Ortego, owner and founder of TackleWebs.com from Orlando, FL. at the El Capitan booth. We were introduced by James R. Allen, owner of Marsh Works of Florida and JaJoBe Distributors based out of Cape Coral, FL. and we hit it off at the boat show. Capt. Mike gave me a call a couple of weeks later, saying he was going to be in Miami for a few days and wanted to target some peacocks and that’s all she wrote.

We hit a few of my honey holes in Miami, FL. and hooked onto some very nice butterfly peacocks shortly after the morning started with one around 23”, just under 9 pounds.

With several peacocks under our belts, we had many conversations about the industry and fishing antics, and proceeded to talk more about his product and I am happy to say that TackleWebs.com is under review for Tackle Tester and it is also up for New Product Showcase for Tackle Management at ICAST in Orlando, FL. coming up this year.

Be sure to check out his web site and article coming soon on Tackle Tester. The Latest in Fishing, Tackle, News, and Reviews.

http://www.urbananglermiami.com/

 

Breathe Like A Fish Apparels

With all the new micro-denier or more commonly known as micro-fiber apparels out on the market, how do you pick one and more importantly, how can you tell the differences from one brand to another? www.Breathe Like A Fish.com (BLAF) is definitely one that stands out from their simple fish head logo to their very effective product in the latest of extreme outdoor apparels. BLAF’s take on their unique micro-fiber moisture wicking apparels, to their very iconic cooling technology, and simultaneously earning their famous slogan; “The Coolest Shirt On the Planet” is one of the “coolest” tickets on the market and a great tool to add to your arsenal for the Spring and especially the Summer time when temperatures are almost unbearable.

While testing this product through various outdoor temperatures, I found that BLAF has hit the nail on the head with their ingenious design. Kent Hickman, owner and founder of BLAF consulted with a dermatologist in the research and development of this well thought out piece of apparel. Anyone in the outdoors can appreciate Kent’s consideration to the elements and the control of our core body temperatures. Made by anglers for anglers but definitely not limited to anglers. Fellow Pro Staffer for FINS Situational Braided Spectra Lines and host for Addictive Fishing TV Show, Blair “The Mogan Man” Wiggins says, “This is a great idea for a fishing shirt.”

Living in South Florida here in the States, we deal with many variations in the weather on a daily basis throughout the year but for the most part, it is hot, humid, or the combination. I spend many hours a week on the waters or out and about “Urban Angling” in Miami, Florida and temperatures can reach well into the upper 90’s Fahrenheit plus. BLAF’s unique design allows air flow through the already cooling micro-fiber materials through their “gill” design strategically placed along the ribs and throughout the arms, allowing the hot air out and keeping the body at a much cooler temperature. According to Kent, the “sleeves and sides feature built-in gills to keep you cool and breathing like a fish.” This product is ideal for any outdoor activity especially in duration. Heat exhaustion and dehydration are two of the most common threats in the outdoors. On cooler days, a tank top can be layered under to keep the cool breeze away until the temperatures start to climb. “Absolutely the most comfortable outdoor apparel I’ve ever worn. The Breathe Like A Fish product line provides me with all day sun protection while keeping  me cool so I can focus on what’s important… catching more fish.” says C.A. Richardson – Flats Class TV.

BLAF also offers their unique “gill” design in a Face Mask, using the same soft micro-fiber materials with a UPF50+ rating. The “gill” or breathe hole helps reduce or eliminate sunglass fog and the saddle cut bottom allows for a seamless sun protection. The Face Mask saddle cut cradles your shoulders and is very comfortable to wear without having it roll or bunch up and not leaving an odd tan line. Another unique twist that BLAF offers is an all-in-one shirt and Face Mask. Yes, you did read correctly. BLAF has sown in their Face Mask to their shirts with a very high quality triple stitching. This allows any outdoor enthusiasts the best of both worlds and you can always get the products separately. All of BLAF’s products are proudly made in the U.S.A. Please visit their web site for more details.

http://www.breathelikeafish.com

 

Kracken Kool Gear Apparels

KrackenKoolGear.com, 100% microfiber angling apparels is manufactured from top of the line multi-layered, performance fabrics. The microfiber performance fabric gives you up to 50UPF skin protection and surpasses the leading brands moisture wicking performance with the state of the art, Dye-Sublimation process done in house, based out of Tampa, Florida, United States of America. The custom designed fish images are not screen printed onto the shirt. The images are applied using a process known as Dye-Sublimation (Dye-Sub). The “cool” thing about Dye-Sub is the fact that you cannot feel the image on the shirt as you can with traditional screen printing. During the transfer process, the image is actually gassed into the fabric on a near molecular level. The image will not crack, curl, fade, or peel. “It will last the life of the shirt” according to owner and founder of KrackenKoolGear.com (KKG), Damien Lavellee.

Micro-Fiber polo shirts, Micro-Fiber long sleeve shirts, Micro-Fiber short sleeve shirts, cotton long sleeve t-shirts, cotton short sleeve t-shirts, hats, visors, accessories, and stickers, are just some of the products that KKG has to offer. They have just under 400 products in their inventory.

