Recent Lake Pleasant conditions/reports

[ScubaSteve2000]

Great write-up, Steve!

How deep does the "Maranara Trench" get?

First off, thanks. As to how deep the trench gets; depends where you are in the lake and the time of year. Right now it's at 1695' of elevation (above sea level). The high water mark is usually held at 1692', leaving the lake 10' below totaly full (1702' for those following along at home) to allow for flooding. Obviously the lake isn't 1702' deep but they use the elevation of the surface to report how full the lake is.

In reality the Maranara Trench is a series of channels that define the original river bed. There is an area near Two Cow Cove where we were at 80 feet and hadn't made it to the bottom. Pete's blade Runner off Vista Point goes to 130+.

I have a Fish-N-Map that shows the trench depths based on the lake elevation being at 1690' (I think). It's a handy map. Accurately shows depths like a reverse topo map. I contacted the publisher to see if they would show dive sites in a future printing but they weren't interested.

Later.

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

The bass are in spawn mode which makes them somewhat bold. When their eyes turn red they will be downright aggressive. Many a diver has been dive bombed by red eyed sex crazed bass protecting their progeny. Nobody has ever been hurt as far as I know. But I can see a cheesy sci fi thriller.

OCTOBASSHARK vs DINOCATFISH
Just when you thought it was safe....

 

[scubajcf]

Dove Sunset Cove / Beismeyer Point this weekend. Conditions were relatively good. Upwards of 30' visibility. A little Algae growth and a few catfish. The point was EXTREMELY crowded with day campers. Jet Skis and Boats were worse than ever including several verbal altercations, a couple of serios dive flag fly bys and even the Sheriff stopping a couple of boats and jet skis.

Dove Desert Tortoise Road on Wednesday morning. Visibility was great. No one but divers out there. Mid week diving is definitely where it is at. Visibility near 40 feet in spots. Lots of catfish and spawning bass.

Water temp around 58 degrees. First Thermocline at 25'. Serious thermocline at 37' Vis improves below 37 feet.

Christmas trees on west side of road are in 55' and 62' of water.

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[ScubaSteve2000]

This is the time of year that I have an internal debate on the wisdom of setting a dive flag. Obviously a class has to set one out of liability concerns. And with a larger group or class its good to have a rallying point.

It's just that sometimes a dive flag is a magnet for watercraft. Or maybe I should say foolish people driving the watercraft.


This time of year and as the activity at the lake increases I'll often set the flag just offshore. Treat the lake like an overhead environment. Come up in about 3 feet of water.

 

[milkmood]

This is the time of year that I have an internal debate on the wisdom of setting a dive flag. Obviously a class has to set one out of liability concerns. And with a larger group or class its good to have a rallying point.

It's just that sometimes a dive flag is a magnet for watercraft. Or maybe I should say foolish people driving the watercraft.


This time of year and as the activity at the lake increases I'll often set the flag just offshore. Treat the lake like an overhead environment. Come up in about 3 feet of water.

There must be a fresh story behind these comments. I'll bite.

 

[Jax]

I don't know about Lake Pleasant, but I surmise that ignorant people use the dive flag as a spin point or slalom flag.

Divers stay low, not surfacing until the water is too shallow for craft. Just my WAG.

 

[ffhamm]

I usually drag a flag/float around with me when I dive solo, but I really don't much if I'm with somebody.

When shore diving at the lake I make an effort to surface in an area that someone wouldn't want to have their boat, if I am diving off my boat, ill have a flag and surface close enough to it that I don't have to worry. I try not to dive at peak times, (ie: I usually dive during the week) and if I hear a boat close, I don't surface.

Might not make a lot sense, its just the way I do it. I figure when using the lake as a diver, I am the minority, and I am responsible for my own safety.



I think MOST boaters understand the meaning of a dive flag, and will give you a wide berth, but remember in AZ there is a distance recommendation of 100yds but not an requirement of that distance. Many divers that get pissed off about boaters getting too close to their flag are diving in or near a traffic area, and 100 yds may not work for the boat people. Also I've seen plenty of divers set their flag in a large cove somewhere and dive all the way across the cove, then get bent out of shape when a boat goes overhead.

I feel if you are going to have a flag at a high traffic area like the lake, you should be dragging it with you, not anchoring it. If you think you should have a flag, then you probably think someone will recognize it. So you might as well have it with you.

All this flag BS comes up every year... and the complaint (here) is always about the boaters. I've seen more a-hole divers clogging up the system than I have seen boats and jetskiers that are trying to steal dive flags or set up a slalom course between them. (and yes, Ive seen them too)

my 2 cents.
J

 

[pdelannoy]

Dove Vista Point today. Only a few divers out today and one fisherman family camped at the table. Awesome day. Vis was 20 feet in the shallows and 15 feet under the thermocline. Temps are 52 in the deeps and 63 in the shallows.

Lots of fish around.

PD

 

[scubajcf]

Dove Beismeyer Point / Sunset Cove on Saturday and Sunday.
Cold air temps made water feel warm. 58 Oceanic Degrees.

Vis on Saturday was good. 30 feet in the shallows. A little less at depth.
Sunday was better especially at depth.
At 80' we had 20 foot visibility and plenty of ambient light.

Lots of Karp, Bass and Catfish. In about 30 feet off the East of the wall there are seven or eight catfish, pretty much camped out there.

Ran into some troubles with some fisherman on Sunday who didn't like us Scuba diving in "their cove". We were entering the water for our first dive and I gave them the number to the sheriff and told them to call, we would be back in 30 minutes or so. Surprisingly, they left before we surfaced.

 

[MRobertson]

Dove @ Desert Tortoise Road Sunday around 12:30PM. Viz was great, 30-40ft in shallows, slightly less at depth. Water temp was 55-60 degrees. Saw a few bass, 2 large carp and 2 catfish.