# February in Pensacola



## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

Well, it's always hard getting a crew together for Winter diving but one of my friends has a Nephew that's HOOKED on it he talked us all into going. We got a bit later start so as to let the ice melt and we left the pass about 9:00. Our plan was to let the Nephew shoot a decent jack AND as a bonus let my other buddies son CATCH a decent one. I always love going in that direction because I seem to add new spots to the book every trip but yesterday was the exception. We covered 60+ miles with NO new runovers. 

With Mostly diving on our minds we'd forgot almost completely about Andy needing bait, so we scrounged up some jigs and headed south. First stop was 30 miles from where I punched it in and we decided to check a couple of runovers on the way out to see if they'd be divable on the way back. Both were. We hit the AJ hole and it didn't look like the last visit. I suppose it's getting worked over pretty good because after I left it, a boat pulled up and sat on it fishing for over an hour. We were probably the first to hit it for the day and with our expert jiggers technique immediatly had Andy his first AJ on. We must've fought that fish for 20 minutes but finally boated a respectable 30 +/- pounder and eased back over for a few more. Another in the same range and one smaller and we decided to dive. I wanted to try out my new Hero3 so three of us headed down. Much to my surprise, the AJ population had been seriously depleted since my last dive there. We did see some decent ones in the 20-40 pound range. I have some schooling to do on the Nephew, After watching the video, I realized why he wasn't getting good penetration. He took several shots but left most of them just shaking there heads and swimming away. So, with vis at 60+ feet and the temp at 63, I decided to get active and shoot one of my own. I had what I THOUGHT was one of the bigger ones come by, I'd have estimated him at 50 but the video doesn't lie so I'm gonna have to say he was 30 now. Anwyay, he swam by and I popped him but hit him a bit too far back, and got him in the gill plate which is really not a choice spot. I could see I didn't have good penetration, so I decided to "play" him and go for a ride. Well, he wanted to play with my other two buddies so we did "ring around the roses" until he found the wreck, swam through it and handed me a bent spear back!

My one buddy did manage to finish one off that we'll attribute to the Nephew since it had a hole square in the filet:whistling: 

Next dive was a tire pyramid that a buddy had dove a month or two ago and hadn't even LOOKED for bugs! It was my favorite depth and my favorite area so I just KNEW it'd be loaded....it wasn't..almost a TOTAL wasted dive.. I don't think we got squat on that one. 

Next up was My buddy and his nephew, another unknown and they came up with Triggers and one bug. They took my Hero so it was kinda cool to watch their dive this AM! 

We hit another one with a couple of Black Snapper but nothing to brag about and the Tax man showed up, about a 5 foot blacktip but unfortunatley my camera was angled down too much and though I had my eye on him for a while, it never captured him on the video. For grins I took a shot at him but he was a weeee bit out of range Amazing how when you see a shark they looker than they really are!

Next dive, Nephew/Uncle combo hit a sweet spot where Andy had jigged up quite a nice Gag (with a SMALL amount of help from his dad) The good news was it wasn't holding many snapper so it might be worth diving. Boy was it. Uncle/Nephew team returned with a PILE of MONDO trigger...enough for ALL to enjoy and boy was I greatful, cause by this point, I'd put exactly ZERO in the box! Last dive, I convinced my buddy to make one more ice cube bath and we hit a spot in 85 feet which amazingly had a bunch of nice trigger! I went to work on them with my polegun and after about two, realized, I'm not hearing my buddy shoot?? HMMMM..his new riffe IS quiet? I turned to find him and that rascal has laid his gun on the sand and is digging for his game bag...what the heck?? OH NO, he's found BUGS!! I immediately changed gears and we went to work, I started the dive with 1000# of air so I didn't have too much time but by the time the dust settled, we had a respectable count of 11. Uncle/Nephew wanted to make one more dive so we headed North to a spot I'd just found in 50 feet but unfortunately the seas picked up and the sun beat us to the hole! With it cold and now dark we called it a day and headed home.

vis was at LEAST 40 or better on every dive. temp seemed to be 63 top to bottom, at least by my gauge and just as I'd expected, the weatherman had it exactly backwards, calling for 2-3 in the AM decreasing to 1 ft or less in the PM.. it was 1 foot in the AM and by the time we started heading home it was a wicked 3 out of the west!

