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Old 09-22-2015, 09:52 PM   #1
tipofthespearo
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Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

Renting a boat out of KW to overnight it in the Marquesas with some family for the weekend of October 10th. Trying to make it one of those trips we'll never forget for my birthday. Planning on doing mostly freedive spearfishing but gonna be bringing a couple rods for sure too. Been doing some research for the past couple weeks on well-known dive areas out there and looking for fishy spots on Google Maps (sucks that those maps are detailed only just out to the Marquesas and no further). For now we're gonna be heading to Coalbin rock, cosgrove shoal, and ten fathom ledge/bar. That's pretty much all I got besides keeping an eye on the depth finder looking for patch reefs, ledges and the sort. Anyways, we're hoping to find some more remote spots farther out west. I understand how protective people are of their numbers, and I don't really expect any given out over a public forum, but would really appreciate some recommendations (depth, wrecks, reefs, etc.) on where to try on the west side of the Marquesas. Once again, any point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!!!

Dive safe,
Brad
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Old 09-23-2015, 08:35 AM   #2
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

If your trying to do a trip you'll never forget I would suggest keep driving the boat the extra 30 ish miles to the tortugas. The Marquesas are good but the viz can be real hit or miss.
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Old 09-23-2015, 11:44 AM   #3
tipofthespearo
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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If your trying to do a trip you'll never forget I would suggest keep driving the boat the extra 30 ish miles to the tortugas. The Marquesas are good but the viz can be real hit or miss.
Ah yea I heard that. Guess I'll see what it's like when the time comes. Probably gonna be pushing out west anyways. Don't think it'll be all the way to the tortugas tho
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Old 09-23-2015, 01:29 PM   #4
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

Sounds like fun. Keep in mind FL law is based on daily limits, so multi day trip will still be one day fish limit if you get stopped
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Old 09-23-2015, 02:34 PM   #5
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

The marquesas is a wonderful place. Ive seen sooo many cool things in the lakes passages, around woman key, bruce key and a few others. Super jelly.

I need to plan an overnighter out there myself soon
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Old 09-23-2015, 05:28 PM   #6
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

I've zigzagged the ledge all the way out there and a little past.There are tons of peninsulas that jut out,if you run a course parallel to the reef you'll hit some.Top is normally 45 to 60' bottom 90 to 120'.The Marquesas Hump is one of my favorite places down there to dive,uber fishy on the deep side.
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Old 09-23-2015, 06:55 PM   #7
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

Run out to the NW theres a platform. The surounding area is covered with spots. Vis is worse than on the atlantic reef but lots of lobster and fish.
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Old 09-23-2015, 07:56 PM   #8
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

I've done a few live aboards and I prefer the Marquesas. While my biggest black is from the tortugas, I've seen more and missed bigger blacks in the Marquesas. If the vis is crap have a plan to go west. Otherwise have fun.
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Old 09-24-2015, 01:38 PM   #9
tipofthespearo
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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Originally Posted by Man-O-War View Post
Sounds like fun. Keep in mind FL law is based on daily limits, so multi day trip will still be one day fish limit if you get stopped
Heard that! That's alright though not gonna need to bring a bunch of fish home just some world record blacks and memories
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Old 09-24-2015, 01:52 PM   #10
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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I've zigzagged the ledge all the way out there and a little past.There are tons of peninsulas that jut out,if you run a course parallel to the reef you'll hit some.Top is normally 45 to 60' bottom 90 to 120'.The Marquesas Hump is one of my favorite places down there to dive,uber fishy on the deep side.
Will be making a couple "deep" free dives on that side probably just for looks, but we're gonna mostly be sticking to less than 60' along that reef line. Everything there looks uber fishy!
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Old 09-24-2015, 02:00 PM   #11
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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I've done a few live aboards and I prefer the Marquesas. While my biggest black is from the tortugas, I've seen more and missed bigger blacks in the Marquesas. If the vis is crap have a plan to go west. Otherwise have fun.
Definitely keeping it my mind to make a run to Tail End Half-moon or even Rebecca shoal. Glad to hear there are some monsters out there
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Old 09-25-2015, 04:45 PM   #12
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

fish move around out there quite a bit, so if you hit an area and its fishy and they all disappear move again, theyll be in the vicinity. best luck out there ive had is the deep stuff, the rolldowns from 60-120 produce well.
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Old 09-25-2015, 10:30 PM   #13
tipofthespearo
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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fish move around out there quite a bit, so if you hit an area and its fishy and they all disappear move again, theyll be in the vicinity. best luck out there ive had is the deep stuff, the rolldowns from 60-120 produce well.
Thanks man! I think moving around the reef line till we find them is gonna be the main tactic. Really just can't wait to get out there

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Old 08-30-2017, 10:28 AM   #14
tipofthespearo
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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Originally Posted by 100days-a-year View Post
I've zigzagged the ledge all the way out there and a little past.There are tons of peninsulas that jut out,if you run a course parallel to the reef you'll hit some.Top is normally 45 to 60' bottom 90 to 120'.The Marquesas Hump is one of my favorite places down there to dive,uber fishy on the deep side.
Bringing this thread back because I'm heading back down there for the birthday again in a month. Planning on going farther west towards the tortugas this time though! Do you mean Marquesas Rock(?) because I can't find Marquesas Hump. Also should be focus more south or west of the tortugas? Thanks for anything
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Old 09-05-2017, 11:25 AM   #15
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Re: Popping my Marquesas cherry for my birthday

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Originally Posted by tipofthespearo View Post
Bringing this thread back because I'm heading back down there for the birthday again in a month. Planning on going farther west towards the tortugas this time though! Do you mean Marquesas Rock(?) because I can't find Marquesas Hump. Also should be focus more south or west of the tortugas? Thanks for anything
he means (excuse me if I am wrong) the hump that sits off the rolloff in the sand - 100 days a year is an accomplished scuba guy - and i believe he means one of the humps that sit in the sand just south off the rolloff in 110 ft or so - there are about a dozen of those humps from just west of key west and almost to tail end.
He means the hump directly in front of marquesas rock probably from his description.
Unless you are able to freedive 110 ft and dig groupers out of caves - you need to stick to the reef line.
Fyi - this time of year the blacks are in deeper water and the reef has been picked through a bit months ago. So go as deep as possible.
In general Aug and Sept. are not great for spearing - the commercial guys often leave town during this time.
It's still worth going and it's beautiful and alot of fun - you just may have to work a bit harder to get fish that may not be huge .
I would suggest trying to work behind the reef - in hawks channel - all the way from the very easternmost part of marquesas - to the middle or so of the islands - and work the humps in 30 to 35 ft if they are clear enough
- During the higher of high tides each day is the best visibility- about 2 hours before to one or two hours after is bluer water usually - so plan around that a bit.
Lots of fish in hawks channel because way less pressure because of predominantly bad vis - but sometimes its good- and when it is - you kill it.

As far as where to go on the reef line - just ride down the line between known reef spots and use your bottom machine - the rocks run all over the place in a line pretty much
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