Dogtooth Tuna & Wahoo chasing with Jaga Crossingham from Freedive Fiji
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Jaga Crossingham joins us over Skype from Fiji and shares his insights with us about planning and preparing for spearfishing charter trips. We also cover how to hunt Dogtooth Tuna and Wahoo and he has a tonne of great information. Jaga is a spearfishing guide and charter operator with Freedive Fiji who has been guiding successful spearfishing trips in Fiji for over 6 years. You can follow Freedive Fiji on Facebook here and see some of the fantastic fish that their customers have caught.
A bit about Freedive Fiji, Heather and Jaga Crossingham
Fiji can boast that they have some of the best spearfishing locations in the world. With the expertise of Jaga Crossingham, his team and extended networks all over the islands around Fiji, spearos and game fisherman that book trips with Freedive fiji are positioning themselves to catch that fish of a lifetime.
On our first interview (we had some tech dramas) Jaga talked with us about how Freedive Fiji deliberately move around a large area in order to ensure there is no overfishing. With a lifetime spent in and around the water with 6+ years there in Fiji, Jaga has a huge respect and understanding for sustainable fishing practice. Freedive Fiji have undergone numerous trips to build relationships with local villages and secure access to some their nearby fishing grounds. Nearly all of the fish taken go to each of these villages which has helped to build strong relationships.
Noob Spearo is stoked to bring this interview to you in partnership with Adreno
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For fast navigation through Jaga Crossinghams interview;
1:00 Starting out on the Southern Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Early Mentor Simon Latter and chasing blackfish, bream, flathead and in the wash-holes – the much sought after Jewfish
4:00 First Memorable Fish, Jewfish and the mistake that came good in the end
5:00 Jagas Spearfishing Hunting Technique; Learning, understanding and applying the correct technique for a target species. He shares a fair bit about Wahoo spearfishing technique including the exhale dive
8:00 Scary Moment, getting a little too up close and personal with a 70kg sailfish. Facebook Photos available Here
10:00 Veterans Vault; Planning, preparing and making the most of a spearfishing charter trip. We talk equipment, communication, dogtooth tuna systems, liveaboard charters for 5+days and the kinds of fish you encounter while spearfishing in Fiji. Jaga encourages good preparation and asking questions early, he recommends booking 2+months in advance for the longer trips to work optimally with moon phases and weather. This is a good deep dive into planning a charter spearfishing trip.
20:00 Funny Story; the Sydney boys with the sex doll dogtooth tuna float
21:00 Fast Five Facts for Noobs
24:00 Crucial Kit for Noobs; Masks + How to De-Fog DIY video link here! Jaga also at our request takes us through his current personal spearfishing arsenal in warm water. Hatch Amero spearguns were mentioned as Jaga uses a 140 model with reel for lots of his spearfishing.
27:00 We ask Jaga for his list of Personal Bests and wow has he shot some epic fish!!
If you are just starting your spearfishing journey and want to get some good guidance and experience in pristine conditions, Freedive Fiji can help you out as they are one of only a few charter operators that cater to the inexperienced. Just give Jaga a message on facebook here.
Here is some further information from their website “Freedive Fiji is more than just a regular charter operator. In addition to providing our guests with the very highest standards of service, we aim to make our dive trips educational, informative and fun. Our mission to focus on social and ethical responsibilities in our community is maintained by building lasting relationships with our customers, employees, and partners in the travel industry. Our guides have over 15 years experience so you can relax knowing that all your needs will be exceeded, your charter will run smoothly, and that the instruction from the training arm of Freedive Fiji is second to none.”
If you enjoyed this interview with Jaga then you will enjoy our interviews with Chris Coates and Dwayne Herbert, both prolific spearfishing hunters
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