Check this out...

[Scubamedicjoe]

Seajay great picture also while I got you and andrea hear you two going on dive in may look at nc wreck dive board

 

[andrea31419]

SeaJay,

They are going to be floored...I was when I saw them! I don't actually know those divers, but my friend who sent them over does. Post them...they are awsome!

We've been checking out the temps in the Gulf, they are slowly rising. Water temp in the low to mid 60's is a little chilly for me, but when it gets around spring water temp or a little lower...I'll be ready (smile). Remember...I'm allergic to cold water

Wayne is starting his divemaster this weekend, but after that we should be able to do some diving! I'm very anxious to get wet again!

Andrea

 

[SeaJay]

Three weeks ago I went diving to the Eagle's Nest... The 65' tug sunk out there that's an incredible place to find a variety of reef fish. Depth 65', vis around 40'.

The water inland was around 58*, and I was expecting slightly warmer temps offshore, close to the Gulf Stream. What I got was 50*! I dove that in a 3/2 mil with a hood... And I 'bout froze! Robyn, my 95 lb. sweetie (not an ounce of bodyfat on her) dove to, in the same conditions... I have no idea how she managed it. Fifteen minutes into the dive our brains began to short-circuit, and we called the dive. We couldn't talk ourselves into getting back in.

What a shame to waste what was otherwise a gorgeous day to dive.

Today, the inland waters were 64*, although vis has plummeted badly. It's down to about 3 feet (from 10 in really cold water) now, and should progress to it's usual 1/2" of vis by summertime. Offshore, the buoys on my site all are registering near 70* water temperatures (divable wet) but that's 70 miles offshore... Where we dive... 20 miles... I can assure you it's still in the mid-50's... Maybe just getting to 60* if we're lucky. I wish I had a closer buoy to go by.

Anyway, we should still plan... A warm day like we've had here and there would make even chilly waters livable.

Here's those pics, for those of you who haven't seen them... These guys are locals who "fish" by walking into a local body of water and dangle their fingers down for bait. When they find an interested fish, they simply reach out and grab 'em. No kidding. The technique is called, "noodling."

Nobody said that the locals here were real smart, boah.

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat1.jpg

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat2.jpg

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat3.jpg

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat4.jpg

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat5.jpg

 

[detroit diver]

Holy Sh*t!!!

They use their fingers as bait? For fish THAT size? Those people are really whacked!

Do those fish have teeth, or do they gum their prey to death?

I've got a great idea-give them a mask and they can use their heads as bait for the REALLY big ones!

 

[Dee]

Reminds me of the channel cats and blue heads in our local lakes.

Yes, they have teeth but they are very small and located along the inside of the bottom lip...more like rough sand paper than pointy teeth.

They get lots bigger than that.

 

[SeaJay]

Yep, they entice them to approach by wiggling their fingers at them.

With mouths that big, no doubt they could swallow the whole arm!

When I worked at the Aquarium in Charleston and hand-fed the sometimes very large fish there, I learned a bit about feeding habits. They sorta "pop" the food into their mouths with one large, loud "suck." The immense pressure no doubt stuns their prey, and they simply swallow.

Since the catfish can really only swallow your hand or up to your elbow, all you'd have to really do is sorta grab hold of the fish from the inside, even if it had swallowed your arm. No doubt the pressure doesn't feel too good (the idea is to entice them but not get them to actually swallow your arm) but I don't think it'd cause any permanent damage.

Teeth? Sorta... Kinda like a "bony plate" thing, with serrations... Definitely something to be careful of, but I don't think you'd die or anything...

Never had it happen to me (I have more brains that to fish like this), but I don't think that they'd really take a hand off or anything.

Hey, doesn't this one look kinda like a prop out of the '80's "B" movie with Kevin Bacon called Tremors?

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat3.jpg

 

[Agape]

OMG that thing is HUGE!!! :whoa:
Had no idea those things got that big.

 

[SeaJay]

And Dee says they get bigger!

I've never seen catfish this large personally, but the river that the pics were taken in is right up the street, so...

I guess they really do get that big!

Scary to think that I've been diving with these guys all along...

 

[Hooked4Life]

I have heard stories how big those cats get, but the pics put it into perspective. WOW.

 

[detroit diver]

SeaJay once bubbled...
Yep, they entice them to approach by wiggling their fingers at them.

With mouths that big, no doubt they could swallow the whole arm!

When I worked at the Aquarium in Charleston and hand-fed the sometimes very large fish there, I learned a bit about feeding habits. They sorta "pop" the food into their mouths with one large, loud "suck." The immense pressure no doubt stuns their prey, and they simply swallow.

Since the catfish can really only swallow your hand or up to your elbow, all you'd have to really do is sorta grab hold of the fish from the inside, even if it had swallowed your arm. No doubt the pressure doesn't feel too good (the idea is to entice them but not get them to actually swallow your arm) but I don't think it'd cause any permanent damage.

Teeth? Sorta... Kinda like a "bony plate" thing, with serrations... Definitely something to be careful of, but I don't think you'd die or anything...

Never had it happen to me (I have more brains that to fish like this), but I don't think that they'd really take a hand off or anything.

Hey, doesn't this one look kinda like a prop out of the '80's "B" movie with Kevin Bacon called Tremors?

http://www.islc.net/~lra/cat3.jpg

That fish is bigger than the guy holding him!