Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
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Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Episode 71: Tri-State Skindivers
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This episode we have on Kieran President of the Tri-State Skin divers club. We talk about how he got into diving, what it’s like diving his fishery of the northeast, and how he got involved with Tri- State. We also talk about the many events that they host through the year some of their tournaments as well as shout out all their amazing sponsors
if you wanna do an event or join their dive club check out
@tristateskindivers on Facebook Instagram and TikTok
Welcome back to another episode of the Blue Hand Outdoors Podcast. I am pleased, pleasure to have with us tonight Mr. Kieran from Tri-State Skin Divers. How you doing tonight, sir?
SPEAKER_02Good, doing well.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I appreciate you coming on, man. Sparing some time. It's always a pleasure to have some new faces on. And especially as myself, I'm starting to well, not starting, but kind of started last year to get into spear fishing. I like to have some spear fishing guys on, pick their brains a little bit, and see what kind of got you into it and uh how you started rolling with the ball at Tri-State.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so uh back in uh I actually started three years ago, um back in 2023. I had um I always heard about the Tri-State Club um for spearfishing New England, and I I knew some of the guys that were um in it. Uh one of the guys had uh taken a lot of time to uh show me the ropes about shore diving around Newport, Rhode Island, uh, which is some of the most beautiful like uh structures close to shore. Uh you just have these just huge um cliff faces with vaults going along them, uh a lot of different structures and also a lot of life on them, a lot of Tatog you have there. Um and he he was great. He invested in like you know, helping me learn, you know, the shore dives around there. And you know, there's a lot of factors you have to think about, like when it comes to tides, currents, like boat traffic. So having a local uh show me uh was cool. And uh when I was you know getting more involved with spear fishing, I never wanted it to be like like competitive or try to get like the biggest fish, you know. I just wanted uh have a fun time spear fishing and you know bring home a good meal. Um, but then uh I had attended one tournament in 2023 uh called the weekday buffet, and they have that at the Nordic Lodge in uh Charlestown, Rhode Island.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And uh I jumped on there and you know hopped on the boat uh for the day with um this guy called uh Spirit Charters. Um he's out of Point Judith. He's an amazing guy. Like if you could ever get him on your podcast, he's he's something, he's got endless stories. And uh I went out on his boat for the day with a group of like six divers, all competing in the same tournament. There was a bunch of other divers uh going out on their own boats and everything, and um, so we're all all trying to keep the same things. We're trying to get bluefish, black sea bass, and uh a scout. That was the like the three legal things like you could shoot that time of year. Um, and I I had the biggest bluefish on the boat, um, and I thought, okay, maybe there's a chance, like this whole place. Um, and then I uh ended up winning the whole thing. So like I had like the three like biggest fish like all put together with all the pounds. So like this was my first tournament with Tri-State. I won it and uh gotta see what it was all about. So I was super excited about it, and people were excited for me because they never met me before. Um, and that's how I kind of like got into like uh more into involved in the community of uh Tri-State and was like, all right, I gotta keep going to these tournaments. There's some really cool people to meet here. Uh they put on a good event. Um, and now we're here three years later. Uh I'm now running as president, but you know, there's a lot of help. Um it's it's a lot than just me.
SPEAKER_00Awesome. Yeah, I I'm pretty sure you know uh Matt with uh Ocean State spear guns.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so he he's a big help. He's a big help with the club. Um, you know, we we like to pass things by him because he he's an avid Spiro, and um now he's into teaching courses uh for divers.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, me and him were talking about that. That's a big deal for him. I mean, especially up in your guys' area, he said there's not too many courses that go on, and um it's funny you mentioned the tournament.
SPEAKER_02It doesn't really exist in Rhode Island, no one's really certified to give those kind of courses.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was funny you uh mentioned the tournament, and he's been trying to get me up there to come do the species meet and the tog blast that you guys do. And I was trying to do the tog blast last year, but um I had my first child, and with that and just some other things going on, I wasn't able to make it up, but hopefully this year I can make it up for one of those.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, where are you coming from? Yourself?
SPEAKER_00Uh Delaware.
SPEAKER_02Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so it's not too far a drive.
