Thanks everyone for your advice and warm welcomes!
I decided to chance it and drive way the heck out to France Park today. France Park was recommended to me by someone from my dive shop back home, so I really wanted to get out there and dive it sooner rather than later. I did Haigh Quarry a couple weeks ago, and was looking forward to trying a new site. I forgot that IN is EST and IL is Central, so that made getting up this morning fun. I got to the site around 9 and waited. Lucky for me, two divers showed up and let me tag along. We hit a max depth of 26' with a bottom time of 1:06. Temperature was 68*F and visibility was okay (8-12'). NO PADDLEFISH!!! ARG! Oh well, next time. Did see some large largemouth bass and sunfish.
The two weren't up for a second dive, and just as I finished packing up my car two more divers showed up, so I asked if I could join them and unpacked my gear again. It was clouding up, so vis was worse. STILL NO PADDLEFISH!!! but we had 1:05 bottom time and a max depth of 26' again.
BTW: Did anyone lose an integrated weight pouch there recently?? I found one and have it.
To answer your question CamG, I'm studying fish physiology (specifically cold water marine - yeah, in IL, go figure.) as opposed to conservation, so my department is Biology, though I could see myself going into conservation or fisheries after grad school. I actually won't be able to make it to the meet and greet because I'm leaving the country to do research on some REALLY cold fish (think south, and then think further south). Sadly I won't be diving while I'm there, but maybe next time. Looking forward to some good ice diving around here this winter, though! Maybe I'll see some of you hardy ice divers this winter when I get back.
