Black Sea Bass at Casino Point

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drbill

The Lorax for the Kelp Forest
Scuba Legend
Rest in Peace
Messages
22,824
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Location
Santa Catalina Island, CA
# of dives
2500 - 4999
Well, after reports of them for a few weeks but no personal sightings (due to aweful vis and my eye afixed to my viewfinder most of my dives) I finally got up close and personal weith black sea bass on two of my three dives today at Casino Point.

The first one totally surprised me. I was videotaping another subject. When I finished, I looked up and a 350-400 pounder was heading straight for me. My jaw dropped (but reg stayed in place) and after a few seconds of surprise I caught 5 sec of video as it swam past me at two feet.

Although I've seen plenty over the years, and a few at other sites on Catalina this year, my first in the Park each year is always memorable. On my third dive I dropped down right into the path of another, but the kelp blocked me from getting a clear shut until it was a bit farther away.

I noticed a fishing line streaming from the second bass after it was 20 ft away. I grabbed the line, but realized it was hooked and didn't want to hurt it or I would have cut the line. I think it went for the bait on someone's line off Cabrillo Mole (where the boats come into Avalon). Thef isher must have thought he/she had hooked a submarine!

Dr. Bill
 
Does he have whiskers or are those parasites?

Cool fish!
 
they are parasitic isopods or copepods (they won't stand still long enough to remove one). Saw one "juvenile" (150 lb) whose head was covered in them. I think they feed on the meal scraps rather than on the fish so they aren't really parasites if true.

Dr. Bill
 
Did 3 dives today down near Two Harbors and saw nothing of any consequence.....viz was lacking (read: 15 feet at best). When is all this going to change :(

Otter
 
will come in time, Otter, but I agree it has been very difficult to be patient given how bad diving on Catalina (and the mainland from what I hear) has been the past two months.

Vis opened up a bit last Sunday, then closed in. Openeed up on my second dive today, then closed in again.

I think the "sudden" change in temp from ~60 to ~66 degrees caused (1) plankton bloom, (2) kelp sloughing ---> leptopel and small particulates combined with surge that (3) tore seaweeds from the rocks and kelp pieces off plants and (4) stirred up bottom sediments and detritus.

These two physical parameters combined with the biological impacts has created a very persistent condition. There was one weekend when the only "good" things I could videotape were algal detritus on the bottom moving in the surge and what poor visibility looks like. Of course I need that kind of footage as well so the diving was successful in that sense.

Pray to Poseidon (or Neptune if you prefer).

Dr. Bill
 
Hopefully they will be there for a while. I've read about a couple of other sitings in the area, but the last time I was down I never did get to see much, bad viz. Maybe in the next few weeks I'll make it back down that way.
 
I dove with Scuba Luv on July 2 at Rippers Cove and saw three of these HUGE guys...We were able to get within 5-10 feet of them and watched for several minutes.

One was sitting near the bottom, and the other two were moving around....

I estimate each to be around 6' long, 4' top to bottom...

My first time diving Catalina, and LOVED it.

Quite a site...and quite a sight!
 
drbill once bubbled...

Pray to Poseidon (or Neptune if you prefer).

Dr. Bill

I am up for anything that might help.

Otter
 
StacyT... the black sea bass usually hang out here in the shallows at least into September. The ones in the Casino Dive Park seem to be transiting between Lover's Cove and the Descanso Beach-Hamilton Cove area. I did see a courting pair hanging out in the Park two years ago, but most of them there are swimming somewhere else.

Lover's Cove has been a good hangout for them. I did several dives (with Harbor Dept. permit of course) there last summer and got some great footage of courting pairs. One of my buddies and I saw 7 at one time there.

Of course Italian Gardens has been a hot spot for them. I am concerned about the number of dive boats and divers that go there, and the dusturbance it causes. Many divers try to approach them too quickly rather than sitting still and waiting for them to approach you. I've had very long (15-20 min) encounters that way.

Dr. Bill
 
...see if you can get closer next time! (Kidding, I hope it's obvious!)

Great shots, I've never even seen one in the wild. Way cool!
 

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