St. Pete/Clearwater Dive Operator recommendation?
- Thread starter mbethveg
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Missdirected
Contributor
jess4diving
Contributor
i am with Ann on this one and have been diving with all three of these Captains! Speaking of.....I need to get down there soon and see you Tamponians!
Ed Jackson1
Guest
We went out with Tanks-a lot on Memorial Day. It was the first time I’ve been in the gulf in almost two years! Captain Mike and his wife recently took over the business in January and are very enthusiastic about diving. They took us to the Sheradon which was a nice unexpected treat. I recommend them for anyone looking to dive out of Clearwater. We had a great time and will be doing alot more gulf diving.
robandliza
Contributor
Could you post details for Earl,Ty and the rest on here please guys......may pop over myself this summer
Thks
Thks
Missdirected
Contributor
Captain Earl, Wet Yet, 727.271.7087
Capt. Ty, BarbaraLee, 727.622.3304. You can also pm him here on the board at "Capt. Ty"
Captain Mike, BlewByYew, 813.390.2583
Scuba Ann,
Yes, Because we are the Only Coast Guard Certified dive boat in the Tampa Bay area we have special rules we have to follow that the six pack dive boats do not. (along with lots of inspections and safety equipment) Give Captain Rod a call at Dive Clearwater or see if you can sweet talk Chad into taking you out.. Saw Capt. Rod yesterday out in the Gulf. Our trip Monday to the Blackthron and Sheridan was so good my wife talked me into taking her back out again yesterday so she could dive them all day. We did a half day trip, 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Did burn 13 of the 15 tanks we had with us. Being the Captain I never get to dive any more, just the bus driver. Captain are not allowed to get wet on a charter. So I soaked my gills all day also.
But with no spearfishing our dive charter guest get to get up close to Big Grouper and hog fish along with other fish that scatter after the first shot is fired.
Been spearfishing for 30 years and had a commercial Lic and have shot thousands and thousand of pounds of fish. So I like it... just can not do it from my boat on a charter.
If anyone wants tips on how to shot a lot of fish drop me a email.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PICTURES FROM OUR TRIP MONDAY. You will see what I mean. My wife should have them posted today or tomorrow.
I am getting a lot of calls and may do another SPECIAL trip to the Sheridan and Blackthorn this Sunday. It is tough diving it on the Weekend because Monday there were 9 boats parked on it. We did the Blackthorn and by the second dive all the fisherman left so I set the hook in the Sheridan.
Lots of bait, sharks, cuda, jacks, Kings and other fish now.
Missdirected
Contributor
This is a tale that sadly keeps getting perpetuated thus causing many non-spearos to not want to dive with spearos on the boat. See the follwoing report for some proof of that. I saw several goliaths - around thirty. Several sharks. Bait wall about 15 foot high, etc. Further, if all fish scattered - how would spearfisherman ever get more than one fish? Just food for thought. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gr...-conga-line-w-bulls-blacktips-ggs-turtle.html
You are half right in what you say. The GG and sharks love shooters. Bait?? Have had several GG try and take the fish off my shaft. Did have one large GG eat a 40 pound cobia that I had in my hands. The GG can be a bigger pain then the sharks. Have danced with about 10 sharks over the years while shooting. Never lost a fish to a shark or had to Kill one yet for that reason. Some sharks I had to poke 10 to 15 times before they would give up.
The fish you will not see are the Big Blacks. Try going bird watching with someone shooting quail ! Get my point!
Shot many thousands and thousands of pounds of fish the past 30 years. If you just count the trophies 3 feet tall and big plaques I have won shooting fish I have over a 100 of them.
The Gold Medallion I wear around my neck is from winning the ST. PETE OPEN as DIVER OF THE DAY. There were 275 of the Very best shooters I was competing against that day. I shot over 350 pounds of Jacks in about 3 hours. Between the 3 of us we had a 1,000 pounds (gutted weight0 of jacks on my boat.
I am guessing a 1,000 pounds of jacks is MORE them most memeber including you shoot in a year. I have Well OVER 5,000 dives in the Gulf shooting fish. I had Federal and State permits to sell fish. I did 15 to 20 divers every week, spent at least 10 to 20 days shooting in the Grounds and 7 to 10 days shooting in the Keys every year.
