Tip: Fishing site books.

[Kim]

I made an nice discovery this weekend. Certainly for all of Kyushu and probably for all of Japan there are books available for the private fishermen detailing decent fishing sites. They consist of aerial photographs of the coastline which also show some of the underwater topography quite well. They have information about the sites including how to get to them etc. The one I bought tonight for Fukuoka province was 4000 yen and has given me a really good way to identify potential dive sites in my local area.

 

[ken chung ar]

hi kim,

thank you for your very valuable info. i have dove in japan for over 20 years and have got aquainted with several local fishermen in Izu Peninsula, Sado Island, and Okinawa. And yet, i have never heard of such books.

how did you get to know about them?

ken chung ar

 

[Kim]

I saw one yesterday in Amakusa. Someone I met had one for that area and I thought it was really neat. I went to a fishing shop this evening and they had them for Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Oita, and Kumamoto. That's all the areas that someone from around here might go to easily. I presume they exist for other places as well. They're really worth looking at.
Another tip. Also in a fishing shop I bought a simple webbing weightbelt and weights for a lot less than the dive shops charge for the 'official' ones! It was around 2000 yen for the belt and about 6 kilos of weights.

 

[jagfish]

I saw one yesterday in Amakusa. Someone I met had one for that area and I thought it was really neat. I went to a fishing shop this evening and they had them for Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Oita, and Kumamoto. That's all the areas that someone from around here might go to easily. I presume they exist for other places as well. They're really worth looking at.
Another tip. Also in a fishing shop I bought a simple webbing weightbelt and weights for a lot less than the dive shops charge for the 'official' ones! It was around 2000 yen for the belt and about 6 kilos of weights.

Hey Kim
That's a screaming deal on weights and belt for here in Japan

Thanks for the book idea.

Jim

 

[Kim]

Hey Kim
That's a screaming deal on weights and belt for here in Japan

Thanks for the book idea.

Jim

I believe the name of the shop that did the weights things is Point-O. I know they have a few branches around this area but I don't know how far they spread around Japan. Their price for a single 1K weight is 500yen but they have this package offer that worked out cheaper. Like I said - I can't remember exactly what it was. My wife reckons it was only 4 kilos with it (I thought 6) but a webbing belt with a good buckle was included for around 2000 yen. I know it was a good deal though and extra weights weren't expensive. They had the 1k weights and 2k as well.

 

[japan-diver]

Have used those books extensivley to find new sites down here also. You can also find mask straps, fins straps and things like that at fishing stores here at a good price. For weights we just pick up all the fishing leads we find at sites and melt them down. I ordered aluminum mold from the states and it only takes a few minutes.

 

[jagfish]

I've always tried to do some lead molding myself. Any particular talent required?

 

[japan-diver]

I've always tried to do some lead molding myself. Any particular talent required?[/QUOTE
A lot of open air. Also when melting fishing lead be careful as sometimes they have impurities that cause "popping" and splash molten lead around. Adding lead to the pot while it is still wet will also do this. I find the open block molds the easies to use.

 

[Mar Scuba]

I've always tried to do some lead molding myself. Any particular talent required?

Take all the necessary precautions... as previously discussed in this thread.