SPEAKER_02So that was the drive, yeah. Yeah, a guy named uh Jonathan Durka. Uh he's uh he's a big uh voice in the spearfishing community when it comes to freshwater and getting that regulated in the Great Lakes. Um so I I had invited him out for the tournament. I was like, come for free, you know, inspire some people to get involved with the you know, having a voice and regulations for spearhows beyond just fishermen.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. Since being involved with Tri-State, I mean, I know me personally, just in general, I've seen the sport of spearfishing grow exponentially within the past couple years. How do you think tri-state slash that's kind of impacted the spear fishing world?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so it's it's an interesting question, especially uh nowadays, um, because I mean you get less and less people uh going for these kind of sports sometimes, um trying to keep it alive and well. Um, and you know, obviously social media um is all over the place, and you know, can people can see it more and be like, oh, I want to try that. Um Tri-State's been going on where at least the species meet has been going on for 16 years now, like this year to be the 16th. Uh I've only been involved with it for the past uh you know three years. So I've only seen like the club of the last three years and just you know, talking to earlier members about you know the history of it, like um when more people were involved or uh how it's changed throughout the years. So um apparently there used to be more numbers um years ago under uh Josh Brower. Uh he was like one of the earlier presidents, not the not the first, I believe, but uh he ran it for a good amount of time and he definitely brought a huge attendance uh to this sport and uh getting a lot of people show up at events and also just like the annual membership. Um since since Josh, it's it's changed hands uh twice after that. It went to Spencer voucher and then it went to uh Randy Ho of last year. And I was like Randy's uh right-hand man last year. I was mostly doing the social media. Uh Randy definitely took a lot of time and committed to helping out. Um, so he's he's still helping me um this year going into it uh big time. Um so we you know we talk all the time to just make sure, you know, we're keeping around the sponsors, getting membership going. Uh so this year we're actually at like 105 members so far, and uh hopefully growing. So it's uh social media presence, we keep that growing. Um, but sometimes getting people to be all right, this is uh this is what the club does, and you know, it is it really for me, you know. It is you know, you're competing against some people that are are really really good as well. Um, but like for me, and I want to try to remind people, it's not it's definitely not about the competition for it, it's just about getting together with all these these true go-getter uh type of people um that enjoy the sport of spear fishing and getting in the water and seeing seeing life underwater.
SPEAKER_00So oh yeah, for sure. And you definitely can't not relish or indulge in like having all different kinds of um experience levels and like people that come to those kind of events that you guys do and just like picking their brains or like saying hey, or just you know, interacting with them because they've been in it for so long. In some cases, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I mean there's I mean there's people I I dive with that you know did the club for a little bit, then they're like, Oh, I just only kind of go off on my own, you know, a couple times a year now, so it's just not it for me as much. Uh so it it can kind of like fluctuate um based on like if they want to be like part part of like the bigger thing with it, or just like keep to their own and just you know keep keep that freezer full um or whatever their uh more desire is there.
SPEAKER_00So you kind of mentioned uh up where you're at the spear fishing, like kind of well, my question I'm gonna roll into is what's it like? I mean, you mentioned there's like cliff faces and caverns, you guys can go off of the cliffs and stuff, and what's like the overall kind of like terrain/slash species like up there for you guys that you're able to get?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so for me, I I mostly go out of Rhode Island. I've been diving or been spearfishing for 15 years now. Um and I started when uh when I was younger, I was like like 13, and I I saw you know this guy bring back like the biggest striper um I've ever seen at the marina I was at. And I was like, what is this guy doing different from all the other fishermen? And it was he was spear fishing. So I'm like, oh that's really cool. I gotta I gotta learn this. Yeah, so Rhode Island area, it's it's it's a mix between like you have your beachfronts. I mean Newport and in the uh Bay Area, it's more that like that rocky cliffs, the cliff shoreline, uh, versus like southern Rhode Island's more uh beach, and then you have like different uh boulder clusters, like it'd be a lot of sand, and then you have your boulder clusters. So a lot of fish will kind of like donate to those like rocky areas um because they're like especially like for like the tag, um, they really like um some more thick structure. Um and then of course we hit balls as well a lot. So the brake walls being just like in front of the you know, the big jetties where the boats come out of, and these um brake walls tend to store some significant life, especially the tag. You know, we're we're navigating all these boulders and trying to find uh a fish that's like in the holes of the boulders, so it's really difficult. And then for like other structures, um, a lot of people take take the boats out over the block island um because that brings in just a whole nother like level of fish because it it tends to be like a uh considered like almost like the highway, like all the striper kind of coming through that area, um, and it's a great environment for a lot of other fish. It's also offshore, so it presents a much clearer uh waters over there. So for divers, it's it's definitely a destination, uh, because you actually get to see more than you know five feet of visibility over on Block Island um consistently because it's go towards the sound and the way the algae is and everything, you get this like green, uh murkier water. It's not necessarily like pollution or anything, it's it's just like the type of algae that's in there in the microorganisms uh that come in because sometimes like you dive under this layer of um microorganisms and then it the water clears up. Um but a lot of the other spots, the shoreline spots, you gotta pick your times. You gotta pick when it's been calm for a while, hasn't rained in a while, um, where the waves haven't been strong. Um there's a lot of things you gotta consider because the visibility in New England is not like it would be in the Caribbean or something. So um you gotta really seek out your days, especially for like safe diving.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. And that's a big thing. Like uh everybody needs to be diving safe because there's a lot of injuries and risks that comes with just diving in general, but let alone diving like how we do in the murkier conditions. I mean, that's how it is down here where I'm at. You know, we have some jetties and for the most part around some of the bridges people dive, but it's not nothing like how you're describing up your way, at least to my knowledge. But I I I can't concur. I mean, the few dives I've been on, I I wouldn't say I was actually spearfishing, I was more kind of just diving and seeing what it's like down there, but the visibility was like one to two feet. I'm like, okay, this probably isn't the safest, but at least I'm getting my feet wet and figuring stuff out and seeing what it's like diving.
