Boca Report - May

[kitefisherman]

Sunday went out to dive the Ancient Mariner in 65 feet off Broward County. Another dive boat was already tied up so my captain let us drift back on the buoy line and drop to the wreck. Got down there and, not surprisingly, found that the shootable fish had scattered. Went southeast to a sunken tug and shot a small mutton. Came back to the Ancient Mainer and found that most of the other divers had left. Spotted a mutton on the seaward side of the wreck, dumped all my air and set myself down on the edge of the rubble. Looked up and saw a big school of sardines and cigar minnows above me. From there in turned into a Cousteau video. Amberkjacks, bonito, rainbow runners, kingfish and jack crevalles charged through the bait balling it up at times. I took one shot from about 15 feet at a 40 pound amberjack, but I was at the edge of the range of my Commercial’s line shaft. My spear hit the AJ’s gill plate, penetrated and was quickly shaken off and shed. Nevertheless, I had a great show as the bait sensed that the predators were afraid of me so they tended to school around and cling to me during the 25 minutes that I laid on the bottom. I ascended without the trophy AJ that I was anticipating.

Next dive, I went to the backside of the reef and saw the biggest hog that I have ever seen. I closed in, shot and bagged him as fast as I could. Later he weighed out at 10 pounds, measured 24" fork and 26.5" overall. It was a personal best for me, but I suspect that it might not last for long as I am headed out in 10 days for a 4 day trip on the JR2, and I suspect that they will put me on some bigger hogs. In any event, it will be an East Cost personal best for awhile though.

[kitefisherman]

Tuesday I dove with a friend/client who came into town to fish the Pompano Rodeo with me. We dropped on to a 65 foot ledge in North Boca and ran with the current. We came upon a more or less legal size cobia that approached me and veered off, but I didn’t want to take a shot and piss off the captain with an undersize fish. Two hogs promptly put themselves in my path, but I didn’t shoot thinking that the cobia might be back shortly with a friend. It never happened, and about half an hour later we were greeted by two larger cobia swimming down the ledge and into the current. I set the sight of my Riffe Hawiian on the head of the larger cobia and pulled the trigger. I saw a small green puff of blood come from the head of the cobia, but otherwise it stayed on course. Then I noticed that the cobia was dragging the spear that had completely penetrated its gills, and then it woke up and proceded to do counterclockwise circles around me as it tried to shake my spear. Fortunately my friend was about 25 feet from me as the cobia made its first circle, so it passed immediately in front of his mask. I let the fish circle and puff blood for about five minutes until it stated to sink, and I was able to plunge and rip my thin titanium dive knife through its brain at which point it was motionless. It later weighed out at 30 pounds measuring 44" fork and 46" overall. I only wish that my friend (who was diving his first dive in 2 years and had never spearfished) had had my extra gun as my fish had a 20 pound follower that stuck with it through the first half of the fight. Nevertheless, my friend saw the whole thing and thought that it was his best dive ever. We’re going to sit out Wednesday and dive again on Thursday before we fish the tournament Friday and Saturday.

[keyspearfisher]

Nice work!

[100days-a-year]

Nice fish,I miss SE Fla.I notice you had to make a long run to get there ;)

[greyface]

Good lookin' pair of fish there, John! Nice job, bro!:cool: Best of luck this weekend.

[Dive4Blood]

Yo Kite!!! Get ready for some serious spearfishing. The annual Memorial Day trip is usually the mack daddy of the year. Bring that new digital camera otherwise they aren't going to believe the report!!! See you in T minus eight days!

AJ Suarez