ft. wetherill ......SAT may 31st?

[shellbird]

I wish I had gotten out there... Next weekend for sure. Ft.

N.E.W. you are right about the suit, I really want to try one out first and my LDS doesn't sell them. I am being really picky and doing some home remodelling so $$ is tight too. Because of my height and body shape it is looking like I will be going with a custom suit anyway. It does gross me out to wear a used suit, believe me, if I had the money to slap down I will be sporting a nice new suit... Oh well, I should have taken up a cheaper sport.

Hoping to find a buddy for next weekend...

By the way, are any of you doing the canoe/kayak trip with Metrowest Dive Club on the 14th?

 

[yak]

Anyone see any bugs ???? :devilish:

 

[nelson]

about the drive back in the rain...it was THE worst I've ever driven in...
but it was clear weather 5 minutes from my house in Fairfield all the way up to RI...got rained on at Branford and all the way back....

got to FT. W late (underestimated the travel time on 138).......next time I'll do what devil's advocate suggested...it was much faster going home....hooked up with DA and Element for a quick drink after diving.....ended up diving with some threesome from MA since I didn't find anyone from NELD....did have a few eqpt issues to deal with before my next dive...I forgot how awkward mitts are in the cold water...I was perfectly warm enough with a shorty under my farmer johns....my temp gauge read 51 degrees (as did N E W's I think)

maybe next weekend????

 

[MSilvia]

Saw a couple legal bugs I couldn't get to at Cathedral (not for lack of trying) and several smalls. I came home with one each summer and winter flounder though, and made a very tasty fish chowder.

 

[livestodive]

Got 3 just legal on Sat at Old Garden. Most I saw were in shallow so we went around the corner to the left.

Still cold down under 25 feet, mid forties.

 

[element]

Fort W on Sat. was a fun dive. I like the fact that parking was hassle free and the water temp about 5 degrees warmer than Cape Ann. I do wish the vis could be better. The only bugs I saw were very small and I have no idea on RI laws for Lobsters. Lets do it again sometime.

Note: Spectre's Directions were right on the money barring the fact I didnt know the the stop sign was downtown Jamestown. I also did not know that it was going to be a 1.5 hour drive from Natick but that was ok.

 

[yak]

MS,

I'm assuming you just stabbed the flounder?
How do you tell a summer from a winter when they're camoflaged on the bottom? The winter is darker in photos, but I'm not sure I could tell the difference in low visibility. I believe the minimum size for summer is 16.5" and winter is 12" . I'd hate to kill a summer only to find it's 15" and I can't legally take it.

And I do love flounder!:mouth:

 

[shellbird]

nelson once bubbled...


maybe next weekend????

Yeah, I am glad I didn't make the drive, I need new tires so my truck is the pits in the rain right now...

I have a family birthday party on Saturday but I am definitely up for Sunday if you can make the trip then.

What kind of equip issues did you have?

Glad to hear the temps are in the 50's, I don't like it any colder than that.

See ya next weekend?

 

[MSilvia]

For starters, I suppose I did "just stab it", but I did so with my standard hunting tool... a spear that doubles nicely as a lobster tickle stic the cap is on. With the cap off, you can put a thumb through the loop, stretch it forward and grab near the spearhead. When you release it, the whole thing rockets forward and impales your beastie. I also have it taped to indicate 14", so I can use that as a rough gauge of who's legal and who isn't. Here's a picture:

As for telling the difference between summer and winter flounder, your best bet is to look at the side of the body the eyes are on. Summer flounder are "left eyed", and winter flounder are "right eyed." There is also a left eyed windowpane flounder that is very thin and much rounder in shape than the summer flounder, and it has a noticable arch in the front of the lateral line. You shouldn't confuse a 4 spot flounder for any of these, but you can refer to this handy identification guide for more help. (My apologies for the draft appearance, but what do you want for nothing?)

yak once bubbled...

I'm assuming you just stabbed the flounder?
How do you tell a summer from a winter when they're camoflaged on the bottom? The winter is darker in photos, but I'm not sure I could tell the difference in low visibility. I believe the minimum size for summer is 16.5" and winter is 12" . I'd hate to kill a summer only to find it's 15" and I can't legally take it.

And I do love flounder!:mouth:

 

[shellbird]

Matt, you are the best!