SPEAKER_02But yeah, it's tough to get comfortable with two feet of visibility. And you can't, yeah, I can't say you're learning much in that. Yeah, just learning how to be uncomfortable with the visibility. So it's it's much different than being able to see the bottom and be like, all right, I'm gonna make my way there, and then your buddy on top can see you. There's you don't get that much uh up here. It's you know, your buddy disappears when it gets to a certain level, so you try to have those those float lines um so that like at least you know it's something's being dragged to them, you know, where generally like where they are, um you have a better idea because you can see the flow line going to the surface.
SPEAKER_00Now I'm curious to ask you, do you guys do a lot of because down here it's kind of more poles and uh primitive style spear fishing? I mean, like I have a few guns, but I if I take if I'm gonna probably take my little gun out this year, but do you guys do uh mainly gun fishing up there, or is it more pole spears when oh, so you say it's mainly pole spear in Delaware? Yeah, like a lot of guys use pole spears and smaller uh guns, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Okay, yeah. I mean, for us, I do a lot of pole spear. It's it's it's my favorite way to hunt um spear fishing, just because it's you know, trying to, you know, the sneaking up on the fish, uh trying to get really that close to them. Um also find that um I have luck with the like the slip tip pole spear. I I tend to feel like I'm taking a better shot because I'm closer, um, and it tends to grab the fish better, like for more chances of actually bringing it home. Um, so I typically use the pole spear because the visibility isn't that well. Um so if I'm seeing a fish, chances are it's gonna be within that uh distance that I don't want to need to bother with a big gun. But otherwise, people use a lot of like like 75 centimeter guns, like short guns, or you know, Matt's got his his guns that he sells that are like the mid-handle, so kind of like has like the strength, but you also get to hold it closer to you, um, especially for those like close encounters with the Tatog.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah, I think I have a 40 or 50 centimeter small gun that I have, and then I think it's either a 65 or 75 centimeter. Right, okay.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, I started off using like a like a like a 110 tube uh like plastic tube, uh single band, you know, it was it was simple. Um but it was like yeah, I mean it was mostly for those like when it was more visible, but I could, you know, I could shoot the scop and stuff like that. It was also when my breath hold wasn't there yet, so I could be shoot from more of a distance at these fish, uh and kind of you know once I got better at the diving part, that's where I was like, all right, I want to switch the pole spear more.
SPEAKER_00You've been diving, it seems, for a while now. I mean, I think you said 16 years, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yep.
SPEAKER_00So in those 16 years, I assume you've definitely learned different tips and tricks. What kind of tips or things do you say for people starting out if they ask you any questions?
SPEAKER_02Well, I I think the biggest thing is you're not gonna know it all the the first time you go. Um learning thing. Uh I mean, I've been like I like I said, I 16 years and this past fall, I I did a certification course uh to like level up and also just be certified so that I can be more trusted. Um when I'm on boats and stuff, that's somebody's like, oh well, he actually has a certification and you know he he he's at a certain level of spear fishing. Uh so I was still like I'm still like always getting better at it, and like the more I do it, um, the better as well. Yeah, there's also the like it's trying to extend it to uh blue water for me too, as well, is a whole nother challenge. Um trying to get those bigger breath holds and further offshore with those intense currents and bigger fish. Uh but I guess like it's just a more general like tips uh when it comes to spear fishing, it's like that breath hold, um, just getting comfortable with that is such a big thing. So doing it on land because you can't drown on land. Um, but actually discipline to like practice it yourself, you know, watch those those YouTube videos of doing the breathing exercises like with someone, uh, because that can kind of help you stay focused on it. Um, but it's really getting that the breathing and getting comfortable with that lack of oxygen um and seeing like I'm only diving half of my like capacity. Like I'm uh I'm not I'm not pushing it. I want to be comfortable um resurfacing and not not put anyone at at risk there. Um that's a big thing for me. So like the dry land practice is such a big thing, you know, reading up on the different um practices that people do um to be better um and kind of get it get it memorized uh so that when you're out there you're just kind of comfortable with it and um can take that big breath and trust that you can you know dive a certain depth, you know, with a with a good buddy. So having a good buddy is really important too. And finding that buddy that's like you know, some levels ahead of you uh can definitely help you like one safety and then just like you know, just um like clean up or clean up that technique uh to level up yourself.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Have you had any opportunities yourself or have you gone any places with spear fishing or like been uh like outside of Rhode Island?