Did a little diving yesterday with Dean and Scoutin4Goodies trying to get a few more fish in there before the fed-nazis shut it all down. Sellsfish and son drove the boat. We got us a couple groupers, a couple of snappers, a couple of tautog, and a nice flounder. The two big red snappers were 26#-9oz, and 20#-12oz. The scamp was a monster at 20#-2oz. Also had a 30# wahoo come up and spend a couple of minutes with us on our safety stop. That’s the first time that I have seen a wahoo while scuba diving, but he was curious and did a couple of circles around us. He was all lit up when he came in and then put on his silver camoflauge for us.
I’ll post some pictures in a bit, but I also got some video of large snappers and large groupers underwater. Saw some of the biggest triggers that I have ever seen. We swam with a school of them that ranged from dinner plate size to steering wheel size. The state record was probably in there somewhere.
Bait was really thick in the ocean. People should be out there catching up some kings right now.
Side note. We probably saw 200-250 gags yesterday. I would put money on the table that we saw more gags than any other (non-bait) species out there. It must be that up and coming Jan-April closure that has them all fired up right now!
We also saw some rather large shrimp boats working off the beach. We had conversations about wondering how many baby gags, and other snapper forage they catch up in their nets. Meanwhile, the SAFMC is working on plans to effectively DOUBLE the size of the shrimping fleet by reducing the requirements for commercial shrimping permits. Oh well, they must know something that the rest of us hook and liners don’t…
No good pics, but yes, they do look like a cross breed between a grouper and a sheepshead. It would make perfect sense that they are related. Their mouths look almost identical and we found a lot of resident sheepshead in the same area that we got the tautogs.
I’ve seen them before but never shot one. I was told that they were excellent eating so this time I figured that I would give it a taste.
Nice work on those endangered and rare specimens of fush.
Mark
Mako 262 Twin Yammaha F200s
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
my buddy saw y’all.He caught a nice mess of genuine snapper, the sportsman way.I think he had one pushing 20lbs.,the pix of it made it look like 40.Hook and liners???
Spearfishing has literally been around for 20,000 years or more. It’s one of the oldest forms of animal harvests known to man. Everyone has a different opinion, but just realize that because it’s your opinion, doesn’t make it right. I say “hook and liners” versus trawlers.
We catch them on rod and reel too. We just preferred to dive down this time around. We take care of “our” dive spots. We take a couple of fish here and there instead of trying to obliterate them all on one spot. Let me know when your “sportsman” handbook comes out and I will be sure to get me a copy.
Also, I’m curious. When you say “nice mess” of genuine snapper, how many are we talking about?
Skinee,Congrats on a nice haul.Do you have pics of the Tautogs?Are you talking about the northern version of our sheepshead??
31’ PURSUIT
TWIN 225 YAMMYS
I have one in the cooler I am getting ready to clean, I will post a picture of him in a few.
Skinnee and Sellsfish, I had a blast. First time on the boat with Sells, the guy is a class act. He and his son were the best dive support crew I have EVER had. VERY helpful! Sells is full of knowledge and was eager to share as he brought fish over the side on his rod and reel while we off gassed. Hopefully we can all get together and go on a dedicated fishing trip soon before the feds shut us down. Sells showed me a thing or two about bottom rigs and jigs I want to try out.
Also to reiterate what Skinnee said, I saw more legal gags yesterday than I have ever seen diving. The AJs were thick above them but the ocean was more alive yesterday that I saw in over the summer. Surly due to the colder temps but it is hard to believe we have this huge shortage the SAFMC is talking about.
Dropinhook, where is your post and pictues? I know you boys did well yesterday too.
Bolbie, our hook and liners hold their own. Anytime Sellsfish is on the boat something is going to come over the side on his setups. Nice jab with the “sportsman way” comment. I bet you spend alot of your life making such comments so that you can over compensate for lack of man hood.
If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.
When I was referring to “hook and liners”, I am not talking about this particular trip. I’m basically saying that it’s a shame that the government will shut down a hook and line fishery while at the same time actually INCREASING the number of trawlers off of our coast which are probably more responsible for any type of measurable decline than anything else. Sometimes you have to read between the lines!
my last three dive trips we have had a hard time finding our limits of groupers as the scamps were scarce, the gags were everywere. 20lb.+ gags were the rule of the day! tons of slab triggers everywere!
Dude,if they shut it all down,you frogmen can still go out there and shoot it all up.Yes I have a problem with that.
6 genuines.
I wonder what we would have left if all of us grabbed a BC and a spear gun anytime we wanted some fish?Nothing.
If this spearing has been around for so long,why cant they do it in the Bahamas?
Nice job boys…That fish needs to see a Denist. Send it home with SJ…It was good to hear Sellsfish on the water…We will try to get some pictures up soon. My Snapper seemed to have shurnk on the ride home.He looked alot smaller in the cooler than the fishbox.
Dude,if they shut it all down,you frogmen can still go out there and shoot it all up.Yes I have a problem with that.
6 genuines.
I wonder what we would have left if all of us grabbed a BC and a spear gun anytime we wanted some fish?Nothing.
If this spearing has been around for so long,why cant they do it in the Bahamas?
If they shut it down I am sure divers will be included. You keep forgetting that the intent is to STOP fishing not restock. If the concern was with the restocking that would have taken the advice of adding more reefs and developing a restocking program. Follow the money back to these wacko environmental groups, they want us to STOP fishing period.
I am finding it hard to argue with you for you total ignorance on this subject. I don’t want to get into a fisherman vs divers debate here. We need to act as one not be divided. But your statements are unsupported and just plain misinformed. Shoot me a PM sometime, I will gladly sit down and explain this in person, show you what is involved, heck you can even tag along one trip. I bet your views will change.
Stress, look for sellsfish’s trigger fish recipe in the Tidewater magazine. He says it is on there website as well. I plan on cooking my snapper with it tonight for the wife. If it tastes half as good as it sounds I will be a hero.
If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.
Dude,if they shut it all down,you frogmen can still go out there and shoot it all up.Yes I have a problem with that.
6 genuines.
I wonder what we would have left if all of us grabbed a BC and a spear gun anytime we wanted some fish?Nothing.
If this spearing has been around for so long,why cant they do it in the Bahamas?
They killed twice as many as us!!!! Do the ones that get killed on a hook magically repopulate faster?
When the shutdown happens, spearfishing will be shut down as well. You can put money on that.
