Miniseason - Boca to Sebastian

[kitefisherman]

Wednesday morning I dove out of Boca Inlet. I splashed into the 84 degree water just as the sun was clearing the horizon. Somehow I couldn’t find the reef, so I headed East out over the sand in search of the backside ledge in about 90 feet of water. Sand and more sand until I spotted an isolated ledge outcropping in the still dim light. Near the end of my tank, I passed on a couple of grazing 16" hogfish because I was shooting a linegun. Looking into a hole for a lobster, I noticed the shape of a grouper head. Figuring it to be a large red grouper, I took a shot and somehow missed. Checking my air, I quickly reloaded, found the grouper in the same place in the same hole and put a shaft into the back of his head. Apparently missing the kill shot in the dark. I grabbed his gill plate with my gloved hand and tried to work him out. It was not a red but a 25-30 pound carbo (black grouper). Pushing, pulling and violent shaking made no progress and the stubborn fish remained wedged in his safe place. I let go of the fish to check my air and reevaluate the situation, and the fish shot out of the hole. Somewhat relieved, I grabbed the line figuring that I could begin my ascent and drag the fish to the surface and deal with him there. However, there was no tension on the line and I pulled my empty shaft to me to discover that the carbo had snapped my shaft at the point where the pin that holds the barb is inserted through the shaft. That makes two snapped shafts this month - both by carbos - not the way to start the day - no bugs, no hogfish and no redeeming carbo. I headed for the surface cursing through my regulator.

While I sat up and offgassed, my friends headed a bit North and hit the 60 foot ledges with limited success. It looked like we had a rough row to hoe this first day of miniseason. I decided to go back to what I do best and I took a run down the 90' ledge and found the bugs in good quantities - not big groups but a bug or two every 30' or so. We had about 60' of vis, and I could scan a large area as I swam above the ledge. The thermocline had pushed in to about 85', so when I dropped down to snare a bug the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. Maybe the warm water on the shallower reef got too warm and drove the bugs out to the cooler water. I don’t know, but the bugs sure seemed concentrated in 80-100', and that might explain the lack of bugs on the shallower reefs.

We finished the day with 44 spinies, 2 slippers and 10 hogfish.

[kitefisherman]

Thursday morning, I dragged myself out of bed at 2:00 AM to get on the road to meet Jerry and Greg at the Sebastian boat ramp at 5:30. I’m glad that I saw Armando’s report the night before and packed my 5/4 semi-dry suit. The clear water on top was about 80 degrees, but when you hit about 35' it turned into a brown tea where the vis closed into about 8' and the temperature dropped to 58 degrees. Everytime that I did that drop I thought “What the hell am I doing? This isn’t fun. I’ll just have a quick look and go up - just 5 minutes”. Then I’d see the bugs - groups of 3 to 12 - big bugs. I soon forgot about the cold. I would go down the ledge and cherry pick the biggest one or two before I got silted out. When I rolled in on my first dive, there wasn’t another boat in sight; when I surfaced we were surrounded by a dozen.

We did pretty good on the first 24 or so, but then the ledges got pretty picked over from the other boats. We really had to work hard for those last ten bugs. What was left were very spooky and mostly egg bearing females. About 2:00, we finally hit our 36 bug limit and called it a day. I don’t think that I could have dropped into that icy water again - but I know that somehow I would have.

[kitefisherman]

One of the highlights of the trip was Jerry’s 40 pound gag. Jerry lineshafted the fish at the end of his dive and had to surface while the fish was holed up - leaving his gun floating above the hole. Jerry changed tanks, rehydrated and gave the fish a chance to calm down and weaken and the silt a chance to settle. We dropped together and Jerry had the fish strung by the time I hit the bottom. Greg had a similar situation with a smaller gag, and I shot an 8 pound red grouper.

[DiveGal]

Nice haul, guys. Glad it turned around for you.

Dive Safe! Dive Often!

[dagodiver]

Damn Jerry always on the fish.!!!
Nice all.

Dago.