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so for places that I've been outside of Rhode Island, um I I had studied abroad in Australia, um, so I had reached out to uh some locals on Facebook uh just to see if uh anyone was down to um you know link up and do some shorediving. Uh and luckily some people have responded on Facebook and you know I took a I took like a this like this um like tram or like a yeah, there's like I guess like a train, I guess, but like one of those like shuttle trains over to like shoreline, then I hopped on a bus with all my gear all the way to this like um this like one big like um breachway or jetty that they had down there and it was like on the beach side where a bunch of surfers were and supposedly was like you know a good good spot and uh it was definitely unique venturing out there and it was good I had like a local uh there with me. I mean he was kind like kind of new to the area as well because he usually would be like going somewhere else, but it was kind of like the in-between, and I was taking public transportation to get there. Um so uh luck luckily enough, you know, he he joined me and also had you know some of the other gear I didn't have uh with me at the time. Um so I was able to uh actually get some uh some golden chevali uh out there, which was really neat. Um in Australia's it's a whole other game. That's that's that's one you definitely want to be with locals because the the currents there are no joke. When they say prime minister drowned there, it happened. He drowned. Like it's not it's not some fluke of a story to like it'd be like what happened to him like, no, he he drowned on his swim because it's that intense over there. You know, the lifeguards are you know some of the best I've seen, and like jet skis are a big part of um the lifeguarding out there too. Um so it was it was a really cool spot to check out because they had everything from um you know sea turtles to dolphins coming through uh to rays. It had a lot of life, um, but it was a very limited window when like the visibility would be good with that kind of like just like the shoreline with the waves and everything. So you had a really good calm day, have to be calm for a while, um, and then you know, have the buddy that was like able to go at the same time. Um, so that was that was cool experiencing that and you know, getting some of my first fish. And I was using like a three-prong then as well, uh, just like the cheapest thing I could find at the store. Uh and that seemed to work well, and then occasionally, you know, a buddy I would go with would let me use a spear gun for a minute. And uh I remember I bent bent the crap out of this guy's shaft, shoot shooting uh like a coral trout. And it was a big one, it was like one of the bigger fish I've ever like shot, and it it just bent the heck out of the shaft. And yeah, unfortunately, could not land the fish because the light it did not stay on, and it just it got bent and then popped off. And the guy's probably I mean, I never dulled with that guy again if it was necessary because of that. Um but I think he was just like um you know, it was it was a unique area to dive. So uh for everyone else was a bit bit maybe daunting of this of a spot. Um, but I kept going back there with different people. Uh it was fun. And then when I was when I was over there, I did like a quit I was like working in the area so I could like do things on the weekend. Going different excursions was working at a restaurant, and I went to uh Bali, Indonesia.
SPEAKER_01Oh wow, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I didn't bring any of my spear stuff, I brought my snorkel and um, you know, my flippers, of course. And it was like, you know, if I get a chance, I'm gonna like dive around here. You know, it was cool going on those like those like a snorkel charter and being like, you know, I had to tell them, hey, when I go under, you're not gonna see me for a little bit. Like this is like I I dive and stuff, and they're like, okay, just like don't don't go beyond this point or like you know, yeah, and with me there, but I was you know able to see a lot more of the the reef life uh than you know the the above water snorkelers, you know. So I always like being able to do that. Um and then I also like dove. Do you know where the or have you seen that those like images of this like it's over on Bali, it's in uh Newsompanita. It's this beach called uh Kling Cling Beach, and it's it's got this like big uh dinosaur like spine looking.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I actually brought my snorkel and um flippers to that hike down that and was like, I'm gonna I'm gonna check it out because it's probably like crazy over there. And it it was, it was well worth bringing the snorkel down there, and uh um it was so cool. It had like underwater caves in there and some of the biggest reef fish I've ever seen, just because I guess like we might brought the snorkel that day. Um I'm trying to think what else. Yeah, yeah, and then I was just checking out the different, like, you know, like different coastlines, like as it was there and just exploring them. It's it's always fun to bring the snorkel and goggles anywhere you go. Um and then I I remember remember like as we're doing the study abroad trip on the way over there, it was included to check out the Great Barrier Reef. So a lot of people were just doing the snorkeling there. And that's the first time I I ever um scuba like did some scuba diving, and they did like a quick like course, like briefed you on it, and then see see if you panic underwater before they let you actually like use the scuba. Um so I did that for a bit, and like I was already free diving that day uh before it. And you know, like just like you know, going deep into the like the different trenches it has. I mean, what a I mean, what an incredible place. I mean that that place is absolutely massive, but it's not there we go, we got you back. My phone overheated. I I probably should not have been close to the fire as I was, but I I didn't I did not see that coming surprisingly. So are we still alive now?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we're still good.
