# Report: Great Day On and Under the Water



## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Long story down a few posts.

We got some monster fish today. We headed out about 26 miles and made 3 dives in 130 to 85 feet. 

Total take between me and Jeff (Sniper-spear-it):

Two really nice AJ's (Jeff's AJ is easily 30+ lbs). A monster Scamp (biggest one on my boat and that I have seen). A monster Mangrove (he was 29.5" my personal best) and two other mangrove snappers. A gag grouper. 4 Almaco Jacks. 

We had to take ice out of the fish box just to get all the fish fit with the lid shut. I like it when that happens:letsdrink


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## jlbdvm (Nov 12, 2007)

glad you had a great day! Lokking for the long story!!

Jay


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## flyingfishr (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey Jon, sounds like you guys stuck it to em pretty good today. I'm looking forward to the pics and story. How was the viz out there?


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## GrouperNinja (Oct 30, 2007)

Good shootin. We didnt have as much luck. Saw 2 - 6 footers and a large ray on the pete tide. Nothing to shoot much except the only 3 red snappers left in the gulf. Nothing else legal.


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## fishFEEDER9697 (Sep 30, 2007)

sounds like a great day. good to hear. :bowdown

can't wait for the story. :takephoto


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Sounds like some good fish, congrats. 3 tanks, thats pretty core on a day like today. We didn't see much, I shot a lane snapper then my mangina grew too big for the second dive, I opted to stay warm. I can't wait for spring and summer!


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

Sounds like a great day Jon! I was wondering if you made it out or not. Don't forget to post the pics!!


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Its only a little cold... Thanks for the report, and looking forward to the pictures. Don't forget the meeting at MBT in reference to the G&H spearfing club. See you guys there!


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Long story:

We left Sherman Cove about 0930. We wanted to let it warm up a little bit.:doh Still had a sheet of ice on the back of the boat when we got to the ramp. Our plan was to head out a ways for our first dive in hopes of some big grouper. We are met with some choppy conditions for my boat and set course for a long 18 mph ride out to 26 or so miles. It smooths out a bit as we head out.

We get out to the first site only to have the waves going one way and current going another. Which set up the bad situation of having the waves coming at the stern. We wait a bit to let the waves die down and talk about what we are about to do and why we are dumb for being out here in 30 degree weather.

We finally drop over. I had put two wetsuits on to give me 10mm. I was nice and toasty. Jeff on the other hand forgot a key piece of equipment to make him warm. You know the hood. He mans up and we head down. Viz on the bottom was only about 25 feet. We are met with very nice AJ's everywhere. All of them where in the 30 lb range. I have plenty of AJ in my freezer and didn't feel like getting a woopin, so I poped a smaller one in the group. He still went 39". And as soon as I take the shot, a 60+ lb AJ comes swooping in. It's probably a good thing it didn't come in before I took the shot. At this point I thought I got a stone shot. Then it came alive a proceeded to give me a loopty loop AJ rodeo ride. I got him on my stringer finally and then realized that I am all wrapped up in my shock cord. I try to get loose to no end. I end up taking my BC off and getting it untangled. But do you know what happens when you have 10mm of neoprene on and you take off your BC with a steel 95 and 26 lbs of weight. You become a floating balloon under there. It made it quite difficult to getmy BC back on. But I eventually did and looked at my computer and air and it was time to head up. At this point Jeff meets me at the anchor line with a monster scamp and a nice AJ himself.

We move to our second spot and drop over to better viz of about 35-40 feet. When I first get down there I see a nice GAG. Only he is very skittish and I give chase slowly making headway on him. About the time I line up for a shot, I here a gun go off and see the spear go right through the gag that I had been diligently working for. The grouper takes off in a hole with Jeff's spear still attached. By the time Jeff got down to retrieve it out of the hole, it had ripped off. He got a good shot and that fish must have ripped itself in two to get off. But it did.:banghead I get a medium mangrove and a Almaco Jack. And Jeff got a Mangrove and a two Almaco Jacks. On a side note we could have taken our limit of red snapper in the 25 lb range on this spot. Some were just monsters down there in the 30+ lbs range. I swear they have a time clock.

We move to our last dive spot and the seas have calmed down nice at this point. We drop over in about the same viz as our last spot. I see a gag when I get down and it instantly gets out of dodge.:banghead I move round some more and I find another smaller gag and get him on the stringer. He went 25". I marvel again at the huge red snappers everywhere just coming right up to my face. I then go back to a ledge by the anchor rope towards the end of my dive and just hang out. I look about 15 feet away and there are three monster Mangroves hanging out under a ledge. I had about a 6" slit to shoot through, but I could see it's eye and I took the shot. I pulled him out eventually and he gave me quite a fit. But I was the victor in that battle. It was the end of my dive at that point. Jeff comes up with another Almaco.

It was cold, but it was worth it. Here are my fish. Jeff will have to get the pictures of his fish up. I hope he took some pics of that scamp. I had to clean fish under an umbrella this morning in the rain. So sorry I couldn't get any better pics. And it was too cold to get pics out on the boat. We didn't want to move or get outside the curtains on the boat.


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## fishFEEDER9697 (Sep 30, 2007)

nice fish, awesome story. thanks.


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## Sniper Spear-It (Jan 16, 2008)

Well jon pretty much summed it up with out making too much fun of how cold i was. and to forget my hood as well. Damn those three dive were cold. and to beat a dumb horse, on the final dive i send myself into deco and have to hang on the anchor line for an additional 11min at 15' shivering. but we got some good fish. And on that first dive. you want to talk about having some balls of steel. After shooting my scamp and battleing this 45" aj, i look back and jon has all of his gear off in 130'.i tell you that mans got no fear. i dont like doing that in the pool. well here are a few of the pics that i got from what i shot. its always a good trip when you have to remove ice and bend the fish to get them to fit. Did i already say how cold it was.Damn cold!!!!!




























all in all it was a very nice day on the water. I also wanted to let everyone that this was probably my last trip for a while. I am moving down to clearwater,fl. I have enjoyed sharing posts and all the friends that i have met on here.

Ill send some posts from down south.

Thank you


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

Great report Jon glad to hear a good report how did you guys manage 3 dives at those depths with the water that cold I know I feel awfull after 2 dives when the water is cold Chad


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

Jeff Sorry to hear your leaving good luck! Those are some good fish that is one big scamp . Keep us updated on the diving down there . Chad


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Good report Jon, looks like you and Jeff got on some nice fish. That is one manly Scamp. I heard your call on the radio (a little muffled) and tried to call you back but didn't get any answer, might have been a little out of range. We were 30 miles South of the pass.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Sweet job Jon and Jeff!!! :clap


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *Ocean Man (1/19/2009)*Good report Jon, looks like you and Jeff got on some nice fish. That is one manly Scamp. I heard your call on the radio (a little muffled) and tried to call you back but didn't get any answer, might have been a little out of range. We were 30 miles South of the pass.


Matt,

We were about 26 miles out. So that shouldn't have been a problem. But who knows. Where's your report?


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

Nice Scamp...Im the same way about the big AJ's...the monsters usaully show up once you pulled the trigger or towards the end of the dive when you know its not smart to try it...I want to go this winter Im just to big of a punk to go in the cold...Nice Trip!!!


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Awesome guys! Good for you. Your both bigger men than me! Glad you got some nice fish, awesome mango.


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## asago (Nov 11, 2008)

Awesome fish guys... Jeff don't forget to call me when you land in clearwater and let's get that book done!


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