The Elusive Black

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CraigAClark

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Scuba Instructor
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Location
South Florida
# of dives
I'm a Fish!
I prefer spearfishing because I have the advantage in selecting the fish I want as opposed to line fishermen who get the "luck of the draw". There are two species of fish that I prefer to hunt. One is incredibly good at avoiding hunters (black grouper) and the other one is about as dumb as a rock (hogfish). It is almost certain that I can find a hogfish of suitable size on most dives and a really large one pretty regularly, however when it comes to black grouper, I'm lucky to get one or two a year. I see them quite often, but the trick is getting a shot off before they disappear, you have about 3 seconds.

Black Grouper tend to stay in one area for long periods and I have seen the same fish on different dives. This particular story is about one black that taught me a lot about their behavior and some tricks to increase my odds.

I was the skipper of a 38’ dive boat in Ft. Lauderdale for several years. On this particular trip, myself and divemaster were scouting out some new sites. We had just come inshore from a dive on the “Rebel” , which is a vessel purposely sunk as an artificial reef in about 110’ of water. After crossing some pretty flat, sand bottom at about 60’, the depth finder indicated the bottom was coming up fast. After reaching about 35’, it fell off quickly to 45’, indicating a nice ledge. We decided to drop anchor near the ledge and check it out. When we hit the bottom, it was like “Ca Ching”, lobster everywhere! We caught our limit within 20 square feet and 10 minutes. So we decided to explore the area to see if it was worthy of paying customers. We soon realized that it was a very small area maybe 2000 square feet and really not a good spot to bring 20 divers at a time. As we started back to the boat, I glanced off into the sand and spotted a black grouper watching us. He was using a seafan as cover and had lightened his color to match the sand. I alerted my buddy and off we went. Sensing he had been spotted, he turned tail and started swimming slowly across the sand. I knew he was going to kick it into high gear soon and decided to get off a shot from 40’ away. Because of the species I hunt, I use a technique called “free shafting” where there is no line attaching the spear shaft to the gun. Therefore, I can take longer shots. Just as I pulled the trigger, he bolts. My buddy gives chase as I recover my shaft and reload. After about 200 yards we see him heading for what we thought was another ledge. We clearly see him go up and straight down into an opening. The “ledge” turned out to be a section of old dredge pipe about 8’ in diameter and 400’ from end to end. Needless to say he was home free. We headed back to the boat and I marked the spot in my log using points on shore to “line up” the location. We pulled anchor and moved in over the “pipe” to mark it’s position, then headed in.

Over the next month or two, we visited that spot six or 7 times. We anchored on the ledge and swam in to the pipe, hitting it at different points each time. Everytime he was either hovering over the split in the pipe where he first disappeared on us or out in the sand. Neither of us could get close before he vanished in the pipe. The next time we visited the spot, I was playing divemaster while training a new boat captain. We had an instuctor with students on board, so I decided that the pipe would be an excellent “controlled” spot for his students. We anchored so that the stern was directly over the pipe. I figured that with all these people in the water, that black was long gone inside the pipe. It was hot and I was bored so I hit the water figuring the commotion of the students would attract some hogfish (think of birds following the mower along side a highway). Nothing in sight. I said to myself “what the heck” and headed toward the split in the pipe, just for grins. I had become very familiar with that pipe by now and decided to try a different approach. I basically hugged the side of the pipe, swimming on my left side. When I was with in 50’ of the split, I held my breath (yeah I know, never hold your breath) and as soon as I was at the split, came up and over the pipe ready to shoot. There he was, looking down the pipe in the direction of the students. He caught a glimps of me and started down just as I pulled the trigger. Too late, perfect kill shot. That was one of my most memorable hunts, taking 9 dives to out smart that grouper and learning a lot from the experience. BTW he was about 18 lbs. I’m a firm believer in leaving the “monsters” be, as they are the top breeders of their species and will never take a fish much larger than 20 lbs. Black grouper can exceed 100 lbs. Since I am not a trophy hunter, I only take what I can eat and I’m selective in what I take.


Craig
 
...... I use a technique called “free shafting” where there is no line attaching the spear shaft to the gun. Therefore, I can take longer shots.

Welcome to Scubaboard Craig. You and several of us east coasters are some of the few that freeshaft over here. I hunt the WPB/Jupiter areas and freeshafting is the only way to go.

Excellent write up on the black and you are right, they are the hardest fish to land in our waters.
 
You want real Black Grouper experience come to the Keys. Larger percentage of Blacks to Gags & Reds.
Blacks are smart and wary. Once hunted or bothered by divers they get real shy and spooky.
We only freeshaft down here because there are so very few short shots at Blacks.
 
You want real Black Grouper experience come to the Keys. Larger percentage of Blacks to Gags & Reds.
Blacks are smart and wary. Once hunted or bothered by divers they get real shy and spooky.
We only freeshaft down here because there are so very few short shots at Blacks.

Wow! They still have areas to hunt in the Keys? LOL We used to dive/hunt in Islamorada, off of Alligator light. Great hunting and lobstering. Jim Mandich(sp), has a place down there(restaurant), Ziggy and Maddog's. Jim is an x-Dolphin player('72 undefeated) and local talk show host. I guess I'll have to drag my boat and butt down for some hunting this year!

BTW, reds are almost as dumb as hogs! LOL

Craig
 
Welcome to Scubaboard Craig. You and several of us east coasters are some of the few that freeshaft over here. I hunt the WPB/Jupiter areas and freeshafting is the only way to go.

Excellent write up on the black and you are right, they are the hardest fish to land in our waters.

I like your sig! An old college buddy used to run the marina at Walker's Cay. You would not believe the set up they had for feeding and observing bulls and lemons right off the landing strip. It was incredible watching 8-9 foot lemons and up to 10 foot bulls hanging out in 2-3 feet of water. They even had a tagging program for the bulls, which were seasonal. Too bad the last major 'cane pretty much closed them down.

Craig
 
I am a little late on this post but I liked the story Craig. I got exited reading it. CoolCool. I run a dive charter Mako Dive Charter up here in Savannah, Ga. We hunt the wrecks and Navy towers. I free shaft the towers but I line the wrecks. The Barracuda get aggressive if it's not attached to you on the wrecks. They'll race you to your pray. Good hunting diver....

"Shoot'em in the face!"
RLTW!
 
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