You can't always get what ya want....

[DaKahuna]

....but if you try sometimes, you just might find.... ya get what you need!

What I wanted was 20+ feet of vis on wednesday and lots of big fish, or at least one!

What I got was only what I really needed.... to just go diving!

The tide and surf predictions for So Cal should have produced excellent visibility conditions, but it just wasn't there at Crystal Cove. It was just ok vis, not as good as the other 2 times I have been to the same spot recently when there was more tidal swing and more surf.

Any ideas as to why it didn't come together like I anticipated?

I ended up giving up on the reef and kelp fish, and went on a flattie hunt. I didn't pull the trigger all day!
Who would have thought that spending 3 hours in 56 degree water could leave you feeling BURNT! :mad: :rolleyes: ;)

[biggsy]

Even the worst day diving is better than the best day of working. I keep getting blown out on the other side of the country and that in itself is frustrating. Although you did not get any fish, feel good that you got wet and visited a place some people only dream of visiting. :)

biggsy

[Spear One]

Different day...different conditions. Thats just the way it is in the ocean. Moon/tides, wind/surf can change by the hour and all of these factors can affect the visibility. You're right, at least you got to go.

[holymackerel]

Man, I thought I was alone on having a bummer dive yesterday.. I dove la jolla for lobster-tons of just unders. While out I saw a bunch of nice defined good size male sheepshead-didn't have my gun. Went back to my van grabbed my gun, went back out to the reefs where all the fish were hanging out-it was a graveyard. I spent two more hours kicking aroung to find a single fish to small to pull a shot.

I would take that over sitting at home or at work anyday.

[DaKahuna]

Yeah, even just swimming around exploring in poor vis is still a privelege that many can't or won't do, especially in the winter.

But great vis and fish for dinner is better!!

HM - Just a word of caution. According to the DFG website, and talked about here around the start of the new year, Sheephead are still out of season until the end of February. I don't like it either, I've had to hold back from shooting several this year!

I just spoke to the dive shop in north Laguna, they said they had 15-20 ft vis yesterday, while the south end of town had spots going over 30ft. Today, the good vis is up on the north end of town too! All that going on along just a few mile section of coastline. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to try again tomorrow. ;)

[Prodigal Son]

Dakahuna, I hear you about Crystal Cove/Reef Point. It's awful hard to predict the vis at that place. The water can be calm as a lake, vis great in south Laguna, but Crystal Cove looking murky. I have to admit though, that area is one of the nicest places to dive and spearfish when the vis is good. I have had problems with the currents out there though, even when the surf is low. I'll probably see you and the others at next week's OC Hunter meeting.

[holymackerel]

DaKahuna, Thanks for the heads up(no pun intended).. I thought sheephead was open. Oh well, they are only getting bigger<')))>< I went out and redemed myself this morning a caught a couple of lobsters. Stoked!!