SPEAKER_02Okay, cool, cool. Uh yeah, no, it just completely overheated and shut down my my phone completely. So that's that's of course. Um yeah, so where was that? Oh yeah, so I was die free diving over at the Great Barry Reef, and I was enjoying that, and then I had switched to scuba, and I remember being doing the scuba, which was cool doing it. I it definitely like reminded me just how much I like free diving, uh, because like the slower approach, you had all this gear on you, um and just like a different kind of like pressure or sinus pressure uh that I wasn't used to. Um, and then like after I had finished the the scuba session, I remember I tried diving after that and learned that you can't go right back to the diving, the free diving um right after scuba because the change in like how you equalize, yeah, it can kind of throw you off. So I learned that uh yeah, you don't want to scuba right before and maybe just stick to freediving. That was for me, which is as odd as it is. You think somebody that likes freediving and being underwater would want to extend their time underwater, but um it's a different, different view it gives you. Um freediving versus scuba. Like freediving, you just can keep moving and then you dive and you're like, oh, this is a new spa I'm in now. Like, or you know, you resurface you go to the next spot, so it's it's new every dive. Um, and then you can kind of get closer to the fish uh without all the bubbles going on.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. So you said that you're president of Tri-State now. What's it? I mean, I assume you probably know what the process is like for like sponsors and getting stuff for tournaments together. What's that kind of process like?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so the process for that, so we've you know developed uh partnerships with sponsors over the years, and so some of them have stayed uh with us, you know, and it and like it can it can change year to year with the club, you know. We've been um last year and this year, I think we've done a good job like like social media um and getting getting them promoted so that they're interested and keep working with us. Um what can happen is it's like we have over 20 sponsors, uh, so it's it can be very easy to like lose attention maybe to one um and give focus to others. So you're trying to like spread the wealth uh with the promotion and keep those sponsors coming back year after year and want to donate prizes um toward you know for the club to hand out to our members to see that there's some kind of turnaround for them. So us our sponsors range from charters to online spirit fishing companies to uh you know people like Matt that are actually like building the guns themselves and are local in in New England, you know. We we like to give um New England um businesses um attention, you know, just stuff, but it's also very niche. Um so the online um people that work with us, we're happy to promote them as well. Um, so I mean I could I could go through the list of you know the 20 sponsors, but I'm trying to think like if I can even get that you know off uh on the top of my head. I I could go for it if if you want me to talk about each of the sponsors we have.
SPEAKER_00Sure, if you want.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I'll go into it. Uh so one we have is uh Spear America, uh, which is also Spear Pro. Um, so like Spear Pro is like their like main in-house brand. Uh and then so Spear America is like one of our uh main like American online spear uh fishing stores, and they do, you know, they sell all the products, and um, they have representatives um in the area, and then they also look to you know find somebody in our club to sponsor. So we're actually looking for um a member um to point as the next like sponsor diver for Spear Pro for New England. Uh so we're excited to do that. Uh and then like moving on to some of the other stores. So we have like Spear Gods, uh, which is um another online spear fishing store. We have Evolve, uh, which is based out of Hawaii, uh, and they've been working with us for a number of years. They're very well known for their pole spears. I use their pole spears all the time. It's just like very lightweight, um, very slender profile uh pole spear. Tends for me, like I like using slip tip on them because I feel like I'm just tagging the fish. Um it gets it gets a good hold on them. Um, they've expanded more into spear guns recently or you know, pushing to do that, and they got some beautiful spear guns that they've come out with. Um, yeah, so they're a cool company because I used to use like bulkier uh pole spears when I first started, but that also was when we could keep the bigger striped bass. Now it's we're keeping you know smaller fish. We can't we can't keep stripers over 31 inches, it has to be the slot between 20 and 31, I'm sure you're aware of the slot sizes for striped bass. Uh so that change has kind of has made an impact on the spear fishing in New England because you're no longer going for those big fish unless it's like bluefish or you go offshore for the tuna. Uh so other sponsors. So we have uh so we fall and then we have Narragansett Pole Spear. Uh he's a local out of Rhode Island, he creates his own pole spears as well. He does usually does more of a um like a single flopper on pole spears. Uh very great. Um yeah, I mean a lot of the members use them, uh tend to be very uh durable uh pole spear. Uh he actually he actually lives out in Colorado now, um, but he still stays connected with the New England divers, and you know, he he likes to educate uh people in the sport. Um, and then so I just got texted from a sponsor about a post. So it's it's always it's something the posts are constant. Uh that was actually from uh neuretic.
