Trip Report Alligator reef Islamorada

[deeper thoughts]

viz around 35/40 feet
86 water temp
no bleaching/no lionfish
seas around a foot
slight current
baitball just starting to form and the groupers/jacks are in
nice schools of barracuda are back at this reef!
porcupine fish/green morays
pleasant relaxing 90 minute dive in just a skin

 

[jeffsky29]

Are these Porgies?

 

[deeper thoughts]

Are these Porgies?

View attachment 678690

If I remember correctly margates

 

[Johnoly]

Are these Porgies?

Regulation-wise these are classified as a "Grunt" which they deem different than a porgy. In the picture it is commonly called a "Black Margate Grunt". It is an unregulated fish. It's cousin is the White Margate usually ID'd by the color of the fin tips. Just my opinion but the black margate tastes like trash even if I bleed it out immediately. But the White Margate isn't bad tasting but there are better and easier food choices in the underwater grocery aisle. The Black Margate is very plentiful in the WPB/Jup area dive sites and usually schools together.

 

[Jake 10]

Hi @deeper thoughts , did you find lots of reef life in your dive? Last time we were there (2019) it was lacking reef life.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Hi @deeper thoughts , did you find lots of reef life in your dive? Last time we were there (2019) it was lacking reef life.

It was really thick this time
I was pleasently surprised to see the cudas back
About a year ago or more they changed the fishing for them, it seemed to help