The last Day to Hunt 6/15

[H20doctor]

Well it would seem at the last moment things happen, and this last Friday I got a call from seaslave about coming up to dive in san Juans… So with a thought it was game on for the last day of lingcod season.. I loaded up the van with tanks and a dive friend robb and we drove up to birch bay.. once there we loaded the boat and we were off south to hit the spot..

it took about 40 mins to boat there and the first team in was Matt and his friend.. we were diving an island , more like a rock that was coming straight up out of the water from nowhere.. As we arrived to live boat the dive the water was clear and green and looking great for 2 dives in the san juans..

After matt finished his first dive , he came up saying that he had lost his spear shaft to a beast at 70 feet , so he had the hurt put on him by a ling with an attitude.. but no worries as we had 4 spearo’s on the boat with 3 more guns . It was our turn to get in and hunt and robb and I splashed over the rails to plung into the cool cold waters here on this rock… as we dropped and I hit bottom we both loaded our bands and started hunting.. this spot was just great , white sandy floor with large rocks coming up from the bottom, lots and lots to see with kelp blades rolling in the current, snails riding on them as they eat lunch for the after noon .. large white plumose anemonies on the rocks also covered in coralline algae , huge purple urchins everywhere , in large clusters ontop of eachother .. we made our way around the south point of the rock and the current was picking up , but we just let us take it until we reached about 55 feet and then it slacked off, we were now rounding our way on the south slope of the rock.. and the view was much different.. large rocks and cracks decending down into the depths.. some with large cliff faces that open up into deep pockets and caves… I get a shot on my ling here and it wasn’t enough as it didn’t get him all the way … he then ran up slope into a crack and I had robb poke him to get him out.. He comes out and I still cant get the shot on him as he heads down to deeper water… I swim after him being carefull not to spook him as he could bolt off in a flash.. ive already hurt him and I want to make sure I take him , and not leave him for crab bait.. Im now at 75 feet and I see him duck into an outcropping with a ledge, I know if I cant get around in front of him I can take a kill shot in the gill plate.. dumping air from my Bc I get positioned and there he is.. I line the shot up and squeeze the trigger… He is Mine.. robb and I head back up to 50 feet and I get him on my stringer.. there are some massive Black rock fish here in the 80 to 100 feet range , full grown adults , and I havent seen rocks that big since Neah Bay … Back up to the kelp and we finish dive 1 with 2 lings and a nice dive… dive 2 was the same with Me and Robb seeing the whole south side of the island as its only about 100 feet long… I shot 2 kelp greenling, and Matt go a cabbie and also his ling for the Day … I also enjoyed the seals here as they were basking in the sun on some nearby rocks .. No puffers Birds here today but I did see some birds with bright red feet, living on the rock as there home.. So a big thanks to Matt for the invite , and another amazing dive in the san Juans with nice viz…

the dive site

basking in the sun

[H20doctor]

[Seaslave]

Nice post Chris! Thanks for coming up!


-Mathue

[Gdog]

great writeup! Nice hunting

[sitkadiver]

Nice looking catch. Hope you remembered the Old Bay.

That one dude looks familiar....

[pensacoladiver]

Great write up. Congrats.

[Tom Nic]

Nice write up.