Recent Lake Pleasant conditions/reports

[pdelannoy]

Dove Vista Point today. Lots of divers were out and nondivers (camped at the table). The debris is still hanging around though divers who arrived earlier in the day had clear entry. When I surfaced, the woody material had pushed in against the shore. The vis in the shallows is not so good-I'd say around 10 feet but once you reach around 40 feet the vis opens up. But the deep diving right now is dark so bring lights. My last cairn is in 70-75 feet of water. The water level is all the way up as high as it can go. From the right entry, a 330 degree bearing brings you to the wall where there is a low point. There is an old tree about 4 feet tall at the base of the ravine before you enter the flats. Bear left and you pick up the wall. Continue on 330 degrees and you will come to the rail. Its easy to miss the wall.

In the deeps the vis was at least 20 feet (dark) and temps are 54F sunnto.

PD

 

[Dive Hawk]

Dove today at the lake. (Not sure what exactly the place was called, but for reference, we dove at the point where the road was underwater...)

Not much in the way of woody material as the above post mentioned. However, from the shore entry to about 15 feet out the water was full of silt and what-have-you reducing viz to no more than around 5 feet. Once we got to depth of around 25-30 feet viz was surprisingly good (to me). At points you could see to around 25-30 feet max.

Water temp was 58F on my VT-3.

..The bass are spawning and are pretty aggressive if you get too close to their nests.

 

[pdelannoy]

Dove Vista Point Today. When I first arrived there was a class on the side of the cove closest to the where the road passes a covered picnic table. Otherwise the usual dive spot was empty and the table was free. The water level is the highest I've ever seen it and has undercut the bank so that entry requires a big step...better than humping your gear 200 feet. The vis was 20-40 feet depending on depth. The deeper the better. A 330 degree bearing off the entry point puts you on the wall at 44 feet. The base of the wall at this point is about 65 feet. There is the beginnings of a thermocline-57F suunto shallows and 54F in the deeps.

The bass are active. I had one come right up to my mask and sniff my fingers a few times. Another group of divers arrived after my first dive but otherwise it was pretty quite.

PD

 

[Dive Hawk]

I dove again today, too. I wish I was paying attention to my surroundings, but I was following a mapped route and simultaneously trying to see how large the lake actually is. [I'm originally from Iowa and used to take frequent trips to the Lake of the Ozarks (still do every once and a while with friends) and was attempting to compare their sizes. It's very difficult to do, however, since the Ozarks is more like an extremely large, winding river with separate "arms" and hundreds upon hundreds of coves.

Anyways, my findings were similar to yours. My instructor said the lake is the highest he's ever seen it as well. I think the level is ~1685. We dove near the sunken road if that helps. We were able to walk out a few feet before the dive. It drops off to about 10-15' after that. I had 58F oceanic shallows and 55F at 61 feet.

The bass are definitely still active. They were swimming all over us for most of the day. We sighted a 12 pounder at ~55 feet. It wasn't quiet at my site for sure. I was doing AOW + Altitude, two separate groups were doing OW, and the third group was a group of about 15 - 20 divers doing their PADI IDC exams.

Viz was great at depths of 35 feet to 60 feet. It felt as if the lights were switched off at 60 feet. It was definitely a great day.

 

[pdelannoy]

Hey Dive Hawk the site you are diving at is called Besmeyer Point. I might have the spelling wrong. In any case, Vista Point is on the east side of the lake. Have you followed the road down to the x-mas trees? They will be on the left side along with lawn type statues positioned around them.

PD

 

[Dive Hawk]

Hey Dive Hawk the site you are diving at is called Besmeyer Point. I might have the spelling wrong. In any case, Vista Point is on the east side of the lake. Have you followed the road down to the x-mas trees? They will be on the left side along with lawn type statues positioned around them.

PD

I have not. I plan on exploring a bit more some time soon. I'll likely be out again next weekend to do the Rescue cert, so before or after, I'll drive around a bit more. To this point I've only driven the lengths of South Park Road and Castle Springs Road.

By x-mas trees do you mean actual x-mas trees or just pine trees? I'm very much used to pine trees...Had a couple in my old backyard in Iowa.

- Jake

 

[pdelannoy]

They are x-mas trees that were placed there as an artificial reef along with the little statues.

PD

 

[Dive Hawk]

They are x-mas trees that were placed there as an artificial reef along with the little statues.

PD

I see. I thought you meant they had actual statues with x-mas trees somewhere out of the lake.

But no, I have not been down there. This weekend was my first time at the lake. We dove at Besmeyer Point both days.

 

[Partz]

Yesterday I dove Sunset Cove next to the spill way AKA "Candy Cane lane" the water is up to the spill way it covers the parking the water level has risen since I last dove this spot a month ago at that time the Christmas trees were in 80' of water now it is closer to 100' under 45' it gets dark and at depth it is like a night dive. The water temp was 58 deg on the surface at depth 50 deg or so, the Vis is surprisingly good 25-30' most places I saw a 18" or better catfish around 25' just off the road.

 

[scubajcf]

Dove Vista Point on Saturday morning. I arrived just about 8am and you could tell the season is back and in full swing. The parking area was full (although the camper all spread out didn't help much). Lots of people diving enjoying the decent visibility. While dark below 50 feet, visibility was good.

Surface Conditions:
Temperature: 58 degrees
Visibility: 5 to 20 feet (depending on traffic)

Conditions at 50 feet:
Temperature: 55 degrees
Visibility: Upwards of 40 feet
Ambient Light: Abundant (although darker than conditions above 40 feet)

Conditions at 90 feet:
Temperature: 51 degrees
Visibility: At least 40 feet
Ambient Light: Present - Flashlight was not mandatory, but definitely glad I brought it.

Saw some Catfish, 2 decent sized bass. At 31 feet saw a bunch of baby bass.

It was great to see the "usual crowd" (Rudebob, Steve, Bill, Laura, Jim, Rob and everyone else). Let's hope this year is as good as last.