# Fish, Fish, and more fish



## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Well 2/3 of my plan worked in my favor yesterday. The plan was to go get lobster, flounder, and other fish. No lobster, but did get everything else out there that was legal. Met a new dive buddy yesterday, Jesse(redneck911), and headed out of Sherman Cover around 0730. We made it to our first dive in record time because of how nice the water was. We couldn't have asked for a better day on the water with the seas the way they were.

We dropped over and I had hopes of some lobster on this dive. But we get down to some pretty crappy viz and the lobster are nowhere to be found. Plenty of extinct red snapper poking me in the face though. I see one decent trigger and put him on the stinger.

We head to our second dive location and fish on the surface for a bit to get a good surface interval up. We immediately start catching fish. We put 3 good size keeper triggers and a good mingoin the box before we even head down. Had to weed through the snapper, but the trigger were there. So we head down to a buffet table of fish. There were fish everywhere. I had trouble choosing what I wanted to shoot. I shoot an AJ (in state waters), and Jesse (who does not spearfish yet), got to see it completely woop me. This AJ did not want to simply go quietly. Eventually get him knifed and on the stringer after Jesse helped untie me from my own shock cord.:banghead 

I go on the hunt at the buffet table again and put a good trigger on. Then I put a good sized mangrove on as well. I swim around a corner of the wreck and I see a very large fish that looks like a mutant mangrove. This sucker is huge for a mangrove is what I am telling myself. I make a good shot and it starts wooping me again. It goes around the wreck and I see my shaft start to almost bend in half.:banghead I eventually get control of the fish and knife it. Then I notice that this fish is not a mangrove but is in fact a Cubera Snapper. By this time, I have about 45 lbs of fish on my stringer and I can hardly swim so I head up. Didn't have any more room on my stringer for more fish. A good problem to have I guess.

We head a little more inshore in hopes of some flounder. And I was not dissapointed. Got down and immediately started to put a flounder on the stringer. From then on it was a challenge to see them in the murky viz before they would get away. They were hidden real well. Mostly, all I could see was the mouth of the flounder. They were burried very good and hard to spot. But I got a few. Saw a monster sheephead that went on the stinger as well. And then I look up and see a monster gag in the distance. I only had two bands on the gun loaded. I take the shot and it's right out of the reach of the two bands. If only I had all three bands on.:banghead After that, it's time to head up and come back in.

Here is the all inclusive picture. The AJ is 34" for a reference. If Jesse would have been spearing, we would have had at least double this on the boat easy. Definately a good day for fish. I am still wore out this morning.

Thanks for coming out Jesse. You are more than welcome on the boat anytime.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Nice! How big was the cubera?


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Looks like ya'll had a great time Jon!!! Congrats on bringing home some fishies!!!:letsdrink


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## Desperado (May 25, 2009)

Nice fish! I went Saturday and onlylanded a cubera and grouper. Not a bad day, just not what I had hoped for. I did manage to free an anchor for a fisherman on the Avocet. Trying to keep the fisherman/diver relations good.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *tunapopper (11/16/2009)*Nice! How big was the cubera?


If I remember, he was 31 or 32 inches. I do not have anything to weigh it. 

The fish are still on ice to clean today. I was so tired yesterday and did not feel like cleaning them all yesterday evening.


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

Looks like a great trip, Jon. Sorry I had to miss yet another trip.

Felix


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## jan1974 (Apr 17, 2008)

> *Desperado (11/16/2009)*Nice fish! I went Saturday and onlylanded a cubera and grouper. Not a bad day, just not what I had hoped for. I did manage to free an anchor for a fisherman on the Avocet. Trying to keep the fisherman/diver relations good.




How was the viz on the  Avocet?


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Great haul Jon, glad you were able to get out whilethe weatherwas so nice.


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## BOHUNTER1 (Feb 18, 2008)

MAN!

I wish I could have went but I couldnt get away! I was supposed to be in MS today but Uncle passed, Mom cant get another ride to chemo this week and a funeral on the way.. so Man I got booked up and had to spend the time with family!

Appreciate the offer, it will happen one day!

What was the Water Temps!

Steev


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *BOHUNTER1 (11/16/2009)*MAN!
> 
> I wish I could have went but I couldnt get away! I was supposed to be in MS today but Uncle passed, Mom cant get another ride to chemo this week and a funeral on the way.. so Man I got booked up and had to spend the time with family!
> 
> ...


Steve, we will get out together sometime before I move. The water temps were 69.5 on the surface and about 73 on the bottom. Definately cooling off. You would have been right at home too. The viz was not the best. But I think that helped me sneak up on some fish.