I have over a 1,000 good spots to shoot from Crystal River to south of Key West.
I shoot more fish in one day them most people shoot in a year. In one 15 minute dive I would shoot more then most of boats do all day from Post I have seen. I can email or post some pictures if you want.
I think I am a little bit MORE quailfied to talk about shooting fish them MOST board members are.
Big Blacks know if you are after them. Just the sound of a metal stringer hitting your shaft will send them running. They can pick up your heart beat underwater.
IF YOU really want to shoot BIG fish and a LOT of BIG fish then you ONLY put one diver in the water at a time. That is the ONLY way we did it. Some deep wrecks 120 to 200 feet we would anchor and put two divers down at once. The anchor line helped for the deco stops.
The Best ledges to shoot big blacks are the small ledges, less then 2 feet tall and short. Some of my best ledges are only 6 inchs tall. New divers make the mistake of wanting to dive on big ledges. Many of my best ledges are only 10 to 20 feet long. Some are just a large rock in the middle of no where. I found that wreck posted (on chart) in 90 feet of of Tarpon and it is just 3 little rocks now but have pulled 200 pound of fish off it at a time.
The best ledges besides being Very Small run East and West as All serious shooter know. There is NOT many of them in the Gulf.
Years ago I was working as a Dive master for a charter. Went down to set the hook in the Clw Wreck. There were 6 grouper over 25 pounds and one over 30 pounds. I could almost pet all of them. I could almost Gill grab them like you do Red Grouper.
How many times have you been within 2 feet of a 25 pound gag for a long time with a gun in your hand ??
They all 6 followed me around like puppy dogs and watch me go back up to get the other divers. Had I even had a gun in my hand I would of never been able to get that close to them. There is a LOT about fish I have learned over the years diving with them. . I would of been able to shoot one or two of them with my gun.
When the other 6 diver went down to dive they did not see one of the big Blacks. (really Gag's) The vis was top to Bottom that day also. Too much noise!! Too many divers.
Most shooters who go out on charters boats are new shooters. Most of the more serious shooters all have their own boats or belong to Dive clubs like the Sea Bunnies, SPUC or Seals that dive every week.
IF you watch a video someone posted of shooters on the Sheidan you can see what I mean. You never point a gun within 180 degrees of a person underwater. (Just like hunting with real guns with other hunters) Look how the guns are pointed at each other. You NEVER hold a shaft of a loaded Gun. Watch the Guy hold the shaft, almost pointing the gun at himself while taking a picture. They are both new shooters and we all did stuff like that many, many years ago including me.
In just 20 seconds of Video's you see things no one on my boat has ever done in over 20 years.
I love to Shoot but it is way too dangerous putting divers in the water with new shooters. That Video proves my point. I am saving that link to show people who do NOT understand why I do NOT like new shooters in the water with a lot of other people. NO WORDS NEEDED.
IT is my job as Captain to use all the knowledge I have learned from being on the water for 40 years to protect my guest.
So Dive with Captain Rod or some of the other small outboard six pack boats if you want to Shoot fish. If you want to see fish, not worry about getting shot or having hungry sharks play with you go with some one who does not have shooters on the boat.
It is NOT really good for either party. The Shooter will Never see big fish or shoot a full stinger on a dive. Yea one or two small grouper or a few hogs maybe. I have yet to see a post of 5 to 6 big blacks on a single stringer from a single dive like we do from one of the charter trips.
The main thing is Everyone have FUN and PLEASE BE SAFE.
P.S.
IF any one is interested in diving the grounds I am working with a group that can fly you to a Motel that will be parked in the Grounds to dive. (4 star I understand) They have a 12 passenger high speed copter. Also a large boat to run you out. There is a 100 foot dock on the back so you could take your boat out and sleep in their hotel. Can Gamble, eat at their resturant and drink at their bar. Will have four 35 foot cats on the barge to fish or dive from.
Contact me direct if you want info at flamike@Tampabay.rr.com
I will be training some of their staff.
If any new shooters want some pointers on how to shoot big fish contact me. Lots and lots of tricks I have learned over the past 30 years. I can put you 5 years ahead of the game.
Good LUCK!
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