Not so Stillwater Cove

Got the greenlight to dive Saturday AM so headed down even though forecast was not ideal with 9.5 foot swells at 14 seconds.

Picked Joe bloodbath up and we were greeted at the beach by that lovely sound of pounding surf and boulders being thrown around in the impact zone. 

Tide was super high so had to launch off stairs....never a ton of fun, but always prefer launching off stairs to landing on them 

Joe took some killer pics, and then I went for it...pull Kraken 13.5 down to bottom step, jump down to boulders, drag yak off stairs and into water and jump in and get out before the next set could pummel me back into stairs or under pier to the jumbled boulders between the concrete legs (BTDT).

Let out a whoop of excitement once away from shore and headed to the spot I had in mind to look for a Copper for DOTY....after 50+ drops (all between 45-55 feet) in strong surge even at depth  I decided I needed to try somewhere else.

Went inside cove to an area I got a copper a few years ago but viz was super churned up on bottom (0-2 feet) and made hunting very hard.

Went back out of cove and finished diving in a cool spot with great structure and I took a black and yellow, a grassy, a blue, a greenling, an olive, and a fat 17.5 inch rubberlip before heading back to shore.

Saw a family fishing at end of pier and it was obvious they hadn't caught anything so gifted them my fish (they were stoked!) and had a beer and headed home. 

Perch and black and yellow upgrade gave me some DOTY points but still in third...probably only have one dive left this year so fingers crossed I can find a copper and a few more upgrades to try and stay in top ten of DOTY.

Here are a few pics...didn't bother making a vid cuz no real sexy fish.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Its like you are the Santa of Stillwater!

I got bumped out of top ten, but had a great year trying all the different species.  Sometimes its hard to pick a species and actually get one the day when you are actively looking for one.  Glad you got back safe and hope there is a little window of nice water so I can make it back down that way.  I bet the shore fishing folks were glad for their gift.

Its like you are the Santa of Stillwater!

 

It was a Mexican couple and their two young kids...at first I think they thought I was trying to sell them the fish LOL, but then I switched to speaking to them in Spanish and told them that my wife was busy working and that she told me I could give away the fish if I wanted, and their faces lit up. 

I got bumped out of top ten, but had a great year trying all the different species.  Sometimes its hard to pick a species and actually get one the day when you are actively looking for one.  Glad you got back safe and hope there is a little window of nice water so I can make it back down that way.  I bet the shore fishing folks were glad for their gift.

You had a great year Duane with a lot of first and PBs!! That's what it's all about!!

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Don't give up on the White Sea Bass!!!!!

Doesn't look like good launch conditions.... I am hoping to try SWS one more time before the end of the season which might be tough

You had a great year Duane with a lot of first and PBs!! That's what it's all about!!

Very true.  Lots of firsts and even the little ones counted as PBs. 

Nice stair pics 
Going to show my 10 year old Baja Ninja them.
He still needs a fish for JAOTY and has been hounding me to get OTW.

You had a great year Duane with a lot of first and PBs!! That's what it's all about!!

Very true.  Lots of firsts and even the little ones counted as PBs.

+1 for me, too.  An excellent experience that really expanded my abilities.  I have to give a special shout out to blOOdbath who really helped my hunting with trips, tips, laughs, and gear.  Looking forward to watching a great finish, as I plummet from the rankings under a late surge of trophy greenlings and gophers.  I am waiting to see what Scallop Matt Lopez (Damanij), to whom I am also grateful for much gear and advice, is planning for DOTY.  New Year's Eve?  Good luck guys and gals and safe diving . . . .

You had a great year Duane with a lot of first and PBs!! That's what it's all about!!

Very true.  Lots of firsts and even the little ones counted as PBs.

+1 for me, too.  An excellent experience that really expanded my abilities.  I have to give a special shout out to blOOdbath who really helped my hunting with trips, tips, laughs, and gear.  Looking forward to watching a great finish, as I plummet from the rankings under a late surge of trophy greenlings and gophers.  I am waiting to see what Scallop Matt Lopez (Damanij), to whom I am also grateful for much gear and advice, is planning for DOTY.  New Year's Eve?  Good luck guys and gals and safe diving . . . .

Stoked you guys had fun and enjoyed the experience!!

Besides the competition part, I think DOTY is an EXCELLENT activity for newer divers or divers looking to push themselves to target fish that are outside of their geographical comfort zone...

I think these are the things I personally like the most about DOTY: improving fish ID skills, learning where and how and when to target different species, documenting your PBs and firsts, making new dive partners and friends, donating $40 to a worthy cause, having some friendly competition, having the chance to win some killer prizes.

Now if I can just get a darn copper!!

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim