Texans in the St. Pete Open - Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum

Powers · 08-19-2009, 09:49 AM

On the generous invitation of Chris Gardinal of the Oceans in Action video series - www.oceansinaction.com - whom I had met earlier this summer at Performance Freediving, my brother Tim and I caught a flight from Austin to Tampa Bay to freedive in the annual St. Pete Open, hosted by the St. Petersburg Underwater Club - www.spearfishingspuc.com. If you have not participated in this event, you need to mark your calendar for next year.

Billed as the World's Largest Spearfishing Tournament, over 200 shooters turned out for this year's tournament and made it a howling success. Judging by the layout of the weigh-in, refreshments, the award ceremony, and what I would estimate at around $50,000 in merchandise on the prize table, the SPUC members put in countless hours preparing for this event. In an article in Spearing Magazine, Rich Taylor aptly described the weigh-in as "1/3 fraternity party, 1/3 carnival, and 1/3 family reunion." It is just that.

Chris picked us up at the airport, put us up at his house, and took us on his boat to five of his favorite dive spots. We were joined by Angela Collins, an enthusiastic Marine Biologist, master first mate, and superb freediver. Last week, Angela brought up a handful of sand from 82 feet, and she shot some really nice fish in the tournament. Chris and Angela are two of the most welcoming and capable people one could hope to dive with. They introduced us to all of their friends, many of whom we recognized from Chris's videos. The whole St. Pete dive community welcomed us with open arms.

On the first spot in around 80', we found tons of bait, small jacks, Rainbow Runner, bonito, and some small snapper. Barracuda were everywhere, but Tim and I had decided not to shoot any since we were guests on Chris’s boat and we didn’t want to be the guys stinking it up.

I was hovering over the highest point of this shipwreck when below me I noticed a huge, looming figure. I could make out the yellow outline of its lips, and after a bit of confusion realized it was a massive Goliath Grouper, which we had been told we’d see on this wreck. I dove to about 60’ and found five or six more lingering in the gentle current with the one I has spotted from the surface. I know there are mixed feelings about these fish in Florida, but seeing one for the first time was awe-inspiring. Chris and Angela have been participating in a study of these fish and have created a spear gun tagging system. While diving on Saturday, they spotted #199, one of their tagged Goliaths. Angela was super excited.

After an hour or so, Chris swam up and told me to shoot one of the Barracuda for points, so I started shopping. After picking a nice one, I swam down on him but my trigger jammed and I whiffed it over his back. I surfaced, reloaded, picked another, dove, and the trigger stuck again. This time, I spent some time on the surface working on my trigger and finally it loosened up. I started looking around and spotted a big boy down about 40'. I dove on him and after a little pursuit he presented his side and I buried one in his spine. Even with the spine shot he still hauled for the bottom and took my float under a bit. After a few minutes of fighting, I had him on the boat. My Riffe slip tip was lodged so deep into his bone I had to use pliers to free it. It hadn’t penetrated, so I felt lucky to have gotten him in. We see some giant Barracuda on the oilrigs here in Texas, and Barracuda and Cobia were in the same category in the tournament, so I didn’t think much of his size until Chris and Angela came on board and were pretty stoked about him. They thought if no Cobia were weighed in he would be a contender. The fish weighed around 35-37 lbs. on board and on the hoof. The final weigh in, gutted, was 30.55 lbs., enough for second place in the division and 12th pick from the prize table!

We moved on to a spot in 55’. As we were slowing for our arrival at Chris’s spot, we picked up a ledge on the sonar. Angela marked the spot with a buoy as we circled back over it. We splashed and as soon as I swam down the buoy line over a dozen Hogfish surrounded me. Mangroves and Sheepshead were around as well. As I neared the end of my breath hold, a nice little Hogfish swam up and I took him with Chris’s 110cm Riffe gun he loaned me after my repeated malfunctions. It wasn’t a tournament fish, but my mouth was watering when I saw her, so I couldn’t resist. I was a little perturbed after shooting Chris’s Riffe, because it was so smooth, as soon as I pulled the trigger I knew I was going to have to buy one when I got home. Luckily for me, there was a 100cm Riffe on the prize table from Jim’s Dive Shop and it survived until pick 12 (thanks to all the expensive regulators and computers distracting the SCUBA guys.)

As I was putting my Hog in the fish box, Tim swims up with his first fish of the trip, a nice 4.5 lb Hogfish. This was his first Hogfish ever, so you can see the excitement in the pictures below. You can also see that this fish has a substantial, but healed wound on the top of his back at the front of his dorsal fins that looks a lot like a spear wound. This was even further confirmed when we filleted him and found that all the muscle striations converged at a central mass of scar tissue instead of a divot with scar tissue to the top of the back. We all felt a little better about some of the fish that have torn off over the years. There were no separate fish categories for freedivers, but this was first place Hogfish on the overall results among those entered by freedivers. He earned pick #109 from the prize table and scored a nice Ray Odor Polespear. Congratulations, Tim!

Shortly thereafter, Angela reported to the boat with a nice Hog. This one also had a wound on its upper back, but it was still bleeding. Angela had made a beautiful shot on this fish a little earlier, but it had torn off. A few dives later, the same Hogfish showed up and she recovered him with ease. It was the second largest freedive Hogfish and first place among those entered by women on the overall results. Pick #154 earned her a beautiful fish-shaped serving set.

I can’t remember what Chris picked from the table, but he won a nice Watch Custom Speargun with a mystery ticket, bringing the total prize value of our team to at least $2000.

We saw some beautiful grouper throughout the day, but they always eluded us. Tim and I felt like we might both have left some legal Gags down there, but we didn’t want to risk bringing in an illegal fish. I also mistook two Red Grouper for Nassaus, one of which offered me several easy shots. I’ll be brushing up on my grouper ID for next year…

Chris brought some big Hogfish and a mackerel to the boat, but his greatest contribution to our team was a perfect Mangrove Snapper. I have never had Mangrove Sushi and, to be honest, would never have considered trying it. Sunday after the awards ceremony, we stopped to pick up some sushi “Starter Kits” and ingredients from Publix and headed for Chris’s house. Gary Sanchez accompanied us and provided a Rainbow Runner he had shot and his secret spicy Asian sauce. The Mangrove was delicious! We have been shooting them all summer at the Texas rigs and I can’t believe we have been missing out on this treat. We ate like kings and queens and it was a perfect end to an action packed weekend.

Thanks Chris, Angela, Gary, and all the SPUCs for the warm welcome and fun weekend. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we spear together again.

Will

RichT · 08-19-2009, 10:40 AM

Great report and glad you enjoyed the show! Hope to see you guys back next year.

FishDie · 08-19-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichT

Great report and glad you enjoyed the show! Hope to see you guys back next year.

Second that!!

Powers · 08-19-2009, 04:13 PM

There were so many neat aspects to the SPUC's efforts that I can't possibly mention them all. However, I left out one truly neat moment from the report above while I straightened out the details.

Dan Curran, a SPUC member, just returned home from an extended tour of duty in Afghanistan and his fellow SPUCs honored him and his service to our country by presenting him with a Deathstick speargun, custom made by Ken Jones. This gun was beautiful, with a little red, white and blue wrapped around a jet black stock. These guys are a class act.

The airports on our way to and from the tournament were filled with women and men from our armed forces, both coming and going. These people are heroes and it was great to be a part of a standing ovation for Dan Curran this weekend.

Hopefully someone can chime in here with a picture of the gun or the presentation.

DavidDW · 08-20-2009, 04:17 PM

Powers, great write up on the St. Pete Open. You are having a perfect summer with all your recent diving excursions.

freedivehunt131 · 08-20-2009, 11:55 PM

good job. way to represent

Mighty Mouse · 08-22-2009, 08:54 PM

Hey Will

Thanks for all the kind words and great feedback; we had just as much fun with you and Tim. We definitely need to get together again soon. The vis is still very good here right now and you guys are welcome back anytime you wish, your bunks await you. I'm going out with Papa and the gang tomorrow so I'll tell him you said hey. Thanks for adding such style to our trip in the Open, Angela and I have reminisced for a week all the fun we had while you two were here. Your second place photos look good on the website too, Congratulations!
Shoot straight and dive safe,
Chris

spearstudtx · 08-23-2009, 04:38 PM

Great report and sounds like you guys had a blast.

Powers · 08-23-2009, 10:28 PM

Here is a picture of Dan Curran with his custom speargun.

The rest of the results and pictures are up at:

http://www.spearfishingspuc.org/SPO_...E_results.html

JLittle44 · 08-24-2009, 09:56 AM

Awesome write-up! Good job!


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08-19-2009, 10:40 AM	#2
RichT Rich Taylor Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 3,044	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Great report and glad you enjoyed the show! Hope to see you guys back next year.

08-19-2009, 04:13 PM	#4
Powers Dad Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 548	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open There were so many neat aspects to the SPUC's efforts that I can't possibly mention them all. However, I left out one truly neat moment from the report above while I straightened out the details. Dan Curran, a SPUC member, just returned home from an extended tour of duty in Afghanistan and his fellow SPUCs honored him and his service to our country by presenting him with a Deathstick speargun, custom made by Ken Jones. This gun was beautiful, with a little red, white and blue wrapped around a jet black stock. These guys are a class act. The airports on our way to and from the tournament were filled with women and men from our armed forces, both coming and going. These people are heroes and it was great to be a part of a standing ovation for Dan Curran this weekend. Hopefully someone can chime in here with a picture of the gun or the presentation.

08-20-2009, 04:17 PM	#5
DavidDW Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 68	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Powers, great write up on the St. Pete Open. You are having a perfect summer with all your recent diving excursions.

08-20-2009, 11:55 PM	#6
freedivehunt131 Keith Love Spearin Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: angleton, tx Posts: 343	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open good job. way to represent __________________ www.speargun.com www.texasbluewatersafaris.com

08-19-2009, 09:49 AM	#1
Powers Dad Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 548	Texans in the St. Pete Open On the generous invitation of Chris Gardinal of the Oceans in Action video series - www.oceansinaction.com - whom I had met earlier this summer at Performance Freediving, my brother Tim and I caught a flight from Austin to Tampa Bay to freedive in the annual St. Pete Open, hosted by the St. Petersburg Underwater Club - www.spearfishingspuc.com. If you have not participated in this event, you need to mark your calendar for next year. Billed as the World's Largest Spearfishing Tournament, over 200 shooters turned out for this year's tournament and made it a howling success. Judging by the layout of the weigh-in, refreshments, the award ceremony, and what I would estimate at around $50,000 in merchandise on the prize table, the SPUC members put in countless hours preparing for this event. In an article in Spearing Magazine, Rich Taylor aptly described the weigh-in as "1/3 fraternity party, 1/3 carnival, and 1/3 family reunion." It is just that. Chris picked us up at the airport, put us up at his house, and took us on his boat to five of his favorite dive spots. We were joined by Angela Collins, an enthusiastic Marine Biologist, master first mate, and superb freediver. Last week, Angela brought up a handful of sand from 82 feet, and she shot some really nice fish in the tournament. Chris and Angela are two of the most welcoming and capable people one could hope to dive with. They introduced us to all of their friends, many of whom we recognized from Chris's videos. The whole St. Pete dive community welcomed us with open arms. On the first spot in around 80', we found tons of bait, small jacks, Rainbow Runner, bonito, and some small snapper. Barracuda were everywhere, but Tim and I had decided not to shoot any since we were guests on Chris’s boat and we didn’t want to be the guys stinking it up. I was hovering over the highest point of this shipwreck when below me I noticed a huge, looming figure. I could make out the yellow outline of its lips, and after a bit of confusion realized it was a massive Goliath Grouper, which we had been told we’d see on this wreck. I dove to about 60’ and found five or six more lingering in the gentle current with the one I has spotted from the surface. I know there are mixed feelings about these fish in Florida, but seeing one for the first time was awe-inspiring. Chris and Angela have been participating in a study of these fish and have created a spear gun tagging system. While diving on Saturday, they spotted #199, one of their tagged Goliaths. Angela was super excited. After an hour or so, Chris swam up and told me to shoot one of the Barracuda for points, so I started shopping. After picking a nice one, I swam down on him but my trigger jammed and I whiffed it over his back. I surfaced, reloaded, picked another, dove, and the trigger stuck again. This time, I spent some time on the surface working on my trigger and finally it loosened up. I started looking around and spotted a big boy down about 40'. I dove on him and after a little pursuit he presented his side and I buried one in his spine. Even with the spine shot he still hauled for the bottom and took my float under a bit. After a few minutes of fighting, I had him on the boat. My Riffe slip tip was lodged so deep into his bone I had to use pliers to free it. It hadn’t penetrated, so I felt lucky to have gotten him in. We see some giant Barracuda on the oilrigs here in Texas, and Barracuda and Cobia were in the same category in the tournament, so I didn’t think much of his size until Chris and Angela came on board and were pretty stoked about him. They thought if no Cobia were weighed in he would be a contender. The fish weighed around 35-37 lbs. on board and on the hoof. The final weigh in, gutted, was 30.55 lbs., enough for second place in the division and 12th pick from the prize table! We moved on to a spot in 55’. As we were slowing for our arrival at Chris’s spot, we picked up a ledge on the sonar. Angela marked the spot with a buoy as we circled back over it. We splashed and as soon as I swam down the buoy line over a dozen Hogfish surrounded me. Mangroves and Sheepshead were around as well. As I neared the end of my breath hold, a nice little Hogfish swam up and I took him with Chris’s 110cm Riffe gun he loaned me after my repeated malfunctions. It wasn’t a tournament fish, but my mouth was watering when I saw her, so I couldn’t resist. I was a little perturbed after shooting Chris’s Riffe, because it was so smooth, as soon as I pulled the trigger I knew I was going to have to buy one when I got home. Luckily for me, there was a 100cm Riffe on the prize table from Jim’s Dive Shop and it survived until pick 12 (thanks to all the expensive regulators and computers distracting the SCUBA guys.) As I was putting my Hog in the fish box, Tim swims up with his first fish of the trip, a nice 4.5 lb Hogfish. This was his first Hogfish ever, so you can see the excitement in the pictures below. You can also see that this fish has a substantial, but healed wound on the top of his back at the front of his dorsal fins that looks a lot like a spear wound. This was even further confirmed when we filleted him and found that all the muscle striations converged at a central mass of scar tissue instead of a divot with scar tissue to the top of the back. We all felt a little better about some of the fish that have torn off over the years. There were no separate fish categories for freedivers, but this was first place Hogfish on the overall results among those entered by freedivers. He earned pick #109 from the prize table and scored a nice Ray Odor Polespear. Congratulations, Tim! Shortly thereafter, Angela reported to the boat with a nice Hog. This one also had a wound on its upper back, but it was still bleeding. Angela had made a beautiful shot on this fish a little earlier, but it had torn off. A few dives later, the same Hogfish showed up and she recovered him with ease. It was the second largest freedive Hogfish and first place among those entered by women on the overall results. Pick #154 earned her a beautiful fish-shaped serving set. I can’t remember what Chris picked from the table, but he won a nice Watch Custom Speargun with a mystery ticket, bringing the total prize value of our team to at least $2000. We saw some beautiful grouper throughout the day, but they always eluded us. Tim and I felt like we might both have left some legal Gags down there, but we didn’t want to risk bringing in an illegal fish. I also mistook two Red Grouper for Nassaus, one of which offered me several easy shots. I’ll be brushing up on my grouper ID for next year… Chris brought some big Hogfish and a mackerel to the boat, but his greatest contribution to our team was a perfect Mangrove Snapper. I have never had Mangrove Sushi and, to be honest, would never have considered trying it. Sunday after the awards ceremony, we stopped to pick up some sushi “Starter Kits” and ingredients from Publix and headed for Chris’s house. Gary Sanchez accompanied us and provided a Rainbow Runner he had shot and his secret spicy Asian sauce. The Mangrove was delicious! We have been shooting them all summer at the Texas rigs and I can’t believe we have been missing out on this treat. We ate like kings and queens and it was a perfect end to an action packed weekend. Thanks Chris, Angela, Gary, and all the SPUCs for the warm welcome and fun weekend. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we spear together again. Will Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Powers; 08-19-2009 at 10:23 AM.

08-22-2009, 08:54 PM	#7
Mighty Mouse Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: St.Pete. Florida Age: 56 Posts: 172	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Hey Will Thanks for all the kind words and great feedback; we had just as much fun with you and Tim. We definitely need to get together again soon. The vis is still very good here right now and you guys are welcome back anytime you wish, your bunks await you. I'm going out with Papa and the gang tomorrow so I'll tell him you said hey. Thanks for adding such style to our trip in the Open, Angela and I have reminisced for a week all the fun we had while you two were here. Your second place photos look good on the website too, Congratulations! Shoot straight and dive safe, Chris __________________ www.OceansInAction.com "If You Ain't Got Time to Go Fishin, Then You Just Ain't Got Time". Ernie Lee

08-23-2009, 04:38 PM	#8
spearstudtx Nathan Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Allover, TX Posts: 2,627	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Great report and sounds like you guys had a blast.

08-23-2009, 10:28 PM	#9
Powers Dad Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 548	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Here is a picture of Dan Curran with his custom speargun. The rest of the results and pictures are up at: http://www.spearfishingspuc.org/SPO_...E_results.html Attached Thumbnails

08-24-2009, 09:56 AM	#10
JLittle44 John Little Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,334	Re: Texans in the St. Pete Open Awesome write-up! Good job! __________________ What'll you have Normie? Well, I'm in a gambling mood Sammy. I'll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap. Looks like beer, Norm. Call me Mister Lucky.

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