Freedive Hunters

Captain Delivers

2009-07-27T12:59:00.001-07:00

25# Yellowtail. Frederic proves to be the real thing... yet again.

Dad's gone, let's party

2009-06-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Overnight to Catalina. We arrived to the east end just in time for a late evening dive, before the sun set. We dove hard - the pressure was on to find something to bbq for dinner. We were unsuccessful.

On the way to Avalon Harbor, we were approached by Fish and Game in a speedy boat; they were eager to climb aboard and inspect. The opali sitting motionless on the poop deck was of no concern. They checked our licensed, inspected our cubby holes, and then left us in peace.

We decided to get a morring in the harbor. When we secured our station, a crew member, who will remain nameless, set out on a mission: get the crew to land in time to watch a movie in the theater.

We were desparate for a night on the town - Avalon style - later, we'd realize that our expectations were set too high. The plan was sound, the plan was solid: just swim over, untie the small boat, paddle it back, pick up the crew, go back and dock the boat, and walk peacefully onto the lush streets of Avalon. Sounds easy enough. Our brave crew member set out...

It's hard to see above, but the boat was in reach and the plan was coming to fruition... that is until those pesky teenagers that worked for the private yacht club caught us. They argued, cursed, and mocked us, until the harbor patrolman was called. We explained our innocence, and we had just escaped a night in jail.

Desparate still to walk the streets and get a feel of land under our feet again, we called for a shuttle.

Jason looks refreshed after a tasty order of nachos.

After a disappointing showing in the town, we decided we'd be better off with grilled hot dogs and hot chili - Jordan's specialty.

Eric is enjoying the last of his fountain drink.

Probably my best night sleep on the boat to date... First thing next morning, we headed to San Clemente island. There was a brief sighting of small sized Yellowtail, but only Calico were eager enough to stick around.

The anchor was about 60 feet down and wrapped tight around an object.

Jordan set out to rescue us once again. It takes shere concentration and will power to dive that deep and wrestle with the line and anchor. With several deep breaths, he primed his lungs and plunged into the depths.

We made our way back to Catalina to gas up and fish. With one shot, Jason nailed two baracuda. Jordan and Tom delivered Calico.

Look at the size of that fish! New world record?

Jordan rescued the crew from absolute disaster. Jason and Tom held Jordan's legs as he disassebled the propeller and installed a replacement.

We were out in the middle of the ocean with our fate hanging tough in the hands of Jordan.

Operation was a success. We landed safely into Hunting Harbor. Jordan was the MVP of the trip.

calico again

2009-06-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

The stakes are always high when these guys head to the sea. However, this trip was pretty uneventful. We did round up our usual suspects - a handful of Calico. Do White Sea Bass exist?

Jordan secretly plots to overthrow the captain... but does he have what it takes to provide the demanding crew soft boiled eggs, boiled yams, brie and baguettes, and the ever-famous busy, protein pancakes? I don't think so.

ewww!

2009-01-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Santa brought the Fishmaster a brand new fish bag - big enough to transport several Calico, YT, WSB, Lobster, Bonito, Dodo, etc. all together, all the while saving enough space on the poop deck for the seamen to wrestle around. A happy and very cold crew - so cold a couple of the FDH stayed out of the water.

College boy Link was the first to get in the water. He was anxious to swim and was playing in the kelp beds by himself for a while before he spotted a nice sized white sea bass. He approached the sleeping beauty, but wasn't able to get a shot off before the ghost was spooked.

We had to cuddle closely to keep warm on the poop deck; it's ok, as long as there is absolutely no eye contact made.

A couple of browns came to investigate our activities... we tried to feed the wild animals, but they apparently don't like Hawaiian bread rolls - so picky.

The discussion on board was thick, but we've promised that whatever happens on the poop deck, stays on the poop deck. We left empty handed, but we found some spots we'll enjoy venturing in the near future.

quick and dirty

2008-11-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

The crew was thin Saturday with Fred, Jordan, and Tom. We decided to get out early, dive hard, and come back at a decent hour. South East Catalina offered reasonable visibility and a fair shot at Bonito, Sheephead, Calico, and Lobster. The water was cool, but just the week before Captain spotted a few YT, so there was still hope. Jordan had achy breaky head, so diving was ill-advised. He chose to support the crew and come along anyways.

Tom was excited to try out his new Rob Allen. His first six seconds under water, he comes up with a beauty.

