Humboldt Diving - 11/11 and 11/12/14 - Sturgeon Video added

Two days ago a thread on here about diving for crab reminded me of a trip I did last year where I picked some Dungeness out of Domenic's rings on Veteran's Day.  It also made me think about how clear the water was last Saturday down at the river mouth, so I decided to head back down there for a followup Vet's Day Dungeness Dive - might as well make it a tradition!   

I got down to Crab Park just as a few SIK crabbers were wrapping up their session and heading out.  I advised them that this is the second season where pots and traps are NOT allowed down there.  They were cool about it, but some people down there are blowing off the rule because it doesn't look like the local warden is going to enforce it, which is frustrating for those of us who follow the rules...

Having left Loleta with partly sunny skies and light wind, I was scratching my head about proceeding when it was cold with a strong south blowing down at MOE.  I sat in the truck and had a beer while I tinkered on my phone for an hour, and then I was ready to go for it.  Everyone had left by this time, and that was fine - it can be a chore to answer all the "are you going DIVING?!" exclamations at a spot like that.   

I got everything rigged up, launched the X-Factor with 4 baited rings, and got them deployed right out front of the parking lot.  Headed back in, got my weightbelt, mask and snorkel and fins on and headed back out for the dive.  The current and wind were working against each other, so that kept my yak next to me pretty nicely as I dove on the rings.  There weren't any legal crabs around, but I got to play with lots of close ones, and they looked huge!     It was a blast, and I look forward to another trip where I can grab a jumbo or two.

Today I dove for the second day in a row for the first time in years - I'd forgotten how a wet wetsuit feels and how hard it can be to put on.  The day's dive was with 5 fellow members of Eel River Recovery Project - we'd count salmon and other fish in a great hole near Fortuna, having counted around 2500 kings on a similar such dive in early October.

For October's dive I'd left the weightbelt and fins at home, and I'd ended up regretting it as I'm more accustomed to diving down and checking things out than just being on the surface.  Since I was ready to dive up and down in the long 15' hole as we moved downstream counting fish, I got to be in the middle position where I should see some great fish - I was stoked!

The six of us made our way up the dyke to get in at the top of the hole.  The weather was nice and the viz was around 20'.  We also had intell from another group's diver the previous day that there were indeed still salmon in the hole.  We formed up per our plan and made our way downstream in a concerted effort to move the fish toward the deep side of the hole along the dyke where they'd escape by moving past us where we could count them better than if they randomly broke through our line.

The kings were there, and the number of jacks is extremely encouraging - we saw 200 to 400 fish, and perhaps 20 to 30% or more were jacks.  As usual, we saw some hogs up to 30 to 40 pounds, and a few steelhead.  At one point a huge slug of fish moved past my section.  I had dove down to 14' or so and the fish ended up moving by me on both sides - a few within a couple of feet of me.  It was very cool, and I always marvel at the beauty of the manificent Chinook.

Bonus time was upon us as we sighted multiple sturgeon up to 7' or so, and just when I thought we'd seen the best of it all I look down to see the fattest sturgeon I've ever imagined!  This thing looked like a barrel!  It was fat like a sea lion, where most sturgeon seem to have more of a fence post type of build.  I had to dive toward it!

As I approached it with video running it sat still for me to get within maybe 4'.  Then it moved its huge tail and took off like the flesh torpedo that it was!  I was actually close enough to think, "should I reach out to touch it?!!"  Of course my immediate reaction to myself was "NO!" - those scutes are razor sharp!

We finished our dive, compared notes, enjoyed reviewing all the fish we'd seen and how cool the sturgeon were, and we went our ways.  Thought about crab diving again this afternoon, but two dives in 20 hours was enough for now.  Looking forward to another wet session soon.   

and today's pics:

Sturge:

 

Dude!  Love those underwater shots, especially of the sturgeon.  I know how difficult it can be to get a good salmon count when a pool is full of them and they go shooting by you as you float downstream.  After a while of swimming with Chinook you start figuring out where they're most likely to go around you as you float down the pool, which helps in your positioning to get a good count...and if they start blasting by you in giant balls, you learn to count "5-10-15-20" in record time  .

Those 40 pounders must've been a thrill!  The largest I've snorkeled with was probably 30 pounds.  Looked like a log  .

Great report and pics, 

I've seen allot of sturgeon, (hook and line) and they have quite a range in girth, that is however probably the plumpest one I've seen.

Awesome!!

Thanks for an awesome report and pictures Eric 

What a great experience, thanks for sharing the story and photos, AK!

I want to do this fish and dive thing. Can you list all that's needed for this adventure? I'll appreciate it so much. Thanks in advance

Randy

Amazing stuff Eric!!!

 

Thanks for sharing such a special experience!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I want to do this fish and dive thing. Can you list all that's needed for this adventure? I'll appreciate it so much. Thanks in advance

Randy

A couple Franklins and some gas $ and I'll have you on it, Randy!   

It's not hard, but you need to be in a locale where it's possible.  Come up to Humboldt and I'd be glad to guide you on any of a number of outdoor adventures.   

A couple Franklins and some gas $

At least it does not require a Salmon P. Chase!

A couple Franklins and some gas $

At least it does not require a Salmon P. Chase!

Not required, but accepted and appreciated.   

I take credit cards, but I don't give them back.   

Nice video of the Sturgeon and the Kings!

Good job.
Nice work.
Very impressive.
Really enjoyed the vid.
Thanks.
Andy