Cal , Catherine and I went out yesterday. Visibility got close to 30 feet at the high tide but dropped down to about 20 as the tide came in. There was also some west bound current. which fluctuated throughout the day.
There were a lot mangrove snappers on the on the reef. Once mangroves get to be a certain size they get more difficult to shoot, in my opinion The mangos start swimming sideways when you try to shoot them, making them a smaller target. Also the really big mangroves we saw ran immediately upon seeing us.
We also saw some 20+ lbs pound snapper, Cuberas I think. Neither of use could close on any.
Blew a shot on a black not sure how, he gave me broad side a few feet away, but I over shot by an inch or so. Sometimes I think when fish are really close or the if the shot looks too easy, you relax and blow it.
Ran into a school of permit, dozens of the them in varying sizes. Cal shot one. I know spearing permit is illegal in Florida state waters but we were in federal waters
more info on where federal waters are here
The federal waters border is also a gray line on the NOAA charts , and the 3 miles extends from any point of land including a rock pile on a reef.
Also had some 20# crevelle jacks hanging out with me for awhile. But decided against shooting them.
We shot Permit, yellow jacks, mangroves, ciro mackerel, trigger fish and a spade fish
Also saw jewfish, nurse sharks, turtles etc All the usual reef stuff. Vis wasn’t good enough for really taking pictures underwater.
Saw a big school or tarpon smashing the surface past the edge of the reef in 50-60 feet of water
