New South African Record Tropical Yellowtail

Craig Heslop shoots 110cm Stealth Carbon through 24kg Tropical Yellowtail.

Rabitech Stealth Testimonial

Spearo’:  Angelo Spada

 

Palm d’Or: South African national spearfisherman

                Represented Natal A on three occasions

                Represented Southern Gauteng A once

                Highest National placing - third

                Current Border Open Champion

 

Equipment used: Only Rabitech Stealth Carbon guns (from 60cm to 1.15m) – 5 in total

                               Rabitech Predator wetsuits (Elios suits for comps only)

                          Orca Carbonetic and Sporasub Pure fins

 

Rabitech Stealth Guns: I live 600km from the nearest salt water. This means that when I do dive competitively I do not have the luxury of missing fish. I also do not have the time to get used to a new gun.  From the moment I first held a Stealth, I knew this was the gun for me! I can honestly say that probably 80% of the fish I shoot I stone or spine. It is amazing some of the shots that I do pull off especially when you have no option but to try as you know the fish is going and will not return. Squeeze the trigger and the fish practically stops swimming as the spear enters near the tail and exits somewhere near the head! With guns I used to have I never even thought about taking the shot as I knew it would miss.

 

                          The balance of these guns is superb, with the angle the handle forms in your hand – just perfect – you point at the fish and fire, knowing the fish is yours. For fun I sometimes try ridiculous shots as a normal mid body shot is too easy! A favorite is shooting queen mackerel from the top. The target is extremely narrow but with the right gun, not too difficult to do.

 

                          These guns although pretty are not pretty euro guns. They can handle big fish. All the following fish were taken with one of my Stealth guns:

 

 

Garrick (Licia amia) 18.5 kg 

  

King Mackerel: 28.5kg – Where’s the spear hole????

  

8kg Yellowbelly Rockcod – Spain

 

Note – no spear mark as fish stoned outside its lair!

 

 

10kg Black Musselcracker and 4kg Natal Fingerfin

 

Note the lack of damage to these fish as they both were ‘switched off’

 

 

Other noteworthy fish:

 

Amberjack 19.5kg

Daga (Muloway) 34kg

Queenfish 13 kg (would have been a SA Record but never claimed)

Natal Stumpnose 6.2 kg

White Musselcracker 13 kg

Milkfish (Chanos chanos) 13 kg – the strongest fish I have landed

 

All these fish have been taken in Natal 

Mixed Fish Soup!

I was determined to try a new Sheepshead fish soup recipe so that was my prime target today. The visibility ranged from 10-30 feet with fantastic conditions diving from 11-2pm. 
Inside 15-25 ft the visibility was top to bottom no problem. 
Outer 40ft-45ft depth vis worsened and the kelp super thick.

Really nice dive!!!!!!

Ended up bagging: with plans to cook in parentheses
5 sheepshead (soup/ceviche)
5 Sargo (fried/baked)
1 Kelpfish (panfried)
1 Cabezon (steamed whole)
2 Octopi (tenderized and put into soup)


I need some help cutting onions so I was hoping someone would know: It doesn't matter if I wear glasses, ski goggles, or no glasses, my eyes water uncontrollably when cooking onions, even when I light a candle next to the cutting board. Does anybody have any tips... Just drink more wine??

(Yes I know it's ridiculous!)

36" Sheepshead

Fat Sheepshead from Palos Verdes, CA shot with Rabitech Apex Tuna Line 120cm, over 25pounds! (11.3kg) shot by Jim Pierce.