I have personally put one of the shirts through 27 washes now and the image still looks brand new. What is the point of wearing high quality wick shirts with any other process like heat printed images, when the image will stick to your body and eventually peel, crack, or fade? The Dye-Sub technology and process allows any images or logos to feel like there is nothing there at all. When held up to the light, you can actually see right through the fibers as if there were no image. The microfiber materials are what you actually feel, silky smooth, cool when hot, and warming when cold, perfect for almost any climate, especially in South Florida or any Tropical region for that matter.

“Dye-sublimation is a high quality printing process. The term, sublimation, refers to the fact that the dye transitions between the solid and gas states without going through a liquid state. Many consumer and professional dye-sublimation printers are designed and used for producing photographic prints. Under high temperature and pressure, the dye turns into a gas, permeates the fabric, and then solidifies into its fibers. The fabric is permanently dyed so it can be washed without damaging the quality of the image. The dye(s) do not build up on the fabric which is why the print cannot be felt on the garment. Colors can be extraordinarily brilliant due to the bonding of the dye to the transparent fibers of the synthetic fabric. Truly continuous tones can be achieved that are equivalent to photographs, without the use of special techniques such as half-screen printing”, according to Damien.

100% Micronized Polyester Denier Fabric or (Microdenier), commonly referred to as “microfiber” textiles are woven with 100% polyester fibers that has been micronized.  This extremely thin fiber allows for the production of fabrics that are tightly woven yet soft, silky and light weight.  The term “moisture wicking” refers to the fabric’s inherent properties.  Unlike cotton, microfiber will not swell and/or absorb liquid.  The smooth plastic nature of the fibers causes liquid to be continually dispersed, like a domino effect, farther and farther from its initial point of origin by Capillary Action or capillarity:  the ability of a liquid to flow against gravity where liquid spontaneously rises in a narrow space.  This effect can cause liquids to flow against the force of gravity or the magnetic field induction. It occurs because of inter-molecular attractive forces between the liquid and solid surrounding surfaces.

KKG intends to be the largest manufacturer of custom microfiber apparels for the outdoor industries. The Kracken brands can be recognized on two different realms, first by Kracken Kool Gear’s signature brand of clothing and the highly detailed images that take an extreme right turn away from the industry norm. Secondly, Kracken can be recognized as a fulfillment center that specializes in manufacturing customized apparels and accessories.  Kracken manufactures private labels and prints apparels for a wide range of clients including other fishing and dive apparel brands, tournaments, fishing teams, artists, corporate logoed uniforms, private retailers, schools, sports teams, and marathon/running/fitness organizations. The list goes on.  At Kracken, they do not believe in the term “competition”.  They will work for and serve the needs of any other brand(s) and/or organizations with the same diligence and pride that they have for their own brand.  They recognized that consumer’s personal tastes in apparels are broad and ever changing.  “There is plenty of room for us all, we believe in the power of team work, the relationships it creates, and the long term profits it gains”, says Damien.

Please visit www.KrackenKoolGear.com for more details.

2011 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Boat Show

The 2011 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Boat Show at the Convention Center was a great event in despite of the rain. Fort Lauderdale is also known as and nicknamed the “Yachting Capital of the World”, and the convention center hosted their 51st annual event for the boat show.

The show runs from Oct. 27th (Prime Time Preview)-Oct. 31st, 2011, with more than 3 million square feet of space over five locations. The show’s transportation network of bus shuttles, water taxis, and riverboats ensures attendees can easily navigate the boat show and its expansive waterways system.

Show exhibits range from yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts. A wide variety of boats and sea vessels were displayed including runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and extraordinary superyachts. Added attractions include The Blue Wild Dive Show, IGFA’s School of Sportfishing, and Hook the Future’s Kids Fishing Clinics. The show also hosted some of the top names in angling as they gave seminars, tips to the trade, and priceless rigging demonstrations.

I was invited by Damien Lavellee, owner of www.KrackenKoolGear.com Apparels and Carey Chen, Marine Artist, as they will be be featured in future articles. It was an honor for me to attend the show as a guest. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit the wide variety of sport fishers, bay boats, flats, and the superyachts in the marinas due to the weather.

The show displayed many of the top brands in the industry and some products in prototype phases. I also had the privilege to Meet Stu Apte, member of the IGFA Hall Of Fame and past holder of 44 World Records and part of the FINS - Situational Braided Spectra Lines – family. As a Pro Staffer for FINS, I was honored and humbled by his presence as he signed a FINS staffer catalog for me.

Be sure to come down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, next year and check out some of the newest and hottest ticket items on the market and get the chance to meet some of the biggest names in the industry and most products are discounted at the boat show.

Visit Florida, the “Fishing Capital of the World”and be sure to check out the Miami, Florida, Boat Show in March, 2012, when all the big boys come out to play. Please check for dates and times. Life is great, get out and get some. No one else will do it for you. Take a kid fishing and pass the knowledge, not the ignorance.

Tight Lines!

Check out the rest of the pics in the gallery below..