[kitefisherman]

Thursday night, we took some bugs, triggerfish and Boca hogfish filets to Haru’s sushi bar. Greg, Jerry and I were joined by MarkZ, Spearchucker, and Inletsurf. Every 15 minutes or so the chef would bring us out a new creation. We had lobster chowder, baked lobster, lobster dynomite, tempura hogfish and lobster ceviche. We ate until we were stuffed (they wanted to bring us more but there was no room left in our bellies), and I began the two hour ride home fueled by caffiene.

I had a great two days of miniseason and enjoyed the company of some old friends. This morning I slept in until 7:30. Life is good.

[Sea Note]

You got the East coast 'cline treatment, it about takes your breath away. Sounds like a great couple of dayz to me, the pics prove it. Jerry is a fish killin machine. Nicely done. :beer: KP

[islandpressure]

Awesome Kite,Glad to see all is well.The meal sounds awesome,you guys had a hellof a time. Congrats all Jerry and Greg awesome report.Just got to love the hunt!

[bubblejunkie]

Thanks for coming John, had a great time, still cant get over how good that food was, I will be there once a month or so for sure.

[kitefisherman]

Thanks for coming John, had a great time, still cant get over how good that food was, I will be there once a month or so for sure.

Jerry: Thank you, Greg and my friend Dan for inviting me. I hope that we dive together again soon.

I also would like to do the Haru's thing again - preferably on a night when I don't have to drive home afterwards. I wonder what he would have made us if we had stayed longer . . .

[inletsurf]

Jerry is a fish killin, lobster yankin machine!!!

Great report John!

[SpearMax]

Great report John! :cool: My buddies went up to Ft. Pierce and kicked butt also. 40 big bugs and three 40+ gags also. I was unable to do mini lobster season this year. :( Glad you guys had so much fun. :D

[Gradyman]

Bugs & fish AND cooked up for you that night...sounds like a taste of heaven!!

[ObieWan2bWet]

Nice... :thumps:

[Spearchucker]

I hated to have to leave Haru's, but I had a 2.5 hour drive back to Tampa dragging the boat....

Next time I just spend the night and head back in the morning.

[Rolo]

Good stuff John! Enjoy.

[WreckDiver]

Thursday night, we took some bugs, triggerfish and Boca hogfish filets to Haru’s sushi bar. Greg, Jerry and I were joined by MarkZ, Spearchucker, and Inletsurf. Every 15 minutes or so the chef would bring us out a new creation. We had lobster chowder, baked lobster, lobster dynomite, tempura hogfish and lobster ceviche. We ate until we were stuffed (they wanted to bring us more but there was no room left in our bellies), and I began the two hour ride home fueled by caffiene.

I had a great two days of miniseason and enjoyed the company of some old friends. This morning I slept in until 7:30. Life is good.


John sounds like you guys had a great time. Where exactly is Harus' sushi bar?

[kitefisherman]

Where exactly is Harus' sushi bar?

Haru Sushi Bar & Grill
3042 West New Haven Avenue
West Melbourne, FL 32904
http://www.harusushibar.com/

[mcbas]

John:
Tremendous report, too bad about the Black that escaped. That Gag was gorgeous! The highlight of the trip sounded like the trip to the sushi bar, that sounded like the way to do it!! Nice wrok.

[profishndive]

Very nice haul guys. Nice fish Jerry. John, glad you made it down to our way.

[mdiver]

great going. Seems like mini 2006 was a hit for most. :thumps:

[Gone Fishing]

Thursday night, we took some bugs, triggerfish and Boca hogfish filets to Haru’s sushi bar. Greg, Jerry and I were joined by MarkZ, Spearchucker, and Inletsurf. Every 15 minutes or so the chef would bring us out a new creation. We had lobster chowder, baked lobster, lobster dynomite, tempura hogfish and lobster ceviche. We ate until we were stuffed (they wanted to bring us more but there was no room left in our bellies), and I began the two hour ride home fueled by caffiene.

I had a great two days of miniseason and enjoyed the company of some old friends. This morning I slept in until 7:30. Life is good.

Love Haru. Best sushi in Melbourne :thumps:

Sounds like fun.

[conspearasea]

nice haul of bugs!

[bubblejunkie]

Alex, we're going to have to do a couple of days soon. Hopefully weather will cooperate better this year.