John from the burg
Contributor
Just as i finish the last job folder on my desk yesterday morn my phone rings, its my dive buddy rick. "Jes flaked on the dive today and we have two full tanks on the boat already... you in?" HELL YES I'm in, ill be at the ramp in 30 min. 
We push off from belleair causeway boat ramp at about 11, we know its gonna be raining and choppy but who cares were diving. We cruise in the inter coastal at 35 mph north, to the Clearwater inlet, hit the channel entrance marker and point the compass at 238. Seas are around 3-4 feet at 10 seconds so down to 20 mph for the trip to the buoy, love watching that water turn from green to the best blue you've ever seen. It was raining to the north, it was raining to the south and a third patch was south west ish right off the bow lol. We arrive at the buoy right as the rain opens up in typical gulf fashion, we gear up and slide in quietly, thumbed our surface man and were hunting. We hooked at the large pile to the north east ish and i dropped first (cuz my ears let me lol) onto a pair of 100 lbs jew fish not at all happy to see me. Ive never seen jew fish that huge at the 10 mile line, it was awesome and we would see more. After they made it to depth we paired off and went in opposite directions around the pile, plan made on deck was to circle at the sand to the rear then start the up and overs back toward the boat. Vis was 20' off the pile and around 10' on the pile with all the crap the waves were kicking up, deepest i saw was 44'. Huge snook out there all over the place, i saw three or four at 30'' and tons around 24'', few grouper as well but nothing that was worth pulling bands. Had the biggest damn barracuda ever eyeballing me just enough to hold my mask and reg on w my hand, only got worried cuz he was def following me around waiting on a free fish lunch lol.
Surfaced after my first tank to seas at 1-2, the sun shining and no dark clouds hanging around, gotta love florida. :cool2:
We had a diver get sick on the way out and still dive but he said he was done after the first so we three manned it and scared everything away. Fun day, great thing about spearfishing is even if you don't catch anything you went for a dive.
We push off from belleair causeway boat ramp at about 11, we know its gonna be raining and choppy but who cares were diving. We cruise in the inter coastal at 35 mph north, to the Clearwater inlet, hit the channel entrance marker and point the compass at 238. Seas are around 3-4 feet at 10 seconds so down to 20 mph for the trip to the buoy, love watching that water turn from green to the best blue you've ever seen. It was raining to the north, it was raining to the south and a third patch was south west ish right off the bow lol. We arrive at the buoy right as the rain opens up in typical gulf fashion, we gear up and slide in quietly, thumbed our surface man and were hunting. We hooked at the large pile to the north east ish and i dropped first (cuz my ears let me lol) onto a pair of 100 lbs jew fish not at all happy to see me. Ive never seen jew fish that huge at the 10 mile line, it was awesome and we would see more. After they made it to depth we paired off and went in opposite directions around the pile, plan made on deck was to circle at the sand to the rear then start the up and overs back toward the boat. Vis was 20' off the pile and around 10' on the pile with all the crap the waves were kicking up, deepest i saw was 44'. Huge snook out there all over the place, i saw three or four at 30'' and tons around 24'', few grouper as well but nothing that was worth pulling bands. Had the biggest damn barracuda ever eyeballing me just enough to hold my mask and reg on w my hand, only got worried cuz he was def following me around waiting on a free fish lunch lol.
Surfaced after my first tank to seas at 1-2, the sun shining and no dark clouds hanging around, gotta love florida. :cool2:
We had a diver get sick on the way out and still dive but he said he was done after the first so we three manned it and scared everything away. Fun day, great thing about spearfishing is even if you don't catch anything you went for a dive.
