April marks the return of warmer water conditions to the Treasure Coast and this, along with large numbers of mating sea turtles, makes this a great time of year to get back in the water. Hunters should know lobster season closed April 1 and since grouper and hogfish seasons continue to be closed through the end of the month now is a great time for some recon dives to be ready for May 1.
When the water hits 80 degrees, many local divers in south Florida consider this the start of ‘dive season’ and with such a mild winter this year, it is entirely possible this will happen this month. Early in March, divers were already reporting temps in the mid-to-upper 70s! It is worth noting that even if air temps may be summer-like, the ocean does lag behind a bit and this can be quite refreshing on a hot day. As April gets underway, cool fronts are less common and the warming trend should continue.
Warming water temps also signal the return of sea turtles in large numbers to area reefs. This time of year, mated pairs of loggerheads are frequently seen on the surface and once begun, mating can last for several hours. This leaves them vulnerable to passing boat traffic. Care should be taken to avoid disturbing breeding activities. All Florida sea turtles are protected by the endangered species act making it against the law to harass or otherwise interfere with their normal behavior. Many consider it a violation to impede their direction of travel underwater.
Although grouper and hogfish are still closed until May 1, many divers are reporting them both in big numbers around natural and artificial structure in March. Scouting missions ahead of opening season are a great way to determine which spots may be productive come May 1. Consider bringing a single tank on fishing trips to make a quick bounce dive on a select spot or two to see how it looks on the bottom. This is a great way to cool down during the heat of the day and will help dial in where to get the big ones when the season open.
FORECAST BY: Steve Wood
Deep Six Watersports – Stuart
(772) 288-3999 Stuart
(772) 562-2883 Vero
Email: Steve.wood@deepsix.com
