Adreno Crew & Ambassadors
Adreno Journal
Adreno Crew & Ambassadors
Adreno Ocean Outfitters
Our Dive Crew
Meet the Adreno and Riffe crew who live for clear water, hard-earned catches, big dives and sharing their passion for spearfishing and freediving.
Meet The Team
From championship spearos to global freediving educators, this crew brings real-world ocean experience from Queensland, Sydney, the Coral Sea and beyond.
Tim McDonald
Brisbane, Queensland
Isaac Daly
(Shrek)
South-East Queensland
Erin McGinty
Cairns, Far North Queensland
Michael Takach
Sailing the Queensland coast
Jessie Cripps
Queensland and seasonal sailing
Adam Stern
Sydney and worldwide freediving events
Team Riffe
Tim McDonald
Biggest Achievements
Becoming the 2023-24 spearfishing champion for Australia and Queensland, along with several record-breaking achievements including a 13.57kg Large Mouth Nannygai, 14.3kg Mangrove Jack, 3.5kg Queensland Pearl Perch, 12.7kg Jobfish and 11.7kg Threadfin Salmon.
Team Adreno
Isaac Daly
(Shrek)
How It Started
Isaac had a few goes with a pole spear in New Zealand around 1999 and 2000, then seriously got into spearfishing in South-East Queensland in 2011.
Setup
- Custom Speargun Engineering Rob Allen single roll 1000mm
- Abelan 1200
- Penetrator T700s or Adreno Carbon Fins
- Adreno 3mm two-piece Ascension wetsuit
- Suunto D4F watch
- Old Man Blue 30m Rigline
- Old Man Blue Seasac
- Adreno Bullet Float
Favourite Dive Location
Anywhere with 3m+ visibility and fish. Cold, warm or tropical water, Isaac is a legit frother.
Most Memorable Catch
His wife Krystle, followed by a 25kg Spanish Mackerel off Moreton Island.
Biggest Achievements
Four boys, three books, 250+ Noob Spearo Podcast episodes and still as frothy as when he started.
Favourite Fish Recipe
Shrekviche, as seen in 99 Spearo Recipes.
Team Riffe
Erin McGinty
Setup
- Ant fins
- Riffe Euro 120 gun for the reef and 167 Raider for Bluewater hunting
- Riffe 3 ATM floats with 30m spectra float line for Bluewater hunting
- Riffe 3.5mm open cell wetsuit
- Riffe Neckton mask
Favourite Dive Location
Any remote location where people generally cannot get to, like Ashmore Reef.
Most Memorable Catch
A 27kg wahoo landed on a girls trip out on her boat. For Erin, landing good fish with just the girls out makes it even more rewarding.
Biggest Achievements
Receiving messages from women who say she inspired them to get out and have a crack at something they love.
Favourite Fish Recipe
Coral trout mango ceviche.
Team Riffe
Michael Takach
How It Started
Michael was obsessed with fishing as a kid. After a neighbour suggested taking hand spears from the garage for a dive, he put his head under for the first time and saw the fish and environment from a whole new perspective. He was instantly hooked.
Setup
- Riffe 110 Euro with horizontal reel for most diving
- Riffe 67 inch Raider for Bluewater hunting
- Riffe spectra floatline with two 3ATM floats
- 100ft bungee for true Bluewater where fish cannot reach the bottom
- Riffe Digitek suit
- DiveR/Riffe fins
- Riffe stable snorkel
Favourite Dive Location
Too many to list. Every location has its perks, but a healthy environment and good fish life are a must.
Most Memorable Catch
A standout was a 91kg Yellowfin Tuna after chasing them all over Central America for eighteen months.
Biggest Achievements
Saving up and buying a floating home, learning how to sail, fitting out and maintaining the systems onboard, then getting the confidence to sail hundreds of miles to the Coral Sea and shoot big Doggies off the back step.
Favourite Fish Recipe
Fried fish ribs from species with a big rib cage, like a big Blackspot tusky or Pennant fish. Dust the ribs in corn flour or potato starch, let them sit, fry until golden, then finish with a salty, sweet and spicy crack salt.
Team Riffe
Jessie Cripps
How It Started
Jessie started spearfishing just before meeting Michael in 2007. She did not have much luck at first, so it was perfect timing when Michael came along and taught her where to find fish and how to hunt.
Setup
- DiveR/Riffe fins
- Riffe 130 Euro as her go-to gun
- Runs a reel for most diving because they are usually towing their tender
Favourite Dive Location
The South Pacific, where the fish are challenging to hunt, the water is clear and there are huge sea monsters getting around.
Most Memorable Catch
A 55kg Dogtooth Tuna landed in the Coral Sea off their own sailboat after years of chasing these fish.
Biggest Achievements
Teaching family and friends to catch and cook their own fish.
Favourite Fish Recipe
Simply pan-fried fish with plenty of garlic and butter, best eaten at the reef.
Team Adreno
Adam Stern
How It Started
Adam started freediving in 2012 while backpacking around Thailand.
Setup
Adam keeps his freediving setup basic. A well-fitting open cell wetsuit is key, then he enjoys mixing and matching whatever bi-fins, mask, snorkel and weight belt he has available.
Favourite Location
Diving with humpbacks in Tonga is the most incredible experience he has had in the ocean.
Most Memorable Dive
His first dive to 100 metres on the first day of the Vertical Blue freediving competition in 2016. Even after messing up almost everything on the dive, he stayed determined, grabbed the tag at the bottom and arrived fresh at the top.
Biggest Achievements
Creating a truly global community of freedivers through Deep Weeks, trips and courses, and training many thousands of people to freedive.
Ready To Get In The Water?
Shop spearfishing, freediving and ocean gear trusted by the crew, or explore Adreno guides, trips and how-to resources before your next dive.