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Old 03-13-2018, 11:32 PM   #1
Bob Ballew
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The One-Fin Wonder..

...Since it is a rainy day and no fish stories will be forthcoming for a few days, I will relate a story. Dale Cote and I stopped off the east end light to check it out on a late afternoon, near dark, gloomy day. On suiting up, I discovered my fins were still in the garage....We had one extra fin on board the red boat and I put it on, slipped into the water and started diving shallow over a sloping gravel bottom.
...The water vis was green toward the outside and brown 8-10' on the inside by shore. Curious as to what I could find and limited with one fin, I started diving in 15' depths along the brown edge. Shortly, 3 white sea bass came into view and I fired, hitting one dead center (how can you miss a 5' shot?).
...Dale was resting on the boat and took my 30 pound fish on board while I reloaded. Ten minutes later, another small school swam by and I potted another, the same size. Dale pulled it on board and said, "I bet you can't do that again"....Back out I went and shortly, a nice pair swam by in 10' of water and fish #3 was landed....
...Since that time, I always look for green water with brown streaks when searching for white sea bass at Catalina. While clear water diving is more fun, the green to brown edges will (most of the time) produce more fish.
...I believe this to be true for several reasons: wsb like the protection the brown or green water shallows provide from predators (they are less spooky up shallow under these conditions) and once they school up out in deeper water (that is what all that croaking is about), they move up into the shallows to spawn where potential mates are close by.
...The same is true at RPV where it is not unusual to find a 50 pounder up in 10' of water, in a small, dark hole of kelp, so thick, you wonder how they ever got thru it...??
...Another time, Al Schneppershoff, Sr. forgot his weight belt. Never one to be detoured by small things, he took a piece of our anchor chain, wrapped it around his waist and over he went. Shortly, Al returned with a 40 pounder...That is why Americans win wars; we are quick to adapt to a changing situation...
...Now, for you elitists from the other site who will claim I fronted off your private spot....if you look closely at the big rock boulder on the shoreline, you will find my name etched on it....

"Mr. Trump, those donuts aren't for you; they are for my husband, Bob".....

Last edited by Bob Ballew; 03-14-2018 at 12:23 PM.
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Old 03-14-2018, 03:08 AM   #2
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Thanks for the tip. Always sage advice
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Old 03-15-2018, 11:46 AM   #3
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

I once took a mate of mine out from England. We went straight to the back side bank and as soon as we suited up he exclaimed "I forgot my fins"!
Since we were in blue water and had no spares I told him to just get in and float like a log, since that is a great way to shoot yellowtail.
So shortly after he gets in he starts screaming he is on and is getting his ass kicked by a tail near 30 pounds with no fins. Luckily I had told him to leave his weight belt on the boat since he would not be diving having no fins. So he was bobbing like a cork and was perfectly fine. It was 8:00 A.M.
I let him fight it and after landing it he was very proud and done for the day.
He started drinking as any good Brit would do and remained proudly drunk all day.
Moral of the story, you do not need fins to kill fish.
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Old 03-15-2018, 01:50 PM   #4
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

True....but, the real moral behind this is that, like the guys on the other site, you can have dive spots and donuts all to yourself, if you put your name on them first......
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Old 03-15-2018, 05:32 PM   #5
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

You guys are killing me.
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Old 03-15-2018, 08:28 PM   #6
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Well,
I have a story to tell too!
I lost a fin the other day and out of melancholy, I put the one I have on while at home, fully dressed. Suddeny, the wife happened upon, and noticing my sorrow, dropped her dump-tarumps! My pants flew off while the fin was still on (luckily I was going commando or freeballin’ for you millenials��). Anyway, at climax, I began thumpin’ my fin so hard that I broke the damned carbon fin right in half and the damned hardwood floor to boot!
Now I need two fins, Dab Nabit!!!!
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Old 03-15-2018, 11:40 PM   #7
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Quote:
Originally Posted by carrasco View Post
Well,
I have a story to tell too!
I lost a fin the other day and out of melancholy, I put the one I have on while at home, fully dressed. Suddeny, the wife happened upon, and noticing my sorrow, dropped her dump-tarumps! My pants flew off while the fin was still on (luckily I was going commando or freeballin’ for you millenials��). Anyway, at climax, I began thumpin’ my fin so hard that I broke the damned carbon fin right in half and the damned hardwood floor to boot!
Now I need two fins, Dab Nabit!!!!
Pics, or it didn't happen...

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Old 03-16-2018, 01:34 AM   #8
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

There was no time for selfies!!!
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Old 03-16-2018, 03:51 PM   #9
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

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Originally Posted by AJP View Post
Pics, or it didn't happen...

What he said..
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Old 03-16-2018, 04:25 PM   #10
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Over here in new jersey we mainly have baby poop colored viz. I mean 5ft of cloudy viz is a good day. But we have taken our biggest fish on garbage 2ft viz days where you cant even see end of gun.
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Old 03-16-2018, 07:24 PM   #11
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Snapped one of my fins couple months back. Went diving with just the one and ended up getting my PB bug that night. Thought surely that I would end up catching instead the attention of an eater while looking like a wounded seal. Not being ultimately graceful in the water has its rewards

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Old 03-17-2018, 03:51 PM   #12
Bob Ballew
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Well, since you seem to have covered all the bases, I don't need to reply other than to say the "reserved spot" name thing was a joke poking a little fun at the "share no info with anyone" attitude that is prevailent among some divers....Bill Mac and I both have our detractors, as well as lots of friends...other than that, the comparison is moot...
...Now, for your second post on this site, try adding something positive that is useful to all of us.....Guys like you are the reason most old timers have quit posting anything..period...

....In life, you find friends are worth their weight in gold and detractors are a dime a dozen...another useless Ballew platitude..

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Old 03-17-2018, 05:14 PM   #13
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

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Old 03-18-2018, 12:28 AM   #14
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

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"elitists from the other site"... that is pretty funny. I don't think they are elitists. They just know your backstory. Enough said there. Bill Mac was 110% more informative and genuine with content before leaving. You obviously tried to backfill his spot but will never fill those fins. And, the spearo population has exploded. I get why they would enjoy posting and having a conversation about the post versus having 20 newbies jump in and start arguing over what they don't know.

And no surprise you would be the type to etch your name in something natural. It's so fun seeing people's names adulterating beautiful places.
It never ceases to amaze me to witness the BRAVEST attackers on this site are always the ANONYMOUS NEWBIES with no personal Avatar!!
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Old 03-18-2018, 11:23 AM   #15
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Re: The One-Fin Wonder..

Mr. Florida hates people with missing toes?
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