FINS Windtamer

BBS Tech has been developing and producing high-quality fishing lines since the start of the Superline category in 1994. They have produced more than a dozen brands for today’s leading fishing products companies.  Now, they are sharing their expertise directly by bringing the angling community a truly superior collection of Superlines under their very own brand, FINS.

FINS WINDTAMER is also 100% Spectra Braid, but with additional processing. Windtamer Braid has been treated by means of a proprietary process resulting in a compacted round and smooth structure with a firm body. This enables Windtamer to pack very well on reels without pulling into itself and cut through the wind to cast without air knots and rod tip wrapping. Saltwater inshore fishing is a situation where Windtamer stands out. Windtamer is great for those who find it difficult to use Superlines in windy conditions. Its firm structure allows the line to slice through the air with minimal arching. It packs on the reel to minimize backlashing and FINS Windtamer Braid offers the best strength-to-diameter-ratio of any line. Great for both bait and spinning reels.

While using the Windtamer in the bay of Key Biscayne and throughout South Florida, I noticed the difference almost immediately as you have to make slight adjustments to your casting for optimal use. Not only does the Windtamer cut through the wind much more efficiently, it also allows for a much further cast in the process. Obviously, this allows for a stealthier approach to some of the most “spookish” species of inshore angling on the flats anywhere in the world. While spooling the Windtamer, the wax-like build up does not accumulate on the guides or the line tensioner on a spooling machine as most brands seem to have this problem. FINS has resolved this issue by coating each one of the four fibers of Spectra and the final braided line as well, allowing the line to be hydrophobic and does not absorb water. Some of the dye in the line may bleed but amazingly, it seems to not affect the color as most braids tend to fade. BBS TECH has gone the extra mile with FINS and the evolution of Super Braids has taken the next step in braided line technology and has brought it to the world.

The Broussard’s, Cajun Phil and Kevin, host of “Outdoors and Fishing with Cajun Phil and Kevin” and Winners of the 2009 Redfish Cup Team of the Year states, “What we love about FINS is the consistency, haven’t had a mystery break yet, and the line doesn’t pull down into itself on our reels.” Please visit www.finsfishing.com for colors and details or contact me at Hai305@tackletester.com with any questions or comments. Stay tuned on tackletester.com as I test and write about each of the Situational Braided Lines from FINS.

Berkley Hotwire Line cutter review

With so many ‘super lines’ on the market today, it’s difficult enough for any angler to decide which one to purchase. Then, after deciding which braided line to go with, what do you cut it with? Having used almost every tool on the market from glorified nail clippers to carbonite tip pliers, I found the near perfect tool; Berkley’s Hotwire Line Cutter. The wire tip gets to an astonishing 1200-1500 degrees in a split second, instantly cuts and cauterizes all types of fishing line, and prevents line from fraying and knots from slipping. The replaceable tungsten tip retracts when not in use and comes with a replacement, two AA batteries and lanyard. (Some models may use two AAA batteries).

Most anglers are probably thinking, does this line cutter really work, how well does it cut and most importantly, is this a waste of time and money? All are valid questions that I too asked myself almost three years ago when I got my hands on this little gadget. I’m very ecstatic to say that I haven’t looked back since and I have yet to use the replacement tip.

Near the tip is a little light bulb for night-time use and is powered by a separate battery that comes with it too, which I have not had to change yet either. Both tip and light activate at the simple slide of the thumb. This inexpensive tool is a must for any angler using braided line. It will cut mono or fluoro with no problem but I reserve the tool for braided line only, as mono and fluoro lines leave a film on the tip and can be melted off but uses up the batteries a little faster.

$9.99US dollars is not much to pay for such a great Berkley tool. In an extreme emergency, the tool can be used to light a fire by applying the tip to kindling; something I had to do while my lighter was drying off. I bet Berkley didn’t see that coming.

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/products/tools-and-equipment/classics/line-cutter-hotwire

Silver Kings on Light Outfits

With so many rods out in the market globally, how does one choose what rod to purchase and what reel to outfit it with?

For the last six months or so I have been using Hurricane Redbone rods with Penn reels. This specific outfit is 7′ Med. Hard (10-20lb. braid rated) , single piece, cork handle, and Fuji everything. The rod is relatively light and has a very strong backbone combined with the Penn Conquer 5000.

Spooled with Power Pro 20lb. (moss green) braided line to 60lb. flouro tippet tied uni-to-uni to a 6/O Owner circle hook with a large, live pilchard, I was able to land this 50lb. Tarpon with guide Capt. Jorge Amores out of Miami, FL.

This light tackle outfit not only handled over twice its rating and the Penn Conquer gave the tarpon almost no chance to spool me as the HT-100 drag system had this “silver king” going nowhere fast.

The Penn Conquer has the EAS (easy access system) which allows for easy maintenance of oil and grease as every finely tuned tool requires for optimal use especially under heavy loads. This outfit is light weight and great for inshore and can handle some excessive abuse.

Contact Capt. Jorge Amores at www.miamibayfishingcharters.com or call him at (786) 202-7673 for your next adventure on the waters of Miami, Fl.

Hai Truong