3/14 - Rockfish in Monterey (spearfishing)

With so much going on recently, I've really been looking forward to getting back in the water.   

The slight swell increase never materialized and the water was surprisingly flat.  A few last minute arrangements (him trying to wake me up by yelling outside my window) and a buddy and I were soon off to Monterey.   


Beautiful day on/in the water with visibility in some parts over 50ft!  As the tide dropped, the clarity diminished slightly, but still nice conditions.  Recent big swells have thinned out the kelp a bit.  Areas that were loaded with fish just over a month ago, were now surprisingly barren.  Other areas that weren't very fishy, now held large schools of blue and olive rockfish.  The olives kept their distance, rightfully suspicious of our intentions.

Lings were out in full force, with several double-digit models sun-bathing out in the open and smaller ones chasing after the reflective tape on the tips of my fins.  In one tight crack, I found a solid 20# ling lurking in the shadows.  2 weeks more...


Main goal was to bring home some fresh fish, so like an underwater supermarket, I shopped around and picked off a little of everything.  Managed to scrounge up a rounded stringer of 3 reds, 2 blacks, 2 kelps, a copper, an olive, and a fat grassy.

Nice stringer Harold!!!

In a few weeks, you can get that ling.

Stuart

That's awesome fuzz. WTG on the rockfish.

Jedmo

what a lovely sight! Stringer full of fish

Harold long time! Your still the harvest King!

Alex 

Wow..!!  Serious Grade of Fish... Nice shooting...!!

Gue

Nice stringer - it makes for a big smile too.   

Nice "shopping" for fresh fish.  Thanks for the picture and report.

SOLID!!! Sounds super fun.

Z

I'd say you filled your shopping list quite nicely!!

Wow great story.  It would be nice if you would give a little more detail and a few more pics please.  Did you use a kayak? How deep were you diving?

Fuzz great haul dude. I gotta get out there with you one of these days. Haven't been in the water hunting since Jan.

...hate you

Wow great story.  It would be nice if you would give a little more detail and a few more pics please.  Did you use a kayak? How deep were you diving?

Didn't go as photo happy as usual, so not a lot of pics to share.


Almost all my diving up here is off of yaks.  We were checking out different spots, so the yaks come in real handy getting from one kelp patch to another.  Diving was between 30-65ft, mostly around 50ft.  There was a sharp thermocline that made dives past 50ft quite unpleasant.




If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'm sure what else to say... just happy to be in the water & bring home some fish.

nice one(s) Fuzz. you sure make it sound easy&fun! thanks for the pic and mental visuals.

Thanks Fuzz.  That picture sure gets me excited about trying spearfishing.  Awesome report!!!