So if you haven't been out much you probably haven't missed much in the way of great conditions. However with the changing seasons we are starting to see some good visability and calm days so I recommend everyone get out and get some diving in before winter.
Halibut diving being one of my ruling passions I have been out twice this past month and rewarded with good vis and abundant fish. My personal goal on my last halibut excursion was to get one free diving which I had never done and was able to accomplish. I am now convinced that in the right conditions this is a more advantageous approach than scuba diving for them.
The water was clear and the fish were spotty and being without the tank allowed for a broader veiw point to find sparse fish. We shall see if this theory holds true on future dives. In poor visibility the tank is the only way to go.
We will all have a chance to explore these theories further this Saturday, as the club is diving for halibut at Tomales Bay. Meet at Lawson's Landing at 8:00 am. Make sure you have secured a boat ride or are bringing your own boat.
I am looking forward to the annual Peace expedition. As always it should be a lot of fun! Thank You Gary for putting it all together each year!
I look forward to seeing you all out on the water.....
--Jock Doss
Conditions were fantastic. Great visibility, and nearly flat seas. It was still cold, but you can't have everything. As Jock mentioned, the fish were spotty, but they were there.
I got the first fish, on my first drift. It was just over 20 pounds! I was thrilled. Jock says that I was babbling on the surface while I was handing it to him. This was my first fish while spearfishing, so I am hooked! As an added bonus, my doctor gave me a prescription for Scopolamine patches, and they worked, so (knock wood) no more small boat chumming for me. I suspect that my lack of production in this area will not be missed.
Jock was too modest, by three, when he mentioned getting 'one.' Jock freedove to a limit with three nice fish.
Two weeks before, on 9/15, Bob Simpton went on a little dive. He sent me an email saying "I speared one so big that it broke my spear gun." I'll let him tell the rest of the story:
"I have a story about the one that got away. The halibut dive I did with Jock and Bill Davenport. They were coming up with halibut left and right. There was so much halibut that the bottom looked like it had a case of small pox."
"I was having difficulty spearing one. Finally on my 3rd try I speared one. I came up to the Zodiac ASAP to give my gun to Jock for retrieval. When I was near the surface I tried to pull up my catch and it didn't budge. I said 'Ohshit I speared an angle shark.' I quickly gave my spear gun to Jock and swam to the other end of the Zodiac knowing that if I speared an angle shark, he was coming up mad and chomping."
"Jock said that this was a big fish and finally brought it to the surface. It was a 35# - 40# halibut. However when Jock tried to bring it in it darted away breaking my coil line and taking my spear shaft and tip with it."
"At least I have Jock to testify to this tale. I won't ever criticize you for throwing away my tiny halibut about 2 months ago."
Lots of fish and lots of fun!
A long dock provided lots of safe space for the many boats and a place for the kids to catch small fish and feed them to the seals that hang out at the fish cleaning station waiting for the scraps.
The Saturday Potluck was a stunning exercise in excess, and everything was wonderful.
If all goes right, we will be able to reschedule our planned November speaker, Ron Gaul of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, for December.
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) has launched "Reform California's Gillnet Campaign" to bring pressure to bear on the state and federal governments to reform these wasteful and destructive fisheries. We look forward to building a coalition on this campaign with a wide variety of environmental, sportfishing and animal protection groups. There are 9 different gillnet fisheries in Calif.
The three biggest gillnet fisheries target halibut, swordfish/thresher shark and white sea bass.
The California Drift Gillnet Fishery for swordfish and thresher shark presently has more than 100 vessels that fish offshore from San Diego to San Francisco. Drift gillnets can be over a mile long and up to 158 feet wide, the equivalent size of 16 football fields (or 948,000 square feet).
They are attached to the stern of a fishing boat and allowed to drift below the ocean surface during the night. The nets, by law, must be pulled up before 2 hours after sunrise. By then, most captured marine life has drowned. Vessels also use aircraft, and satellite imagery, to maximize fishing effort by locating fish and spying on competitors.
Rocky will be unable to make the lobster trip, and is willing to let his spot go for $325.
October 4th-General Meeting at Round Table
October 6th-Halibut Dive! Lawson's Landing at 8:00!
October 14-16: Lobster dive on the Peace!
October 18th-Business Meeting at 'the' Sushi Bar in Rhonert Park.
November 1st-General Meeting at Round Table - Peter Otis is scheduled
November 15th-Business Meeting
December 6th - General Meeting at Round Table, Ron Gaul of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project will speak.
December 15th, Saturday, Christmas Party at Rich and Heather Gibson's house
Stony Point Roundtable Pizza
2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Jed Douglas RED WEB: http://www.webperception.com/jdouglas
Rocky's Home Page: http://www.sonic.net/~rocky
(with great tips on Abalone!)
CA Dept of Fish & Game: http://www.dfg.ca.gov
California Coastal Buoy Map: http://www.oceanweather.com/~oceanwx/data/cal.html
Marine Radio - Michael Mendoza
O2 Kit - Jed Douglas
Fish & Ab Log - Jed Douglas
Picnic Supplies - Dave Batt
Contact these members for use of the equipment.
Michael Mendoza - Vice President
Jed Douglas - Secretary
Bob Simpton - Treasurer
Rich Gibson - Newsletter Editor