Hello all Seahunters,

    Feb. 11th, 4 AM, the phone rings. "Moose, it''s me, Tony. NOAA changed the

forecast again. What do you think we should do?" I reply, " I think you need

to take off those pink fuzzy slippers and get ready."

    My first dive was on a ledge twenty something miles from the inlet. I

descended through a clear blue clean column of water until I reached 30'' at

which point it turned dirty. I didn''t see the reef until I was 10'' from the

bottom. I worked up the ledge nearly 200yards with Tony who was trying to

get lobster while I was going to shoot some fish. He managed to get four

bugs while I managed to lose two huge grouper which pulled free from the

shaft. I was broken hearted. These guys were thirty to forty pounds. There

were plenty of eels and bait. Lots of mango snapper and red snapper too.

    My second dive was on another ledge in the area off the first one. We

fished it for thirty minutes with no luck except a small red grouper. It was

loaded with lobster. Tony pulled nine while I pulled seven. I managed a fat

mango snapper too. The bottom temp was 64 F and I felt cold after 30

minutes. This reef had more 10LB mango snapper than you could count. I

couldn''t believe my eyes when I saw how many were there and not a single one

would take a live cigar minnow. There were no grouper in sight.

    My third dive was on a ledge we crossed one day looking at the depth

finder. It was scattered rocks on a sandy hill. The vis wasn''t good so we

went from rock to rock looking for lobster. We found one, but he was being

guarded by three huge Stout Morey eels. I motioned for Tony to get it and he

shook his head no. After thinking for a few seconds, he decided to get him.

He knew what would have been said on the boat if he didn''t try. He got the

lobster. It was a great day offshore.

IMPORTANT: THERE WILL BE A GATHERING OF SEAHUNTERS ON SATURDAY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF POWERHEADS. PLEASE RSVP TO MOOSE FOR TIME AND LOCATION. I NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

The Moose

www.SeahunterS.com

USCG Master

NAUI Instructor

407-831-5667