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## dpewitt (Oct 26, 2007)

Is that one in the middle a Mangrove? Just curious if there were regs this time of year on Mangroves. Not pushing any buttons, just wondering if they are still legal during the winter. Last time I checked red snapper as we all painfully know have a "season", but I am not sure on Mangroves. While on the topic, are Mangroves still in the bay during the winter? I found some good spots this summer and wonder if they will still be there in the winter.


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

Nice haul Jon. That Cubera has to be 20#.


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

> *dpewitt (11/16/2009)*Is that one in the middle a Mangrove? Just curious if there were regs this time of year on Mangroves. Not pushing any buttons, just wondering if they are still legal during the winter. Last time I checked red snapper as we all painfully know have a "season", but I am not sure on Mangroves. While on the topic, are Mangroves still in the bay during the winter? I found some good spots this summer and wonder if they will still be there in the winter.


he said it was a cubera, not a mangrove in this original post


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## dpewitt (Oct 26, 2007)

Sorry, when I read his post it said a Mangrove and a Cubera. Just seeing if the smaller one is a Mangrove AND if they are still up in the bays during the winter.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

Jon,

Here's a good website to estimate fish weight based on length. http://www.rodnreel.com/fishcharts/FishCharts.asp

If the cuberra snapper was 32" long, its weight is14 lbs.

Nice mess of fish.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *dpewitt (11/16/2009)*Sorry, when I read his post it said a Mangrove and a Cubera. Just seeing if the smaller one is a Mangrove AND if they are still up in the bays during the winter.


There is a both a Mangrove and a Cubera in the pic. Below the AJ is a mangrove and then below that is the larger cubera. Mangroves do not have a season. At least so far any way.:banghead



> *Brandy (11/16/2009)*Nice haul Jon. That Cubera has to be 20#.


Brandy, 

I estimated it at 16-18 lbs bases on simply picking it up and the scale in my brain. But I like your estimate better. I am sure the story will grow to 25 lbs after I tell the story a few more times.:letsdrink


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

Ishot A snapper that was the exact length but was skinny and it weighed 18#


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *Brandy (11/16/2009)*Ishot A snapper that was the exact length but was skinny and it weighed 18#


You have to go diving to shoot a fish. oke


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

> *Orion45 (11/16/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Brandy (11/16/2009)*Ishot A snapper that was the exact length but was skinny and it weighed 18#
> ...


This damn ******* on here bustin my balls:banghead


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## Native Diver (Aug 8, 2009)

Great report and a nice mess of fish too.

:clap


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

A good Mangrove vs Cubera picture.


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## -=Desperado=- (Jun 19, 2009)

> *Telum Pisces (11/16/2009)*A good Mangrove vs Cubera picture.


perfect.one way to tell the cubera is the k nine teeth are in both jaws.his mangrove is also called a grey or blacksnapper.alot confuse the grey and cubera.

i just call the mangrove a black snapper.


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## Desperado (May 25, 2009)

> *jan1974 (11/16/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Desperado (11/16/2009)*Nice fish! I went Saturday and onlylanded a cubera and grouper. Not a bad day, just not what I had hoped for. I did manage to free an anchor for a fisherman on the Avocet. Trying to keep the fisherman/diver relations good.
> ...


The avocet had about 40ft viz, some of the best I had all year. I also hit the Chevron rig and viz was less than 10 feet. Amazing what difference a few miles can make.


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

look at those teeth on that cubera! wow! very nice Jon!


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *Orion45 (11/16/2009)*Jon,
> 
> Here's a good website to estimate fish weight based on length. http://www.rodnreel.com/fishcharts/FishCharts.asp
> 
> ...


I just checked that site Vlado. For a red snapper of the same length it says 20.5 lbs or so. This cubera was thicker than most any red snapper I have ever shot. The fillets were even thicker than a snapper I got lastseason that was 31". This Cubera definatelynever skipped a meal. So I don't know if it is as accurate as it should be. At least not for this fish. I am sure it's a good estimate toolthough.

This was the first Cubera I have seen underwater since I have been diving. Going to find out how it tastes tomorrow night.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *Telum Pisces (11/17/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Orion45 (11/16/2009)*Jon,
> ...


It's just a "guesstimate tool" for those times when you forget your scale. The cubera did look pretty thick in the girth. Probably weighed closer to your estimate. Anyway, it looks like you were busy reloadingyour speargun that day. Great job on the flounder, especially in that vis. Very nice haul overall.


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## HateCheese (Oct 2, 2007)

Once again, you go out and end up w/ a nice mess of fish. That cubera is awesome. Nice shooting.


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