# Dive Report: Avocet 03/17



## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

Hearing that the vis was poor closer to shore, we dove the Avocet today. Seas were 1-2' on the way out and flat in the afternoon. Water temp was in the low 60s. Vis was 35' on the first dive and 25' on the second. There were four fishing boats on the wreck when we arrived. They cussed at us as usual for “scaring their fish.”

The wreck was covered in fish. Lots of AJs in the 20-30 lb range. There were a couple of 40 pounders. A 40-50lb cubera snapper swam up to within 2 feet of me when I was finishing off an AJ. Bad time to leave my backup gun at home! I saw the cubera on the second dive but could not get a good shot at him.

There were plenty of 5-20 lb gag grouper and as many red snapper as you could count. Some were very respectable, in the 20-30 lb range. There were also a few scamp, gray snapper, and spadefish. I saw about a dozen lionfish and brought three home to eat. Ended up with a lionfish sting between my 4th and 5th fingers. That was an interesting sensation. After a few minutes it felt like I had whacked my last two knuckles with a hammer.

Others on the boat saw a large loggerhead turtle on the wreck. We all eventually saw it when it came to the surface to check out the boat. All-in-all it was a good day of diving.

Whack 'um


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## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

sounds like a good day in the depths...hope the hand heals up...

thanks for the report...hopefully, this water starts to clear up soon...


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

What boat were you on? Shur-Ketch tried to get one of those AJ's. They hold tight to the wreck.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

lastcast said:


> What boat were you on? Shur-Ketch tried to get one of those AJ's. They hold tight to the wreck.


I was on the "Wet Dream" charter boat. The 35 lb AJ that I shot had a fresh hook in its mouth, as did several of the larger AJs. Many of the large red snapper had been hooked recently. They either had hooks in their mouths or their mouths were damaged. None of the grouper I saw appeared to have been hooked.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

Awesome report... can't wait to get back out there again.


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

Whackum, we were one of the boats at the Avocet and we could not buy a bite from the Aj's. We were the boat that asked you guys if there were any Aj down there and someone said "they are all over the place". The nly think we caught were some very very large snapper. I thought that the way you guys approached, anchored and dove was very respectable. At least I did not have a problem with it.


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

Nice report, thanks for sharing in your underwater experiences.


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