[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e are still working on a record setting season of diving out of Ponce Inlet. The conditions have been consistently good, with only a few patchy run ins with our thermocline. I don’t feel we ever really had the thermocline make it all the way in. In the past we would see, like clock work, around opening of grouper the early one and almost always the first day of Mini Lobster the second. 80 degrees on top and 60 on bottom with visibility 50 ft on top and 5 to 10 on bottom if the sun light even reached bottom. Here for 2 to 3 weeks and only the hard core divers would put up with it. Now this summer we have averaged 80 on top and 75 on bottom vis only patch less than 30 ft. Most days even better, almost the whole summer season. Another season like this one and I won’t want to run trips elsewhere. The question now is how long can this last? Or did we dodge it all together?
Mini Lobster season was poor, most all egged up. That means fall will bring a nice harvest of females once they drop those eggs. But the mini red snapper season was the highlight of the summer. Everyone should have gotten their one per day, if they tried at all. Keep watching for the cobia they are out and about looking for rays, the cooler bottom has aided in keeping them around. Flounder are there you need to look further and further off the wrecks and piles with all the pressure. The pressure is from commercial and recreational hunters having this unusually good run of conditions. We will continue to enjoy this and pray for it not to end. We need to also be watching for weather to effect the end of the year. All to often it becomes a season ender. Be safe, hunt safe and eat well. No fish is worth everything!!?!
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