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WreckDiver · 01-24-2003, 03:45 AM

Anyone dive the close in ledges and wrecks to say 18 mile out, which ones hold fish during the warm water times, cold water sucks. (Clearwater to Sarasota)

Steel Shootin' · 01-24-2003, 06:19 AM

Bugged, you got it backwards! Cold water GOOD for the ledges in close. I've dived them in warm and cold, and in the winter they hold much bigger fish. However, if the one-two punch of cold water - cold air is not worth it to you, then you might wait until March and April, when the inshore water is still cold, but the daytime highs reach 80F.

Of course, that observation is a little more true from Clearwater and north of Clearwater. Since 18 miles may involve deeper water Clearwater to the south, there may be bigger fish in the Summer. Even then, my money would still be on Winter confined to 18 miles.

slippery chicken · 01-24-2003, 09:49 AM

Now you are talking my game, shallow water diving. If the water temp stays between 63-80 its hard to beat the small ledges under 30' of water. Its hard not to shoot over you're limit of 19-22" hogfish off Clearwater and Dunedin areas during this time. Be patient and dont shoot the smaller hogs and the big males will show up before long. Look for the one and two foot ledges they willl hold the nice black nose hogs and grouper up to 15-20lbs. Most people will run right over these spots with out even noticing them on the recorder. Money spent on a good depth machine that will pick up the small ledges while running at speed is like fish in the ice box.

I am not saying that the shallow stuff beats the grounds, but when the weather is not good, just shoot a little closer to home and still fill the box. The down fall of course is you have to have the visibility to shoot anything. Descent vis can usually be found within the 18 miles that was mentioned.

Marcus · 01-28-2003, 09:53 AM

Skyway shipping channel holds keeper grouper year round.

WreckDiver · 01-28-2003, 10:50 AM

Dont know about you, but i am not that brave. when are you going again, I want to watch ----- the big boats go by!

Marcus · 01-29-2003, 09:09 AM

I'll be there as soon as the water becomes bearable with my 3 mil suit primed with some hot/warm water. Gags are all over the place. I've been diving the ledges on the sides of the channel when loaded down ships have come through. You can hear every blade of the prop churn through the water. You've got to hang on to the rocks due to the ship pushing all the water out of the channel and then water coming back into the channel behind it.


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01-24-2003, 03:45 AM	#1
WreckDiver Memeber What? Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: In the Middle of Fl Posts: 3,797	Ledges and Wrecks Gulf side Anyone dive the close in ledges and wrecks to say 18 mile out, which ones hold fish during the warm water times, cold water sucks. (Clearwater to Sarasota) Last edited by WreckDiver; 01-24-2003 at 07:23 PM.

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01-24-2003, 06:19 AM	#2
Steel Shootin' Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 6,836	Bugged, you got it backwards! Cold water GOOD for the ledges in close. I've dived them in warm and cold, and in the winter they hold much bigger fish. However, if the one-two punch of cold water - cold air is not worth it to you, then you might wait until March and April, when the inshore water is still cold, but the daytime highs reach 80F. Of course, that observation is a little more true from Clearwater and north of Clearwater. Since 18 miles may involve deeper water Clearwater to the south, there may be bigger fish in the Summer. Even then, my money would still be on Winter confined to 18 miles.

01-24-2003, 09:49 AM	#3
slippery chicken Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: dunedin,florida Posts: 76	Now you are talking my game, shallow water diving. If the water temp stays between 63-80 its hard to beat the small ledges under 30' of water. Its hard not to shoot over you're limit of 19-22" hogfish off Clearwater and Dunedin areas during this time. Be patient and dont shoot the smaller hogs and the big males will show up before long. Look for the one and two foot ledges they willl hold the nice black nose hogs and grouper up to 15-20lbs. Most people will run right over these spots with out even noticing them on the recorder. Money spent on a good depth machine that will pick up the small ledges while running at speed is like fish in the ice box. I am not saying that the shallow stuff beats the grounds, but when the weather is not good, just shoot a little closer to home and still fill the box. The down fall of course is you have to have the visibility to shoot anything. Descent vis can usually be found within the 18 miles that was mentioned.

01-28-2003, 09:53 AM	#4
Marcus Naval gazer extraordinair Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 24,718	Skyway shipping channel holds keeper grouper year round.

01-28-2003, 10:50 AM	#5
WreckDiver Memeber What? Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: In the Middle of Fl Posts: 3,797	Dont know about you, but i am not that brave. when are you going again, I want to watch ----- the big boats go by!

01-29-2003, 09:09 AM	#6
Marcus Naval gazer extraordinair Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 24,718	I'll be there as soon as the water becomes bearable with my 3 mil suit primed with some hot/warm water. Gags are all over the place. I've been diving the ledges on the sides of the channel when loaded down ships have come through. You can hear every blade of the prop churn through the water. You've got to hang on to the rocks due to the ship pushing all the water out of the channel and then water coming back into the channel behind it.