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Old 06-16-2019, 07:09 PM   #1
Dbrown
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Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

Happy Father's Day to the dads!

Got to do some diving yesterday with my daughter Brook! So that's a pleasure. Thank you Captain! She shot a mango on dive one in shallow with me in 45' and I nabbed a couple. Viz was 30'. Moved deeper. Nice ledge in 105', but viz under 10'. Not sure if due to thermocline at 80'. She struggled. I picked up a couple more mangos. Went into 80' and got my gags and some big lions. Fun day. Calm.

Dove today with some new friends. Finally on the water with the benevolent steward of the Pickled Pelican as my dive buddy on his friend's boat. Turns out me and the boat owner have a lot of mutual connections from what I do medically. Eric shot a big gag pushing 18#. I got a gag, red, 4 mango and 2 hogs. Brian got some nice lions and hogs and mangos. Viz was 40' in 70 foot today. Temp bout 82 degrees. Neat stuff. Enjoyed a nice grouper cheek and snapper dinner for Father's Day. Thank you gentlemen! Appreciated the invite and diving with you all.
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Old 06-16-2019, 07:34 PM   #2
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

I was VERY grateful to have had Dave as my diving buddy today. Let's just say a few lessons were learned by yours truly today, and that I will be making some changes and increasing my safety protocols.

That being said, I hadn't been having a very good two days of diving, my shooting was off, and I was getting frustrated. Only getting 3.5 hours of sleep Friday night didn't help (being on call for a hospital sucks sometimes, but we saved a life!)

So my last dive, just relaxing, taking video for the wife and pretty much done. Thinking about two days in a row of no grouper, and I had dropped a plate of grilled grouper last night and ruined it, so the grouper gods were not happy with me.

Suddenly, as I was just about to ascend (700 psi left) I saw him - a HUGE gag (to me, at least). I had one band back and knew if I took the time to draw another back he'd be gone. I threw a Hail Mary shaft, arced at a pretty steep angle, knowing I'd never hit him. Imagine my surprise! See video below:


It literally looks like the shaft as it approached the grouper slowed down significantly, and when it hit I thought NO WAY would it be enough to penetrate. But suddenly the grouper stopped moving. Rapidly running out of time due to air I tried to reload, thinking a second shot was needed. But it wasn't - the grouper didn't even flinch when I grabbed the shaft and strung him. My shaft only penetrated about 1.5", but it must have hit perfectly, either killing it instantly due to blunt force trauma, or penetrating it just enough to sever the brain/spine area.

Luckiest damn shot I've ever made.

Last edited by grey2112; 06-17-2019 at 12:05 PM.
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Old 06-16-2019, 07:44 PM   #3
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

That was skill! Nice~
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Old 06-16-2019, 07:47 PM   #4
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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That was skill! Nice~
That was LUCK!
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Old 06-16-2019, 07:53 PM   #5
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

Awesome report! Solid. FYI...coming from someone who'd made the mistake..make sure to grab the fish instead of the shaft on such precarious shots. I've been reprimanded by my commercial peers for such on on trips...makes sense.
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Old 06-17-2019, 09:19 AM   #6
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

So what safety lessons were administered? That might be as interesting as the stone shot.
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Old 06-17-2019, 12:03 PM   #7
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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So what safety lessons were administered? That might be as interesting as the stone shot.
It may take some time for me to talk about it. Still processing.
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Old 06-17-2019, 02:34 PM   #8
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

Gag was a little over 30" but was FAT!* Weighed 15 pounds.* Got some HUGE cheeks out of him.

I measured and the shaft only went in about 1.3 inches.* I think it crushed the skull right where the brain was - didn't penetrate the brain but must have done enough blunt force trauma to knock it out or kill it outright.
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Old 06-17-2019, 02:38 PM   #9
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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It may take some time for me to talk about it. Still processing.
Subscribed. It didn't involve dolphins, did it?

Glad you're OK though

Congrats on the huge gag - was that a personal best?
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Old 06-17-2019, 02:42 PM   #10
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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Subscribed. It didn't involve dolphins, did it?

Glad you're OK though

Congrats on the huge gag - was that a personal best?
LOL - that happened only ONCE and that dolphin is STILL sending me Valentine's day cards.

Thanks - I'll relate what happened someday to you, my friend. Maybe when you and Dave are on the boat.

It was a personal best for spearing - 30", 15 pounds. My best was on hook and line up in Crystal River trolling (32" and 19 pounds).

Here's a pic of the one from yesterday:
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Old 06-17-2019, 02:53 PM   #11
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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LOL - that happened only ONCE and that dolphin is STILL sending me Valentine's day cards.

Thanks - I'll relate what happened someday to you, my friend. Maybe when you and Dave are on the boat.

It was a personal best for spearing - 30", 15 pounds. My best was on hook and line up in Crystal River trolling (32" and 19 pounds).

Here's a pic of the one from yesterday:
Awesome! My 10-year-old son hooked a personal best 7lb 6oz, 24" bass yesterday while we were 3 minutes into trolling the lake on the sunset cruise with the whole family:

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Old 06-17-2019, 02:54 PM   #12
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

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Awesome! My 10-year-old son hooked a personal best 7lb 6oz, 24" bass yesterday while we were 3 minutes into trolling the lake on the sunset cruise with the whole family:

Holy crap! Was that on Lake Tarpon? That's a HUGE bass!
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Old 06-17-2019, 03:09 PM   #13
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Re: Gulf of Mexico diving 6/15/19 and 6/16/19

Yes if the shaft hits solid bone in the head around the brain, you often don’t get good penetration at all, but the shock is transmitted to the brain and they are basically dead. As for the hesitancy to discuss safety issues...l’ve got quite a collection of incidents that could/should have been avoided. If that is along the lines of relevancy.

Great picture of the bass and it will only appreciate in value with time!!!!
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