Got a chance to sneak out Thursday to the Madeira Beach and South County Reefs. Clear blue water on top and from 15 to 25 feet of vis and greener near the bottom. Seeing the dark reef material from the surface made freediving far less hassle than the usual summer method of hunting for the structure early in a dive and trying to spear a fish late on a breath. Couldn't get on the good sites on the S Cty cause it was loaded with boats, so I moved back to Mad Bch and finally got on the wall.
Large mangrove snapper were everywhere, and that was good because the gags were too little. I stoned about a 6 pounder and got bit on the leg by another nearly as big! :shocked2: Vis was maybe 15 feet and shaft on my gun blazed clean through so I slid quickly down the line to contain it, but before I got to the mango he got his canine caught on my shorts. Tried to pull him off but he adjusted his bite to include the inside of my thigh... way too close! That hurt pretty good but let me get a grip on his gills and I yanked the biter off me!
After shooting some more, these unusual westerly afternoon thunderstorms chased me back early to fillet up the grovers. This has been a great summer for freediving!
Chad
Large mangrove snapper were everywhere, and that was good because the gags were too little. I stoned about a 6 pounder and got bit on the leg by another nearly as big! :shocked2: Vis was maybe 15 feet and shaft on my gun blazed clean through so I slid quickly down the line to contain it, but before I got to the mango he got his canine caught on my shorts. Tried to pull him off but he adjusted his bite to include the inside of my thigh... way too close! That hurt pretty good but let me get a grip on his gills and I yanked the biter off me!
After shooting some more, these unusual westerly afternoon thunderstorms chased me back early to fillet up the grovers. This has been a great summer for freediving!
Chad
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