2018 Product Endorsements: Gear that passed the test

December 6, 2018 By Scott Leave a Comment

I was able to extensively test a bunch of new products this year. Not all performed well for the long haul. Here’s the ones I fully endorse that passed the test after their initial review.

Rapala Fish and Game Shears – Strong, sharp, effective in opening a fish’s cavity for gutting, snipping off gills, fins, etc. Comes apart for easy cleaning. Stainless steel blades haven’t corroded after months of use. Currently less than $9 as an add-on on Amazon Prime.

Gerber Crucial Multi-Tool – Small enough to fit in my kayak PFD pocket, easy to open serrated blade with one hand. Stainless steel construction. Needle nose pliers, knife, flat and phillips screw driver. Everything you need, nothing you don’t. Here’s the original review.

Action Hat DIY GoPro mount – This kit with internal foam floation allowed me to mount a GoPro on my favorite hat. I don’t feel the foam insert when I wear the cap, and the GoPro isn’t as glaringly noticeable as my previous GoPro hat. The hat hasn’t fallen off my head yet, but I’m pretty sure it will float long enough for retrieval since the hat itself floats. $29.99 on livelivegear.com.

Yeti Rambler Camp Mug – While not directly related to fishing, the camp mug can be used to drink something hot while you wait for that ulua to bite. I’m testing some of the Yeti products that can be taken fishing (soft cooler, etc) and this mug was a sleeper. I really liked how it felt in my hand, and how the double insulated walls and lid kept my coffee hot for a long time. Here’s the original review.

Buff® Elite Gloves – Though not specifically made as fishing gloves to paddle with, these gloves have been awesome for kayak fishing. I’ve machine washed them many times and there’s no signs of wear. I don’t kayak fish without them. Here’s the original review.

Product Review: Fish cleaning tools

September 23, 2018 By Scott 7 Comments

(top to bottom) Japanese scaler, Rapala Fish and Game Shears, Rapala Salt Angler’s Curved Filet Knife – 10 inch size

I hadn’t cleaned a fish since mid-May, when Kelly gave me the nabeta he caught in the deep with me (I had bites but got skunked). Here’s what happened that day. This week, I had the chance to use my new fish cleaning tools on the omilu I caught kayaking with Frank.

Old picture of a small omilu on the Cabela’s Deluxe Filet Table with lousy scaler and kitchen knife

I had been using the Cabela’s Deluxe Filet Table with sink and running water, but was using an old school aluminum scaler and a kitchen knife. I could scale fish in the sink, under water, to minimize flying scales, and clean and filet fish on the table with easy cleanup, but the scaler wasn’t good for small scaled fish, and the knife wasn’t sharp or hefty enough to cut through thick bone.

The fish I was about to clean measured 15.5 inches on the front edge of the Deluxe Filet Table, shorter than I had thought! Maybe it shrank in the fridge? 😛

I tried the Japanese scaler Frank had recommended. It’s sold locally at POP, and probably other places that sell kitchen ware. The brass teeth easily pulled the omilu’s scales out, and it had a nice weighted feel. Best scaler I’ve ever used.

Next, I opened the omilu up with the Rapala Fish and Game Shears, nimbly slicing the stomach cavity without cutting into the stomach, and easily cut the gills off the throat. With a knife, I’ve always had trouble chopping the gills free. The Fish and Game Shears are currently on Amazon Prime for under $13.

The Rapala Salt Angler’s Curved Filet Knife with 10 inch blade was over kill for the omilu but the sharp, strong, no-flex blade made easy work removing the scutes and cutting off the head and tail. In the past, I had to use a sawing action with my smaller kitchen knife. I didn’t filet the omilu before giving it to my dad but did have to remove all the fluorescent yellow worms of different thicknesses in the head, gill and stomach areas. Disgusting! The Salt Angler’s 10 inch Curved Filet Knife is currently on Amazon Prime for under $40.

Hot Tip: The Cabela’s folding filet table goes on sale around Christmas time, for about $50 and free shipping. What a steal! It’s much easier to clean fish standing up, with running water to clean off.

Having the right fish cleaning tools makes a messy job so much easier. What tools do you guys use?

Product Review: Gerber and Rapala take apart shears

September 13, 2018 By Scott Leave a Comment

Zoom in to see the corrosion on the Gerber shears (lower one)

top to bottom: Rapala Game Shears, Gerber Take Apart Shears

I’ve been using the Gerber Vital Take-Apart-Shears for about 5 months now, mainly in the kitchen and had once opened up a nabeta and cut away the gills with it. It’s small and lightweight but the thumb hole is less comfortable than the school scissors it resembles. It’s great for trimming meats and chunking small baits and has been holding its edge. I really like Gerber products but my one complaint is that it’s beginning to show rust spots on the blade and the screw turned brown right away since it’s not made out of Stainless Steel. I’ve even cleaned it with Corrosion Block but it continues to slowly show corrosion/rust spots. Gerber is coming out with salt water versions of their fishing tools in 2018 and I believe these shears will be updated to stainless steel. These shears are currently about $18 on Amazon Prime.

I got the Rapala Fish and Game Shears about 3 months ago and haven’t cleaned a fish with it, but have used it in the kitchen more than the Gerber, to catch up on testing it. It’s marketed as kind of a multi-tool take apart shears with features like a straight knife, serrated knife/fish scaler, bottle opener/bone cracker and vegetable peeler although I’ve just used it as kitchen shears. It’s larger and heavier than the Gerber shears but is actually more comfortable to use due to the oversized finger holes. There’s no mention of what the blade is made out of but it isn’t showing signs of rust like the Gerber is. The Rapala Shears feel sturdier than the Gerber due to the thickness of the materials used and can cut through a thicker piece meat than the Gerber can. At less than $13 on Amazon Prime I’m actually pleasantly surprised how well they are holding up.

Both the Gerber and the Rapala shears are very easy to take apart and clean. I’ll update this review after cleaning fish with the two shears. For kitchen shear use, I would recommend the Rapala shears so far.

Update 9/23/18: I used the Rapala Fish and Game Shears to clean an omilu. Read about that here.