SPEAKER_00Oh uh CJ.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I know CJ, he's a cool guy. I've had him on here before. He's a cool dude. Me and him talk every now and then.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, yeah, he's he's a cool guy. Yeah, he does he does charters everywhere. I mean, Costa Rica, Florida, Indonesia, uh Southern California. Yeah, he he goes everywhere. Um yeah, so some yeah, as aspiring as I'd like to say, because I'm like, I don't know how you how you even get into to it to that extent and living around the world doing spear fishing. It's yeah, it takes a lot of hard work. Um yeah, and so and then going to the other charter guys, so we also have uh Life Below the Surface, which is with Tony. Uh he's out of Puerto Rico, he does a phenomenal job. I've dove with him for the past three years. I made an annual trip in November uh with some of the other tri-state guys. And the first year I never even dove with these guys, you know. We were just in the same club, and that's kind of what it is in this club, just a bunch of go-getters. Like you reach out, somebody's gonna be down uh to join you on a trip. So that was a really uh neat experience being able to do that and finally get like a get some solid wahoo and learning how to get wahoo. It's a it's a serious challenge of the fish to spear. Um, and he does a great job of putting clients on that from around the world. Um and then other charters we have. So we have Hascup, um, and that's Sean. Uh he goes out of um he goes out of Costa Rica, he does a lot of yellow fin and um and as well as Cubera. Um he's he's always the interesting diver. He actually um I just like sent out a post for him recently. Um and then other sponsors, so we have yeah, that's it for the for the charters. I mean, we have Spirit, which is out of Rhode Island, he still does uh Point Judith. That was a guy I initially like learned from because he would bring his boat to the marina I was at. Um and that was kind of like before he even was doing a lot of chargers, he was more like actually just like yeah, he'd go down and you know catch a bunch of bass. And uh he was he was into very much just into the like the fishing side of it on his own and you know, taking his sons or uh taking his friends out. Um and when I had done the charger with him for the first time ever, I had learned definitely a great deal from him. You know, that was my first time breaking 50 feet and seeing huge schools of striped bass, uh, was with him. So he definitely was a good guy to learn from. And I always recommend to like beginners, it's like, yeah, do that, do that um charter that is willing to take out beginners because you just level up that much more, you have a good experience in your first time doing it. Um versus versus like one of my buddies just brought out his his girlfriend, and it was it was early April. I I was like, I I don't know how she's gonna like be willing to do this again. Like it's it's 43 degrees in the water, and uh you must have found a good one. I don't know if she's gonna keep going out there with you, but it's it's much different than being brought out in the warmer months on a charter uh and getting it like hooked to it that way. Um and then I don't want to miss any um any of the sponsors either here. Uh I'll try. Um so we also have uh mind if I just do a quick check here.
SPEAKER_00No, you're good.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, make sure I'm not missing anyone. Yeah, because there's 20 of them, it's very very easy to skip over them. Uh so red tide, you can hear me fun, right?
SPEAKER_00Yep, yep.
SPEAKER_02So red scales like calibrated through them for the tournament, uh, specifically, because we want to make sure everyone's using the same scales or at least some public scale that's um has been calibrated and certified. Um, and he does you know big blue water guns and just about everything for spear fishing. Uh then we have uh Ulu Sub. Uh Ulu Sub has the big blue water guns. He Ulu Sub like partners with Tony with Life Below the Surface, uh, because Tony mainly uses his guns for blue water hunting. Uh and they do uh like right now we have it like for the biggest Wahoo shot on Tony's boat uh wins a Ulu Sub, which is you know, it's it's a it's a $1,200 gun. I mean it's no joke, and it's you know it's a big blue water gun. Uh and then we have Hammerhead uh spear guns, and that's out of Hawaii as well. And um they have just about every product you can name. Um they're they're great, they get very involved with the spear fishing community. Um, he's he's ran a whole tournament event with us, Kevin. Uh he you know brought like almost like $10,000 worth of gear uh for our species me last year. Um wow huge. I mean like he brought so much gear uh and then also just like you know spoke and talked with all our members. Um so it's a really good experience with him. Um and then we have Savage. Savage, uh, he he does charters as well. Um and he's got you know all the gear, he also sells um evolve stuff alongside, and he does a lot of like instructor courses, but he's um I think he's Florida-based. And then we have Xhale. Uh Xhale is another online store. They they do a really good job of um pole spears as well. Um, they're out of Florida as well. Um, and then we have Wyana. Wyana does um a lot of uh wetsuits, uh really really quality gear from them for wetsuits, um, and they do other products as well. And then we have uh AVs, AV Ski and Sport. They're out of Rhode Island. Um, they're just uh like a small business there, and um they support our local community um Rhode Island, you know, with spear guns you're able to get in person on a short notice or waits or anything. Uh then we have uh Diver. Uh Diver does the really nice fins.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I've seen the one post you just posted not too, I think today, of the one fins that they do, they they look really cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I actually have that exact pair, the one I did the repost of. It's like the King Neptune or something. And uh yeah, great composite fins, game changer. I never I always was using like plastic uh rubber fins before. Uh actually very like right up until this past fall, I switched to like some serious composite blades, uh, and that was through Diver. And I'm I'll never look back. I mean, it it's it just ups your game then. Much more just the less um effort into each each um movement, you know, with the flippers and extends kind of like your breath hold with that. Um and then I also got like j just straight carbon fins um from Spear Pro. And uh that'll be just solely for when I do like blue water off the off the boat. I yeah, I I wouldn't want to touch them on shore diving, they can just crack uh if you hit it against a reef or rock. Um so it's something to be careful with, but it's really good for blue water for even less effort swimming, making those those long dives. Uh and then we also have ocean ammo free diving. Um they're they're a good brand, they create some great guns, really, really impressive guns. Just they glide through the water uh with you. And then we have uh Samu or Sam, so it's uh Gayatu. So you know where they do the ink prints of things?