Final tally 4 decent AJ in the 20-30# range
10 very nice trigger
2 Black snapper
11 Bugs


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Nice! Barrage of questions: How do you like the Hero 3? Did you get the black or the silver? any issues with it? What quality/mode did you shoot at?

I'm thinking about getting one soon


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

Hey James...I love it so far...I was hoping to pick YOUR brain.. any chance I could get you to teach me how to edit this stuff!

I was just shooting the default rates and speeds. the quality looked unreal of the water video. the out of water video had a fish-eye look to it.

Perhaps if I'd shot with the camera removed from the case it'd have been better


I'll post some photos 

thinking about buying Pinnacle 16 for editing. I want something that's inuitively easy for dummys like me!



aquatic argobull said:


> Nice! Barrage of questions: How do you like the Hero 3? Did you get the black or the silver? any issues with it? What quality/mode did you shoot at?
> 
> I'm thinking about getting one soon


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Hunting season on land is about over. Then I'll be gearing back up to get out there again. Nice report.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

If you want easy and you have windows, go with Windows Movie Maker. It is fine for basic editing, titles, transitions and adding soundtrack. That's what I used when I first started editing. I found pretty quickly that I needed more effects and control so I got Corel visual studio X3. I "found" it on the internet for free irate:YARR I still have a copy of that if you are interested. I just got a mac so I "found" a irate: copy of final cut pro and it's by far my favorite.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

I want something I can either fast forward with (such as the decent down the anchor line like you do on yours...that's cool to me) and something that I can cut boring "chunks" out with. Can Movie maker do that?

Come give me a "class" and I'll take ya diving...for FREE!!

one trip, one trip only subject to terms and conditions as outlined in the T's & C's of this agreement. Not valid for more than 1 year from date of service delivered in accordance with and compliant to all rules and regulations of the governing bodies which govern the body of the Terms and Conditions!




aquatic argobull said:


> If you want easy and you have windows, go with Windows Movie Maker. It is fine for basic editing, titles, transitions and adding soundtrack. That's what I used when I first started editing. I found pretty quickly that I needed more effects and control so I got Corel visual studio X3. I "found" it on the internet for free irate:YARR I still have a copy of that if you are interested. I just got a mac so I "found" a irate: copy of final cut pro and it's by far my favorite.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Andy and I had a great trip Bill. Thanks again. Here are a few shots that I captured.


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## Capt. Delynn (Oct 4, 2007)

That boy could very well be the best 9 year old I have ever shared a boat with. Dave you should be very proud of that little guy. You have done a great job raising him. My hats off to both of you. :thumbsup:


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## Yellowrivermudder (Dec 22, 2012)

I need to get scuba certified.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

First attempt at editing...it's horrible but at least I was able to cut out the beginning and end. no music...no audio..sorry

http://youtu.be/8LnKKAlZ0aA


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

Great report! Sounds like it was a busy and fruitful day.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

And....one more ...equally as poorly edited but ONE DAY, I'm gonna talk Aquatics Argobull into teaching me his Mastery of the Magic!!

http://youtu.be/9qOu1OjOPDQ


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## jamesw21 (Feb 26, 2011)

Very nice videos. The bugs were solid in there. Im ready to get out there with my new hero 3 black as well. Makes great videos. If you ever need an extra diver let me know.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

I do but most of our problems with getting other divers is we don't know until Friday night that we want to go on Saturday morning so by then, most people can't commit



jamesw21 said:


> Very nice videos. The bugs were solid in there. Im ready to get out there with my new hero 3 black as well. Makes great videos. If you ever need an extra diver let me know.


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## jamesw21 (Feb 26, 2011)

Billybob+ said:


> I do but most of our problems with getting other divers is we don't know until Friday night that we want to go on Saturday morning so by then, most people can't commit


I'll pm you my phone number. I keep 4 tanks filled at the house with 32 ean at all times.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Thank you Capt Delynn for your help with Andy and his fish! It is always such a pleasure having you and your expertise on board. That nephew of yours is coming right along too!

Hey Bill, I like your newfangled helmet cam!


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

naclh2oDave said:


> Hey Bill, I like your newfangled helmet cam!


Sweet!


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

Great video man.


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