Pinellas Spearfishing Report Sept. 29

[Dive4Blood]

Not wishing to deny our bodies of vital nitrogen for another week our crew of three left JP on a SW heading against the advice of all who claimed non diveable conditions. We ended up diving seven sites, four wrecks and three ledges in 80'-120'. The obvious bad news is the vis. At best it was 5'-10', and it times it felt like diving in a snowsorm from all the suspended matter in the water. The good news is that areas that late this summer were pretty much devoid of gamefish ,especially grouper, are now LOADED. Unfortunately most of the time you saw a fish, it was within the length of your gun. We did manage six gags, all between 10-15 lbs. , a handful of good size mangos and hogs, and a 31 lb. carbo (true black grouper). We were happy with our small quantity but high quality catch considering that every hook and liner we ran across or talked to on the radio reported a complete and utter bite shutdown. With ten more feet of vis, we would have swamped the boat with the amount of grouper that are out there now.

If you can take one positive out of this horrendous weather is that we have had effectively a one month closure on reef fish, and with the vis inside the MG probably not getting better until November, it will be end up being two months. When the smoke finally clears, we should have a banner winter season of spearfishing for those hardcore enough to endure the cold.

I have Middlegrounds trips the next three weekends, hopefully I'll get lucky and pull one off. Not worried about the vis, I've dove out there after a tropical storm ripped right through days before and still had 30'-40'.

[Steel Shootin']

I commend you for going out, and taking some fish. It must have been the extra depth that gave you some vis, plus that one extra day of calm seas. A SW heading out of JP put you well south of my W heading out of Pasco, and you had about 20' on me. Where I was at, you couldn't see your dive computer through the silt. The only way I was getting fish was if a reckless hog impailed himself on my still-loaded shaft.

If you would have come up with fish in that, I would have thrown my gear overboard, like an angered golfer pitching his bag into a water hazard.:D

[MarkD]

D4B, very impressive take considering the vis challenge. I am sure looking forward to some late season fishing and maybe some diving before the water gets too cold. Good the hear the fish are back in, a cool front should only add to that bounty.

[seastalker]

to cold? what you live in Florida what's up with being a fair weather shooter? :D
Now I could jump on the coldwater bandwagon with the true northerners...that dry suit stuff is for the extreme...those first few seconds in 40 degree temp is like taking a sucker punch to the face.........

[Diver Dan]

Good to hear D4, I'm going to hold you to a good cold water season!!! Dan