Charlestondivin
07-12-2004, 10:20 AM
Went out to do some trolling/diving 7-11 on board Slay Ride. After a Long morning of nothing but cuda's the captain decided we needed to put some damn fish in the boat. 1st dive was a ledge that dropped from 152 to 170 we found while trolling. This was the prettiest and best dive ever. Started seeing the bottom from 60'!!! The structure was Awesome! We are not used to structure like that off charleston. Saw Lionfish, gags, blacks, hogs, nassau grouper, big scamps and tons of tropicals. I was playing wingman (stringer bitch?) for Les on most of this dive. Found a large crack in the middle of the island of rock and stoned a nice grouper through the large opening. Couldn't quite reach him so i got les to watch me while I dropped down in the hole to retreive him. It opened into a huge cavern full of grouper. Big sets of eyes staring at me from everywhere! This was like a 40x60' room with holes leading out the side of the ledge in several directions. It was cool but I have no desire to hang around in a cave at 170' :eek: A nice hogfish swam up to Les who tried to shoot it withoug loading a band. The shaft slid right out of the gun. :p Les's grouper was 25# and mine was 20# and I took a couple of hogs. We didn't shoot a lot of fish on this dive but the experience was awesome.
Did some more unproductive trolling/ livebaiting then headed in to a small live bottom area in 135'. Dropped on it to find very little structure that was holding a whole lot of fish. On the way down we saw some big red snapper. Les lined up on a monster that took off with his shaft. I shot a nice Red snap and started working on the abundant scamps. After cleaning up all the good scamps off this small piece of structure I was on I headed back to the bouy where there was another piece of structure. I found Les's shaft in the reef and tied it to the boy so i could continue hunting. I found his wounded red swimming over the reef and finished him off. Couple of more scamps and the Hoop OF Death was complete. It is amazing sometimes how a small piece of structure can hold so much fish.
Last dive was in 80' Newbie got one big lobster that nearly kicked his ass and drug him to the surface and i managed some gags to 17#. Man were those fish skittish and the current was ripping. Very hard hunting.
Another great day on Slay Ride. That deep ledge will be re-visited very soon.
Hoop of Death
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/fatred.jpg
25 pound Red Snap that Les "softened up" for me.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/fatred2.jpg
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/deep.jpg
Did some more unproductive trolling/ livebaiting then headed in to a small live bottom area in 135'. Dropped on it to find very little structure that was holding a whole lot of fish. On the way down we saw some big red snapper. Les lined up on a monster that took off with his shaft. I shot a nice Red snap and started working on the abundant scamps. After cleaning up all the good scamps off this small piece of structure I was on I headed back to the bouy where there was another piece of structure. I found Les's shaft in the reef and tied it to the boy so i could continue hunting. I found his wounded red swimming over the reef and finished him off. Couple of more scamps and the Hoop OF Death was complete. It is amazing sometimes how a small piece of structure can hold so much fish.
Last dive was in 80' Newbie got one big lobster that nearly kicked his ass and drug him to the surface and i managed some gags to 17#. Man were those fish skittish and the current was ripping. Very hard hunting.
Another great day on Slay Ride. That deep ledge will be re-visited very soon.
Hoop of Death
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/fatred.jpg
25 pound Red Snap that Les "softened up" for me.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/fatred2.jpg
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/deep.jpg