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so um this family, so it's like a dad and two sons, they're really good at it. Um, and they put on events teaching people how to you know do the technique and uh actually this last year's TOG Blast, um they part partook and did it live right at the event. Um for people when there's a tournament winners got to ink the fish right there um in front of everyone and get a nice souvenir bring home. They get very involved, but just like helping out and helping out with like doing the shirts and stuff because they're prints. We use their prints and digitalize them for our apparel. Um, so that's been a neat thing. Um, and then there's two others that like aren't category sponsors but are um big supporters and they donate uh for our prize staples. Uh so one is Versus Spear. Uh so Versus Spear is another online uh spear fishing company, and their big big thing they do is uh flashers.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_02They created this flasher that is a slow fall, it's this has a spiral build. Um, they pretty much invented this type of flasher. Um and what it does, it kind of like spins as it goes down and it falls slowly, but also by spinning with all the reflection on it, it really attracts fish to come in and check it out. I've seen it off of great. So if you want a good flasher, they're definitely the ones to go with. They're actually gonna make one for us this year with our our tri-state logo on it. So we're we're pumped to see those. Yeah, there's you know, it's good for like blue water, but like actually it'd be good for like bluefish too, you know, bringing them in closer because they're they're tough fish to bring in close, you know. Maybe Scup would check it out. I'd be curious to see um if it would work on those as well. Yeah, so Versa is on the side there, and then we have uh M85 shafts. Um, so they're just like one of the best custom shaft builder out there, and um they're a big time supporter, so he's he's donating like um big big gift cards for our prize tables, uh, so that people can you know get their replacement shafts through him. Yeah, so that's that's about all all the sponsors. Um but yeah, you can see it's like it's tough to keep up with all the sponsors we have. And you sometimes you're like, all right, we have all these sponsors, but they're like they compete against each other too. So yeah, so it's it's kind of like you know, we promote all of them and our members get to decide what they go with. Um, but yeah, you know, we try to keep all the keep the attention with them, you know, jump on phone calls, emails, you know, some of them are more on the social media where you're you know doing more DMing that way. Um so it's a mix of that, and then some of our members are closer to some of these sponsors, so sometimes I leave them more uh responsible to be connected with them and also being like, hey, we should promote this uh more.
SPEAKER_00That's awesome that you guys have all those amazing sponsors, and it was really it's really cool how you had the um I'm gonna definitely butcher this to Gyatu, Gyatu.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, too, yeah. Yeah, so I it's one of those words I have to look up every time just to like to help me pronounce it because uh I mess up on it definitely.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, that's cool that you had those guys doing that as a talk blast, like right there on the spot for the guys that won. And I I know myself, like when I definitely get my first fish or first couple of fish, I want to get them printed like that so I could have them like on the wall or get like have like the memory and whatnot still.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I mean I had one of my friends uh who I died with a lot. I I had him do print of my biggest detog I got on the pole spear. It was a 12.3 pounder. Uh it was a good size one, and he did a beautiful job of like doing the print, and you know, I got that hung up and he did the jaw mount for it too as well. Yeah, so I'll always remember it. Um and he just you know, he he just does that on the side a little bit here and there, you know, versus these guys have made like you know, they they teach it and stuff. So uh yeah, it's pretty cool. Well, I'll give the guy a shout out who uh did my print. It was Eric Fitchou. Uh so at least at least so if he watches this, he's gonna be like, hey, you don't want to say my name? Yeah. That's sick.
SPEAKER_00Do you guys are you guys looking into doing any uh like quote unquote hosted trips by Tri-State anywhere or like looking into that avenue at all, or anything bigger coming up as far as like tournaments-wise or ideas like that for Tri-State?
SPEAKER_02Um, no, I mean we do we do we do our three single uh events throughout the year, their single uh tournament events along with our year-long tournament. And each one is at they're usually in Rhode Island. Uh, we also have one at in Connecticut in uh uh Groton. There's this restaurant a restaurant called uh Fisherman's Fisherman's at Long Point, and uh do a good job, you know, with us, just letting us be able to, you know, bring all these fish in and get you know, they'll help cook them and do the talk tacos with us. But yeah, a lot a lot of it we do out of like Charlestown, Rhode Island, uh, through the Nordic. Um we do that week dip weekday buffet as the first tournament every year, and they also let us host the banquet at the end of the year there as well. Okay, yeah, so the guys that work at the Nordic, um, because they work this, you know, it's it's the most famous like seafood buffet, um, probably across the US. I mean, I know it's significant in New England, but it's it's one of those spots that um the buses that take all the people to the casinos and stuff will hit a pit stop at for the seafood buffet for lobsters and everything. So it's it's I mean, it's uh they do a great job with their buffet. And the thing is, three of the guys that work there love spear fishing and they're always occupied on weekends. So this this event was the create a weekday one so that you know we could have our people that can't are are occupied on weekends be able to partake in it.
