Andrés Miguel Maldonado Ruiz is an athlete of the company Likon,an Italian reality expert in the manufacture of custom-made neoprene suits. As a deep dive spearo, at the beginning he used Picasso equipment. A curious fact is that, despite being an excellent spearfisher, Ruiz does not compete.
Valentina Prokic: When and how did your passion for spearfishing begin? And where do you fish?
Andrés Ruiz: My passion for spearfishing started at a very early age. When my father would go out fishing, I liked to always accompany him as a scout. But it was not until around 2012 when I started in a more professional way, under the protection of my friend and former sponsor Alessandro Picasso, who has accompanied me all these years with his excellent material. My fishing area is the Strait of Gibraltar, more specifically Trafalgar.
Techniques and competitions
VP: What are your favorite spearfishing techniques and what kind of fish do you like to catch?
Andrés Ruiz: I usually practice all of them, but ambush and fishing in the dens are my weakness. I usually fish with variable weights.
Valentina Prokic: What has been your most special and emotional capture? Could you tell us a little bit about it?
Andres Ruiz: The catch I will never forget was a 55-kilogram amberjack, waiting on a 30-meter bottom. I won’t forget it because of the deformation of the fish’s tail.
VP: Are you competing? If so, why do you like to compete? If not, why not?
Andrés Ruiz: I have been proposed several times, but I don’t really like to measure myself against anyone. I think we are all good at what we do; there are days with more luck and others with less. I am not against competitions, but they are not for me. I’m more reserved in that sense.
Likon suits
VP: You are a Likon athlete. As a deep sea spearo, what do you think about the neoprene that Likon uses? What is your favorite wetsuit and why? We know you use different types and thicknesses during the year, which one do you prefer?
AR: The wetsuits of Likon have surprised me very pleasantly for its comfort and finishes. The material they use is great and the cut of the suits excellent. It has low compression even at depths of almost 60 meters, and tailor-made suits are a real delicacy. From spring to autumn I usually use a 7 mm suit. In winter, an 8 mm suit with an inner vest. My favorite suit is the Yamamoto 45 from Likon, either in plain black or camouflage.
