Spearfishing on the Treasure Coast has been very good through the summer and should continue into the fall months. Unfortunately, the fall storms have turned the visibility to soup. Before Hurricane Isaac made its rainy presence known, grouper were being taken from the waters with some regularity. Size was good for blacks, gag, and reds. The weeks after the storm and with the fresh water intrusion from the dumping of water from Lake Okeechobee, grouper have been scarce. Lobsters however, are living in a total state of confusion and have all but been walking on the bottom out in the open making for easy picking. There still is a thermocline below 20 feet that drops the water temperature to below 75 degrees, less in some areas. Large sheepshead the size of dinner platters and snapper are still to be found on the reef.
In a last minute update just before going to press, the captain of the Gillbilly, the scuba and free diving charter boat based in Stuart, report things appear to be on the mend. The boat was recently out and the visibility has improved greatly, thirty feet plus. Red grouper are showing up in above average size. Mutton snapper have also come out of hiding and kingfish are still in the area if you can shoot fast and stand the ride.
If the weather holds, we are looking forward to having great fall diving and fi shing everywhere on the Treasure Coast.
As always we at Stuart Scuba are here to help you with your diving needs. Our divers and staff will be looking for you under the boat.
FORECAST BY: Christy Campbell
StuartSCUBA
Stuart, Florida
Phone: 772-600-8288
Email: info@stuartscuba.com
www.stuartscuba.com