6-15 Chas deep report.

[Charlestondivin]

Left out of Tolers On SLAY RIDE. Brought along spearboard member Gumshoe for a day of trolling/diving. Trolled down south of edisto banks picking at the dolphin. Pulled up on the ledge where it drops from 152 to 180 and put our dive gear on. Lots of cool stuff deep on the ledge. Shot a large Hogfish and a large Yellowmouth grouper (i think it was a yellowmouth) Caught a couple of lobsters and screwed around a bit with a rather angry shark. Saw a Gag grouper out there that would easily go #50 but unfortunately my gun wasn't loaded at the time and both shafts were out. I was definitely feeling the narcosis but it did not seem to affect my aim :D . Les popped a nice scamp and bagged a lobster that dive also.

One long deco later we were back on the boat and trolling again. Picked at the dolphin a little more then the daymaker hit. Landed a Longbill Spearfish, my first billfish. Tagged and released kicking.

Headed in and did 2 more dives in 110' resulting in gags, Hogs, spiney lobsters. One female hog went 17# I bagged a 12 pound lobster and Gumshoe got a 10 pounder lob and nice gag off the same ledge. Found a nice little den of slipper lobsters stacked up in a crack. The thermocline seems to start in about 73' to 85. Below the cline it is dark but the vis is good.

Rob and les with the results of the deep drop.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop2.jpg

Longbill Spearfish tagged and released.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop3.jpg

The ledge we dove.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop4.jpg

Gumshoe with a 10# lob and Rob with a 12#
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop6.jpg

Capt Les on the way out.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop7.jpg

Robs yellowmouth (i think) and a snouter.
http://www.charlestondiving.com/pics/edistodrop8.jpg

:D

[kitefisherman]

Great trip guys! That ledge that you were telling me about really paid off. Rob, congrats on the spearfish and your first billfish. I've never caught (or even seen) a spearfish, so I'm certainly impressed. You have some great offshore trolling.

Can't wait to get back up there again. Am stuffing and baking one of Les's SC flounder for dinner tonight.

[Marcus]

Looks like a LOT of fun guys!

[Slay Ride]

mmmmmm....flounder. Great trip. First billfish for the boat, first for Rob. He finally got something on R&R with "shoulders". Whipped his butt. Already whining about his legs and arms and other parts being sore. Great HOOKIE day on Slay Ride. Enjoyed the rum on the ride home.

[gumshoe]

Watching Rob stuff slippers into his lobster bag like he was plucking fruit from the ground was a sight to behold - and I would hate to understate the trolling fishery we experienced yesterday...catching 6 20+ mahi's in a morning when trolling between diving locations is pretty darned good by anybody's standards.

Great trip! Thanks again, guys!

[eyyeball]

And here I was holding down the fort at work while Rob was off having a great day on the ocean, talk about unfair :P

[Charlestondivin]

The Release

[Slay Ride]

PS. We determined today that it was White Marlin not a Longbill Spearfish. It has a beak, fought great and went back to the ocean. That's the important part. Caught 7 nice Mahi to boot.

[Charlestondivin]

Bucket, the yellowmouth was 23#'s Didn't weigh les's scamp.

[biggsy]

Very nice yellowmouth and bugs! Congrats on the Marlin and nice release!

[SPEARIT]

Les and Rob
Congrats, looks like Yall had a great day. The engine change is all done on the boat other than a cup change on the props to allow for HP difference with the 250's and the charter business is full on. Had a group last Thurs and Fri doing Megs and they ended up with 180+ teeth. I've got some new spots to try if I can get a few days off without charters and good weather.
Chris, what were you shooting with since your gun is sitting in my garage?
Tom

[gumshoe]

Originally posted by SPEARIT
Chris, what were you shooting with since your gun is sitting in my garage?
Tom

Rob was kind enough to let me borrow an extra.

By the way, according to the DNR in South Carolina, both of those fish at 23+ pounds would be hook/line records. In fact, the Yellowmouth Grouper would be a standing hook/line world record.

http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/marine/saltrecs/saltrec.html

[Charlestondivin]

Looks like i was wrong on the billfish and the grouper.
The billfish is a white marlin.

The grouper is a yellowedge, not a yellowmouth.

[grouper1]

That is one pretty fish,I am not sure if that is a true yellowmouth,we have always called them bastard scamps.I will be diving out of georgetown,we are leaving sat night.I hope the vis stays the same,it was good last trip.

[Charlestondivin]

Grouper1, are you diving on one of the reef raider boats? Good luck this weekend. Sat isnt looking so hot but sunday looks good. Unfortunatly for me my capt has a fishing tournament so I'm landlocked. :(

The thermocline layer is in 70-80' plenty of shooting vis underneath.

[Slay Ride]

Originally posted by Charlestondivin
. Unfortunatly for me my capt has a fishing tournament so I'm landlocked. :(


Stop your WHINING you weenie.

[kmoose]

Originally posted by Charlestondivin
Looks like i was wrong on the billfish and the grouper.
The billfish is a white marlin.

The grouper is a yellowedge, not a yellowmouth.
You where right on the grouper!...that is definately a Yellowmouth....and a big one to boot. Yellow edge are real deepwater grouper that resemble big red grouper in shape and subspecies. I have seen many of each in the comercial fish houses.

[HeadHunter]

Rob, congrats on an awesome fish! Thats a yellowmouth for sure. Yellowedges look a lot different and are usually taken in 400 feet plus. The biggest yellowmouth I've ever seen speared in the gulf weighed 13 Lbs. I have talked to bandit guys who say they've caught them close to 30 Lbs in the deep gulf but I've never seen one. One guy used to fish up by you and has a pic of one he said went 28 Lbs. Kinda makes you wonder what might be out there doesn't it? Congrats again!