Tired of spearing in crowds? Only 2 divers down on Spear Big Fish Charters!

[Chad Carney]

2 divers are up while 2 divers are down, the maximum on any of our scuba sites. This gives every diver the best chance of shooting that trophy fish! While you're diving your other buddies are getting their surface intervals.

Trips are designed for 2 to 4 experienced divers. Scuba, technical or freediving.

No competition from the captain or crew. Usually we only dive occasionally, between your dives, and while scouting on new sites.

Cubera is a 36 x 13.5 ft. custom dive boat, newly repowered in October of 2003 with a 500 HP Yanmar turbo diesel and the addition of a Northern Lights 6 KW generator. Cruising speed is a fast 23 knots. Every diver has a comfortable bunk in the air conditioned & heated cabin. (No fish box sleeping.) Full galley and head with hot water shower. Full electronics and safety gear.

Home port is St Petersburg, Florida and our most popular dive sites are the Middle Grounds, Elbow, deep wrecks, springs, pot holes and ledges as far as 100 miles offshore and in every direction but east.

Capt Chad Carney, a St Petersburg native, personally captains every trip. He is a certified instructor trainer, trimix instructor and accomplished freediver with 26 years instructing and 31 years spearfishing experience.

Since 1998, Cubera has 5 St Pete Open 1st place trophies and numerous 2nd through 5th place finishes.

Boat records include:

Grouper 127 lbs.
Snapper 82 lbs.
Hogfish 23 lbs.
Amberjack 90 lbs.
Cobia 60 lbs.

Come set your personal record!

Single day and weekend trips available in late November and December.

Call 727-423-7775
e-mail cubera@ij.net
See www.mobilescuba.com for pages of information, prices and photographs.

[Dive4Blood]

I'm sure Chad is not referring to the Groundskeeper, Fish Collector or the the Jolly Rogers 2 in reference to "spearing in crowds". I know that typically the dive groups on those boats are composed of 2-3 divers max. I can only speak for myself, but yes I do dive as hard as any customer on our trips. Chartering dive trips is not how I make my living, it just facilitates being able to dive as much as I do. That being said I can't tell you the times I have acted as "guide" underwater, and assisted a customer by either pointing out a fish, retrieving a holed-up fish, or finishing one off before it swam away so I'm sure Chad does not include the charters boats above as those that "compete" with the customer. I'm confident Financial Advis, and Deepfish who run the aforementioned boats concur with my sentiments.

From what I've heard, Chad runs a great charter. Spearboard members now have many choices to get out to the Fla Middlegrounds this winter. Do a trip at least once in the next few months when the spearfishing is at it's peak. I guarantee you'll already be planning the next trip on the ride back to shore!!

AJ Suarez

[zds3488]

I have been on the groundskeeper and JR II. chads description describes basically both of the other operations. you wont dive in crowds on the middle grounds boats that i know of. you cant go wrong on any of the boats. all have GREAT and VERY professional captains and mates who WILL put you on fishy spots.

[kitefisherman]

Originally posted by Dive4Blood
I can't tell you the times I have acted as "guide" underwater, and assisted a customer by either pointing out a fish, retrieving a holed-up fish, or finishing one off before it swam away

You forgot powerheading a 12 foot dusky off a customer's ass while he was stringing an AJ. My personal favorite service.

I been on 3 JR2 trips since May, got blown out last weekend, and have 2 more trips scheduled in the next 4 weekends. Could not ask for better service or a roomier and more comfortable boat.

[zds3488]

AJ,
I am expecting a no-shark guarantee on this trip next weekend. :D

[Chad Carney]

AJ,

You guessed right, I don't consider any 6 pack boat crowded, unless it's just too small, under 28 feet or so.

And because all the quality charters you mentioned above split their groups up they are not not crowded underwater either.

I have been on spearfishing trips on certified boats with as many as 25 divers aboard. It's a zoo, unsafe, unproductive etc.
And even in the recent past with boats that would not split up the group or drift dive.
In the past it used to be common practice for the dive operator to check the hook with his speargun and bag the best fish of the trip!

This is an area of the Board where we can talk about our uniqueness.
My boat is not the fastest, the biggest, nor does it have the best cooking aboard. I'm probably #2 in most categories except the cooking department where I'm dead last!

My forte' would have to be trophy fish production.
And since I will run with 2, 3 or 4 divers, and still split them up I also believe I put the fewest divers in the water per drop. (I don't recommend 1 down 1 up; at least not at the beginning of the dive.) Unfortunately most of my customers are not certified for the depths where big fish production gets more reliable, between 150 to 200 feet.

I don't believe there are any boat owners that think they are really making a living from running Gulf charters. Certainly not spearfishing trips, anyway. Sometimes I really wonder about making a living in the diving business, period! ???
But I've met the greatest bunch of divers doing this in the past three years, so I hope I can afford the insurance again for next year.

Capt Chad

[Dive4Blood]

Your boat records certaintly point to the Cubera's trophy fish forte! One of these days I'm actually going to go to the Middlegrounds as a charter customer, hopefully it will be on your boat. Standing by.

AJ

[Spear One]

Can't have too many good charter boats that specialize in charter spearfishing. If you can't get out on the water, not much need in owning a speargun. Glad to have ya out there Chad, Aj, Ej, FA, JRll, Freeshaft, and everyone else who simply do it cause they love it. Ya'll dang sure don't do it for the money!

[LASeaCat]

SWEET!!

[webers]

Provided the weather gods have pity on us this wekend, on Monday ya'll can read my review of chartering with Chad on the SS Cuberra!

Webers