Dive Report - Jupiter, FLA

[Johnoly]

Did the friday 3 tanker with Jupiter Dive Center today. Waves were flat on the way out and only about 2-3's in the late afternoon on the way home. No current but there still is about 1/2 inch of that silt still down there. Bugs were all over the place and everyone caught a bunch.

Last dive of the trip, I really just wanted some Mango's for the freezer. Dove in about 65 feet of water and viz dropped to just 10 feet, really crap. Also at this depth I saw no silt on the bottom, unlike the deeper depths. About 10 minutes into the dive I found a mango hole so I just hoovered on top of the reef the entire dive and took shots at mango's. No sharkie's around. The small mango's really make you hone your target skills as they are fast and quick. But my favorite as far as fish taste. I bagged 3. A nice 40" AJ came into range at the end of the dive, but I didn't want to clean it, nor go for a donkey ride in 10 feet of viz with a dinner bell ringing at the end of my shaft.

 

[Quetzal]

Looks like you had fun.

 

[OldGasser]

Great pic! I look forward to catching my own dinner here in Florida.

Please pardon my ignorance but what exactly are mango, are they in the grouper family? You mentioned they are good eating. Are found everywhere (ie, Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast of Florida)?

Thank you for the info.

 

[Johnoly]

They would be in the Snapper family and they are incredible for eating,when you put them on the grill!! They are found all over Florida on both coasts and in the keys. When they are small they are very fast. If you can shoot a mango, the rest of the fish are easy. The gulf side has bigger ones but less traveled reefs can produce nice size fish also.

Now just a forewarning,,,,,if you get on a spearo boat in Florida, you'll need to develop a little 'twang' in your voice when you talk about fish. You can't just say, I'm looking for some Mangrove Snapper.

You need to say in your best southern accent, I'm looking for some "Main-Gro's" and then people will understand that you are after the best tasting dinner in the south and they will admire you, respect you and even rinse your gear and carry it to your car for you, hoping that you will share your catch with them, especially blonde super models.

 

[Chad Carney]

Nice sized bunch of bugs for Jupiter!

You'd love the grovers up on the rigs, they get huge and they're plentiful too! The big one I shot first in this pic was almost 12 lb.

The one behind him was an unplanned stone shot... just in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Chad

 

[OldGasser]

In the Snapper family.... Again, please excuse my ignorance, I was talking with an employee at a LDS and I mentioned that you favored the Mangos for eating. He agreed that they were good but he referred the Hogfish. Just curious... what do you think of Hogfish for dinner?

Thanks for the info...

 

[Johnoly]

He agreed that they were good but he referred the Hogfish. Just curious... what do you think of Hogfish for dinner?...

Hogfish is also very good eating. Where mango is a redder meatier taste, the Hogfish is pure white and flakey meat. But me personally, I still like mango's better.

Now from the hunting perspective, I'd have to say that Hogfish are one out of 2, of the stupidiest fish in the ocean. A hog will just sit next to a fan or weed and try to change colors and act like you don't see him. Many times they will just sit still if you don't swim at them very fast. Finding larger ones on the east coast has been tough at times and plentiful at others. The gulf coast boys get the really big hogs, especially in the Middle Grounds. Just ask Chad!!

Now if you really want to start an active thread, is a hogfish a snapper or a wrasse?