Did some Dry Suit spearfishing Today

[scubadown16]

Stick N Release and I headed up North to Glendo Resv. in Wyoming today. I picked him up at 7 o'clock and we made the trip in Good Time. about 3 hours after picking up my boat and getting our fishing licenses. The weather was great sunny and warm with only a light wind. The water Temp was 51 degrees The vis was low 3 to 4 foot. We choose a new dive site from our normal hunting holes just to try some new things out. After anchoring the boat and getting into our dry suits. My nose started bleeding really bad. But I was not going to let a bloody nose stop me from shooting some carp. So we both dropped in and head in opposite directions. My way had lots of brush and weeds growing on the bottom and it was tuff finding a place to crawl along looking for fish. I finally found a good break in the brush so I laid in wait for a fish to pass by. After a few minutes a small carp about 3 pounds passed by and I took the shot but missed high over the back. I moved spots and laid again in wait. Again I missed my second carp with a high shoot. I moved down the shore line in about 15 feet of water silhouetting the fish and finally nailed two small carp both about 3 or so pounds. I surfaced to see if the boat was still ok and found Stick N Release on the boat out of his dry suit catching some sun. As I came up the pressure released on my bloody nose and it was like a fossit. I look like I did 12 rounds with a heavy weight boxer. After I got back to the boat Stick told me I needed to do a search and recovery dive for his weight belt. I guess the belt had a fouled buckell and slipped off of him after he was in the water for only a few minutes. Luck ally Stick is a quick thinker because as soon as he felt the weight belt come off he bacame possitive and started comming up fast so he shot his gun down where he was so I would be able to find his belt quickly. Which I did. After all of this we decided to cruz around the lake a bit enjoying the nice weather. We loaded the boat up and headed for home with me doing the driving and stick doing what he always does on the way back. SLEEPING.... All and all it was good to get wet and check some things out. Sorry I didn't take pictures of the carp but I think stick will post some pictures of my bloody nose and mask. Can't wait for Nationals....

[sticknrelease]

I will try to get the pics up tonight. Upon careful examination, i found 3 of the "teeth" on my buckle were bent. tough to see at a glance, but as soon as i was down, it slid off, and my drysuit made me too buoyant to make the grab. I shot my spear down to where it went, and flared and exhaled through what had essentially become an emergency buoyant ascent. Nothing like the first dive of the season to iron some kinks out!

[austin_phisher]

Glad to hear you guys had some fun despite the kinks. It's always nice to get out and stretch the lungs. I'm out of HI tonight to Chicago and then Denver before my return to SD. Looking forward to the freshwater. I am looking to buy a suit and am wondering what would be a better purchase, wet or dry?? Not sure of the benefits besides the obvious. Also wondering what you guys do with the carp you shoot. I've never tried them myself, but I've heard they are not good eating. Just what I heard. Looking forward to seeing some picks. Later.

[scubadown16]

We don't eat them. How ever there are some reciepies for them and I know a couple people who have eaten them and they said its ok. Me no thanks on that. I rather use them for catfish bait. We usually throw them away because they are a trash fish. No pun intended. To answer your question I have several suits. I use my dry suit for temps up to 60 degrees then I switch over to my 7mm open cell suit so I can freedive. As the summer goes on and the lakes warm up I will drop down to a 5mm for both freediving and scuba. Thats the crappy thing about freshwater and living in the Central part of the states things are alway changing and you need to change with them. So there really is not one suit for all the time. How ever if money is tight and you need just one suit. I would say a 7mm open cell is the way I would push you to go. Just my two cents.

[austin_phisher]

Thanx for the info. I've spent alot of time in the water during summer months and know how cold it can get past the thermocline. I didn't use a suit in HI despite alot of recommendations to do so. Thought I'd wait til I get back here and see what happens. I'm leaning towards the investment in a camo suit. If you dive with a 7mm in 70 degree water will you get hot??

[scubadown16]

You might over heat a bit but you can always flood the suit or if you are using a two piece suit then just use the bottoms and maybe a 5mm top.

[sticknrelease]

here is a pic of Scubadown, diving through the pain! :crazy: