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Outdoors

Daily fishing report

Underwater visibility is the key if you are spearfishing. If you can't see the fish, you can't shoot them. Visibility is fairly predictable on the east coast and in the Keys, but the Gulf of Mexico does not follow the same set of rules.

Dan MacMahon has been to the Middle Grounds, more than 100 miles into the gulf west of Hudson, five times on two-day dive trips in January and February: "You can see about 10 feet and that's all. There is a heavy concentration of a long, stringy algae that I've not seen before. The Grounds is loaded with gags, black grouper and hogfish, but they are really tough to shoot." Divers in the Elbow, 75 miles west of St Petersburg, report the same problems in depths of 180 feet.

In 60 feet off Anclote Key on Wednesday, the water was crystal clear almost top to bottom. Usually it is the other way around, and the algae usually blooms in spring as the water warms, not when the water temperature is in the mid 50s.

Reports from divers are the best source of information on underwater visibility. You can see my dive reports on mobilescuba.com or call your local dive store and ask what it has heard.

-- Chad Carney teaches scuba & spearfishing and runs charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 423-7775 or e-mail info@mobilescuba.com.

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