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Old 03-02-2018, 01:01 PM   #1
Scuba Fever
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Things Might Be Improving

I know there are Divers on this Board that REPORT that they find Halibut Every Time they go out to Hunt for Them. But for us, after decades of averaging more than 20 Flatties a YEAR, the last 5 years have dropped to Less than 1 Halibut found per year, with the same frequency of diving as before. The number of Crabs seen has also dropped precipitously. Recently, we have begun seeing both more Halibut and Crabs, spearing one Flatty per month for the last Three months. The first Pic is How things used to be, and the next 3 pics are How its been the last Three month.
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Old 03-02-2018, 02:59 PM   #2
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

What is that little lobster/crawfish looking thing in the third picture?
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Old 03-02-2018, 03:07 PM   #3
sealark
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Mantis Shrimp
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Old 03-02-2018, 03:45 PM   #4
Bob Ballew
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

There has been good halibut fishing/diving in Orange county down to San Diego for quite a while, with some 40 pounders in the mix. Perhaps, the O.C. has better food....Their spawning cycles (I think, from my experience, they spawn up shallow 4 times a year) also influence our shallow water diving results...They tend to hang in 80 to 120' depths right up until coming in shallow to spawn or feed on a bait bonanza....that is why I use grunion run schedules to increase my chances of catching some up in shallow water...Timing is everything...
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Old 03-02-2018, 04:53 PM   #5
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

[quote=Bob Ballew;2162636]..
.Timing is everything...

Timing ..... and site selection.
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Old 03-02-2018, 05:12 PM   #6
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

How'd it go grabbing the mantis? Did he whack you (and everything else in your bag once you caught him)?
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Old 03-02-2018, 06:44 PM   #7
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

funny that you mention it. Had not given it much thought but yeah, I used to see crabs all the time. Lots of them, never liked crab much so never took much but I don't remember the last time I saw one.
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Old 03-02-2018, 09:46 PM   #8
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Mantis Shrimp? Oh yeah!
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Actually, yes, that yt is almost 30#'s. Hell, it's almost as big as me!
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Old 03-02-2018, 11:35 PM   #9
U/C Spearo
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Our halibut hunting the last three years in the Monterey area as been poor. Hope we get back to normal.
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Old 03-03-2018, 10:35 AM   #10
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Sounds like my halibut observations have been the inverse of your guys! Funny how this works. I’ve been spearing for 7 years, the first 6 I didn’t see a single legal halibut (granted, wasn’t diving at night or looking for them very thoroughly). Back in July I shot my first and got really amped on hunting them. Since then I’ve seen about 15 legals, taken 5, 2 over 20LB. They’ve probably been there all along, and after seeing my first I just learned what nuances to look for...
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Old 03-03-2018, 11:44 AM   #11
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

The way it USED TO BE :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3niI0z3rPE


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Old 03-04-2018, 01:24 PM   #12
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Quote:
Originally Posted by GhostApe View Post
How'd it go grabbing the mantis? Did he whack you (and everything else in your bag once you caught him)?
I made that mistake once a long time ago, and found out why the fisherman call them "THUMB SPLITTERS". This time I scooped it up with a game bag with nothing else in it!!

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Old 03-04-2018, 01:48 PM   #13
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

How’d the mantis taste?
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Old 03-04-2018, 03:04 PM   #14
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Woah, good job on the mantis. That's awesome
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Old 03-04-2018, 07:46 PM   #15
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Re: Things Might Be Improving

Quote:
Originally Posted by NaClAddict View Post
How’d the mantis taste?
Threw it back after the picture ...
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