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Red Tide has taken a heavy toll on huge schools of 1- to 2-inch bait on the St. Pete Beach Artificial Reef. Dead fish are all over the bottom and floating on the surface with a few grunts, snappers, small red grouper and gag grouper mixed in. Larger gags and goliath grouper seem unaffected, and visibility is around 12 to 15 feet, creating an eerie effect around the many upright army tanks on the bottom.
On ledges in 45 to 55 feet the visibility is 25 to 30 feet with no evidence of Red Tide. Depths of 60 to 70 feet have nearly top-to-bottom clarity, and mangrove snapper and hogfish are the most likely prey for spear fishermen in these depths. Gags are becoming scarce, as bigger fish head for deeper, cooler water.
Large spiny lobsters have been spotted on ledges near the Whistler Buoy and little middle grounds. The sport season is Wednesday and Thursday. Lobsters like low ledges with live rock and coral growth. They average about 5 pounds in the gulf and can reach 10 pounds.
- Chad Carney teaches scuba & spearfishing and runs charters out of St. Petersburg. Call 727 423-7775 or e-mail info@mobilescuba.com