Wreck off Chincoteague

[Krabill]

I ran offshore with a friend to a close wreck and broke out the scuba eq. I was going to look for two anchors that we lost last year. This was my first time diving offshore, I was a little nervous following the anchor line down! I got to the wreck and was in aw from all of the fish, it was like swimming in an aquarium. I came up instantly and told keith to give me the speargun, I was going huntin! 5 minutes later I came up with my first speared fished, a sheepshead about 5lbs. There was a school of 5 or so and one turned broadside at the wrong time! I let him dump my fish off and went back and swam around the perimeter of the wreck. I found a school of much bigger tog and shot 2 about 7lbs. I never did find any anchors, but man was that awesome, I am hooked!!! Pieces of the wreck rose about 12-14ft above the floor and had tons of life, flounder, bass, tog and tons of little strange different fish. I missed a flounder by inches with the dive knife!!

Had about 12' viz at least if not more

[fishooter]

There is some excellent diving off Chincoteague. Glad you had a good time. How deep was the wreck you dove?
Mark

[Krabill]

40'

[fishooter]

Cool. You get loads of bottom time at that depth. You could even do it without a tank with just minimal practice.
Mark

[Spearo]

Some numbers would be nice too[grin]

[Krabill]

Yeha, I prob could do with out the tank, but im a sissy and like to breathe.

I have sextant angles if you want numbers[smile][smile][smile]

[Mako993]

Do you think it's a doable free dive spot?

[racn35]

I AM SURE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS PAGE TOO, BUT JUST IN CASE...........

http://www.ldcscuba.com/dive-wreck.htm

[Fiddler]

Nothing like your first time on a wreck.

[FOWLER267]

Anyone have GPS #s to any of the wrecks near Virginia Beach?

I'll be down from 7/28/06 thru 8/6/06 with a 17 ft boat for nearshore diving/spearing

[racn35]

go to jim baughs website

[rj]

http://www.freewebs.com/rjmur/VA%20GPS%20List.xls

[Capt.Nick]

When I had my boat at OC,some guys in the slip next to me used to dive at night.They'd come in during the morning with a bushel of Lobsters.

[Krabill]

I had a day off from tuna fishing so I dove the ol wreck again last wednesday. I got two anchors, that took a while cutting the lines and hooking them up to ours. I went hunting after that. I did horrible! Lost a big tog, had a flounder with my knife and he got away trying to put him on a stringer, then I saw a decent size AJ and went for him, shaft didnt stick and he was gone! err. I still had a great time, viz only 8-10ft and strong current. We did get some spades after I came back up. I will be back working on the boat for the next 2 weeks im sure.

http://www.toplessfishingcharters.com

Anyone know what is the minimum depth to find lobsters? I havent seen one yet

[27 sailfish]

You might be glad that AJ got away.We call them wreck mules.Try a lift bag for the anchors next time.Real easy to use and you don't have to "carry" your find back to your anchor line. Skip

[diggy23662]

has anyone tried spearfishing at the cbbt this year? if so what was the vis and the water temps like. any info on local diving would be great.

[bluetuna757]

Just Read your message.If by chance your going out to dive any wrecks off the Eastern Shore, drop me a line, I've been divingfor about 5 years, just havent had a chance to dive off the ES.

Thanks Mike Perez

[Spearo]

IF conditions are perfect, I said IF, I would try at the 1st. island at the CBBT and stay close to shore. Out of RI you'll be offshore on a 17ft. boat and there is nothing you can do about the weather, it can turn bad fast. What about radio, kick motor etc.

Best of luck

[Krabill]

Good Idea on the lift bag that would have helped, I was lucky and they both were only about 10ft away hooked together.

I dont have all the little toys yet, got to spend some more $$

What other things do you carry down with you when you go?

[Spearo]

Not much, as little as possible. if I'm freedivin, try to get that fish in the boat pronto pronto and right back to work.
With scuba, if I'm in 15' to 20' just the same as freediving if the boat is just overhead but if the boat or the shore is 50' or more then I just take a lg. bag with a line about 6ft. long and take it alone at the tip of the fingers always ready to let it go in a hartbeat or a fish metal stringer by JBL if I know the site produces very few fish. An extra spear tip (rotating long winged twin spinner rock point) is a must, a sausage, two 44s magnums alum. tip in a film container and a power head (I'll never use it and I have proven that many times, you just don't have the time when the "Sh*&^% hits the fan" but It make you feel safe, mentaly. It's all in the head, an old habit from yesteryears.

[karlista]

Be careful shooting something like an amberjack. A diver died several years ago. The diver shot the AJ on the bottom, and the fish took off towards the surface with the diver in tow. The diver never recovered from DCS 2. Also, why kill something you are not going to eat???

[Spearo]

Specialy Ambers, it a sure thing! Unless you get a hit in the spinal cord then you can handle them with one finger.
Some species head up and away, some keep the same line but away from the hit and the rest try to head back to the safety of the wreck or reef avoiding going outside of the perimeter.

This is one reason to plan your hunt and check your size and limits ahead of time:
1.Early bird get the warm: If you're the first on the site the chances are better than if others are already there but if you been there before and know the site, how where thigs are and have some experince you will come out ahead even if the others have more expensive gear than you.

2. First time on a site (wreck) what do I hunt for: Remember that top water fish like: Blue Fish, Cobia, Macks, Spanish Ambers Dolfhin, wahoo will hang around for a bit but will not wait for you all day not even your second dive so if you're going for these you should do it first. Larger fish take off first and stay just behing the smaller ones that's why they are bigger so forget the one at the tip of your spear an aim for the one that you can't see 100%, you'll be surprice at the size ones you go thru it and bring it in close. LOL

If you're targeting structure type like: Sheepshead, Blackfish, Trigger and Sea Bass you can take your time, they'll be going in and out but will remain in place, Triggers will move on you to a nearby site if there is alot of pressure so target them before the others, larger fish first.

Remember that groupers know how to read and write and if they're not in a hole they will keep just out of range, you're time is limited so stop the chase and try to get some meet in that cooler.

[Krabill]

Thanks for all the info! I will take it easy with the AJ's, for now...