Warm weather coming!

[FloridaRanger]

We never actually "stopped" diving here, but cold fronts virtually every weekend sure slowed things down to a crawl. My 3/2 and a hooded vest was enough for East Coast FL but not for the Gulf in this record cold winter. I never even used the 5/5 two-piece I got for Christmas because the weather was just too godawful to go out. I'm looking forward to spring and especially summer!

J Pender, I hear the one good thing is that the fish are everywhere -- and logey. But my favorite capt. has been tied up, so no spearfishing until April for me. Good hunting!

 

[FloridaRanger]

The water is warmer during the winter in Northern California.

Trying to picture the currents and weather patterns that make that happen. I never would have expected that.

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

We never actually "stopped" diving here, but cold fronts virtually every weekend sure slowed things down to a crawl. My 3/2 and a hooded vest was enough for East Coast FL but not for the Gulf in this record cold winter. I never even used the 5/5 two-piece I got for Christmas because the weather was just too godawful to go out. I'm looking forward to spring and especially summer!

J Pender, I hear the one good thing is that the fish are everywhere -- and logey. But my favorite capt. has been tied up, so no spearfishing until April for me. Good hunting!

Thanks, hopefully it will work out ok. Not sure where you are on the west side, but we leave from Valpairiso. Next weekend will hopefully be in the high 60s, and Grouper are legal April 1, so we shall see. Hopefully I'll have a temp and kill report.

 

[njedrn]

I'll be flying towards the warm weather tomorrow... hopefully get some good florida dives in....

 

[FloridaRanger]

Hopefully I'll have a temp and kill report.


looking forward to that pend

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

We went out friday 4/2 with Rod, the Wreck Raider, in PCB. It started out very foggy with seas at 2-3', but calmed down before we were in the water and turned out to be a beautiful day with seas < 1'. We hit a liberty ship and the Red Sea. Came back with somewhere around nine big sheepshead, a few mangrove snappers, one large triggerfish, a barely legal (but legal) Gag, and another Gag that probably weighed about 18-20 lbs. All in all a very fun trip and the Red Sea is an awesome dive.

We saw quite a few ARS which would have been in the 10-15 lb range, and the largest Sea Turtle I've ever seen.

I highly recommend going out with Rod if you get the chance to. He's very very personable, accommodating, and has a great boat.

Sunday we were going to go out with Pat Green, but the wives wouldn't have it and told us we had to be back in time for Easter.

Coldest water temperature my computer recorded was 62 degrees and the warmest was 66- both easily bearable with hoods. I'll post a video or two when I can get caught up with school / work.

 

[FloridaRanger]

We went out friday 4/2 with Rod, the Wreck Raider, in PCB. It started out very foggy with seas at 2-3', but calmed down before we were in the water and turned out to be a beautiful day with seas < 1'. We hit a liberty ship and the Red Sea. Came back with somewhere around nine big sheepshead, a few mangrove snappers, one large triggerfish, a barely legal (but legal) Gag, and another Gag that probably weighed about 18-20 lbs. All in all a very fun trip and the Red Sea is an awesome dive.

We saw quite a few ARS which would have been in the 10-15 lb range, and the largest Sea Turtle I've ever seen.

I highly recommend going out with Rod if you get the chance to. He's very very personable, accommodating, and has a great boat.

Sunday we were going to go out with Pat Green, but the wives wouldn't have it and told us we had to be back in time for Easter.

Coldest water temperature my computer recorded was 62 degrees and the warmest was 66- both easily bearable with hoods. I'll post a video or two when I can get caught up with school / work.

Sounds like an awesome dive!

My capt won't let us take sheepshead -- well, frowns on it anyway -- says they are too hard to clean -- but they sure taste good.

I've had to work every time my favorite capt has gone out lately. Posting on SB is no substitute!

Good for you Pend that you had such a great outing!

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

I agree Sheepshead can be a PITA to clean, but they're worth it. We clean our own fish, so I don't have to worry about what we shoot as long as it's legal. I had never seen so many large sheepshead in one general area as I did there. All were in the 5-8 lb range.

 

[FloridaRanger]

Last time we went out I helped the capt fillet fish until my hands cramped. Good times.

 

[DennisS]

What are you doing to prepare for the upcoming warm-weather dive season?

I know I plan to go carefully through all my gear and start a vigorous exercise program ... tomorrow.

Replacing %$#@$% manifolds and risers on my boat.