SPEAKER_00That's cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, this year's Memorial Day, so even a bet like everyone should be able to make it kind of thing.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, especially with the long weekend and whatnot.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so definitely looking forward to that. So far, we have like we have like 25 registered to to do with this year, so hopefully more will start to register in um as as we're approaching the event.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_02Well, for fair, like I mean, we've we've started like you know, our our members are from around the world. Um uh spear buddies, like last year. I uh well I met him last year, and I he's been a uh big time buddy of mine, and uh he's from Egypt. He had moved to New York, had been diving his whole life, making a career out of it, doing commercial diving. And he actually is uh a master instructor, so he teaches instructors. Uh so he's a very good diver, but he never dove New England. So I took him out for the first time um out there. Uh I took him out on um I have this uh fish pro jet ski. Um so I I took him and I showed him Block Island, gave him a really good show of what New England has to offer. So he he might have been spoiled first first couple of times going to like the cleanest water in New England and seeing a lot of life that day. I actually took him by the the uh wind turbines, the offshore wind turbines.
SPEAKER_00Oh, cool.
SPEAKER_02And it's it's amazing the amount of um fish come to that and just like set up on there all the bluefish and scuff and striper and ta every fish is there. Um, you know, and they're like they're like 80 feet deep, so the fish are along the whole thing. Oh yeah, and then the guy who came from Michigan, he you know, he's invited some members to come out to the Great Lakes and dive with him there. So I'm hoping to trip in um, you know, this hopefully hopefully this month or uh uh sometime soon because I I'd like to check out some freshwater spear fishing, you know, get it get a get a walleye uh on the spear gun be something else.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. I've definitely had my fair share of like just riding real charters on the Great Lakes before and call walleye and lake trout and stuff like that. But now that I've from doing this and just the whole social media thing, you see people doing it out there for the spear guns and stuff. I'm like, oh, that'd be cool doing you know getting walleye or lake trout on a spear gun or spear.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, are totally different.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I just like I like to mix up you know the different dives to go to and and going with a local. I I think that's the funnest thing is you know venturing to new spots. I mean, it doesn't have to be like you know, offshore on this super nice boat, you know, you'd just be a local on a shore dive and you can you know you can see some amazing things. But I mean, of course, like like the efficient way is to jump on with the the professional charter guys and go out there and you'll see stuff you've never seen in your life, but then you then you kind of you're like, I want to do that every time. So there's a little bit of that too.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. Well, I got one more question for you, Mr. Kieran. It's my favorite question that I love ending my show with and asking L, my guest, when they first come on. And it is what is your why that keeps bringing you back for more?
SPEAKER_02What's my why? I think it's really just like the what I get out of um making those dives and surrounding myself and being the outsider um in this under underwater world, uh, it brings a certain, I mean, the meditation um feeling I get from it, the calmness, the just the it takes such a level of focus um on each of these dives that I can't really get into in this busy life we have. And when I'm underwater, just all I'm thinking about is I can't even think that much because it's not good to you gotta focus. So you gotta just focus on you know where that fish is. So just the complete focus um, you know, gives me that like relaxation, um and like an environment that you wouldn't think uh would bring such such uh relaxation when you're underwater trying to hold breath and all these factors, but it's because that complete focus uh that allows me to just really embrace it and enjoy the environment and I want to be back there as much as I can. And of course, you know, all the people that you know are there to join me on these ventures um really really gives it that you know just that experience.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Well, I appreciate the time, Mr. Kieran. Do you have any last shout outs, plugs you want to throw out before we head off?
SPEAKER_02I mean, shout out to Randy. I mean, he's still he still gives so much time and commitment to this uh to this club, and uh, you know, I hope to keep working alongside him, and you know, shout out to all the tri-state members that make this club possible. It's a it's a beautiful sport we have here in New England and like to see it continue to grow and you know give other people the chance uh to see as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Well, I always give the invite, you know, if you're ever down this way, hit me up, man. Maybe we can get into some diving down here if you're down this way. And like I said, I'm planning to eventually get up that way, so I'll have to hit you up when I'm up there, and maybe we can go after some fish up there as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, sounds good. Sounds good. And shout out to uh Breachway B and Tackle. There you go. My family shop, a little rod and reel. So I was always a fisherman at heart, so gotta give credit to uh my passion there.
SPEAKER_00So oh, yeah, for sure. Well, thank you again, Mr. King, for coming on and spending some time with us tonight. And thank you all for tuning in to another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast.
SPEAKER_02Thanks, Hunter. Appreciate you giving us the platform. Thanks, have a good night.