Fred made quick work of a good-sized sheephead. We then trekked off to the quarry in search for lobster. No luck. We wrapped up the day with a hard dive at a secret location reserved for FDH alone. Three calico and two lobster later we headed home.

The drive home was interesting. The entire sky was filled with smoke due to the wild fires out of Brea and Yorba Linda. What an unimaginable sight! We are thankful no harm came upon our family or friends in the area.

bugs - opening night

2008-09-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Three Freedive Hunters carried out tradition as we made it out at 12am opening day of lobster season - Tanner, Darren, and Tom. The conditions were fair+, and there were plenty of young, curious lobster creeping out from their holes. We all had several catches, but only the legal-sized made it in our bags.

The surge was strong, and we often found ourselves getting banged up against the rocks. It was a fun outing with sightings of Sculpin, horn sharks, sting rays, etc. The water is getting colder, but the lobster are out - let's go get 'em!

missing legs and will, our lobster made it home in the wee hours of morning.Size comparison...

- TJ

angle of the dangle

2008-09-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

We had a bit of a rough start getting out... prop problems, but nothing our fearless Captain couldn't handle. Captain Frederic and First Mate Jordan.
We all dove long and hard at the Quarry, but no signs of YT. A few Calico met their maker, and Tom and Jordan got an early start on lobster hunting by scoping out the good spots. Jason S. brought all the weenies and condiments for a good grillin'. Fred worked up a nice fish/chicken noodle soup. A warm meal on the boat is always appreciated.

Captain Fred and Deck Hand Tom grilling some dogs under the warm sun.

Jordy enjoys his relish.
BBQ master, Jason Sneddon.

Young punk kids and their midday sleeping habits... This nap was much needed. We tried to get in all the rest we could for our evening dive. a nice day to dive... woulda been nice to actually get some game fish flopping around on the poop deck. We came home with Calico and Bonito. recording our miles, spending, and fish caught... our Captain does it all, he can even spear two Bonito with one shot! Yes, he did!

-TJ

local diver missing

2008-09-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 12, 2008
Searchers still looking for free diver missing off Laguna Beach
Man who was spearfishing has been missing since Thursday evening.
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ and KELLI HART
The Orange County Register

LAGUNA BEACH – Several agencies are continuing to search offshore waters this morning, looking for a free diver who went missing Thursday evening while spearfishing, authorities said.

Using fire boats, helicopters and a snorkel and dive team, officials began searching for the man at 6:20 p.m. Thursday, when he was first reported missing, said Ensign Stephanie Young, public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard.

At 10:30 a.m. today, two boats, a helicopter and three divers were visible near the coast near Wesley Drive.

The man, who has not been identified by authorities, was spearfishing with three other men near Aliso Creek, Young said. The Laguna Beach Police Department contacted the Coast Guard, which launched a helicopter from its Los Angeles station and a 41-foot patrol boat from Long Beach.

Snorkel and dive teams from the Laguna Beach Lifeguards have also been sent out to sea to search for the man.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department is assisting in the search as well, sending a fire boat to try to find the man, said Lt. Ted Boyne of the Sheriff's Department.

Officials searched until 1 a.m. this morning, and began the search again at sunrise, Young said.

At 8:10 a.m., the Coast Guard suspended its search after "exhausting all of their models," she said.

Coast Guard officials take into account time, conditions and other factors to determine the survivability of the victim, she said. Search teams have not found signs of the missing man since the search began and the Coast Guard suspended its efforts.

If new information is found, the Coast Guard will resume searching.

As of 9:45 a.m., officials with the Laguna Beach Police, Laguna Beach Lifeguards and the Sheriff's Department were still searching the water.

More information to come.

Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361

wet dream

2008-09-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

It was April the 41st, being a quadruple leap year. I was driving in downtown Atlantis, my Barracuda was in the shop, so I was in a rented Stingray, and it was overheating.
So I pulled into a Shell station - they said I'd blown a seal. I said, "Fix the damn thing and leave my private life out of it, okay pal?"

While they were doing that I walked over to a place called the oyster bar -- a real dive, but I knew the owner, he used to play for the Dolphins. I said, "Hi, Gil!!!" You hafta yell, he's hard of herring.

Gil was also down on his luck. Fact is, he was barely keeping his head below water. I gullied up to the sandbar, he poured the usual - Rusty Snail, hold the grunion, shaken, not stirred. With a peanut butter and jellyfish sandwich on the side -- heavy on the mako. I slipped him a fin -- on porpoise. I was feeling good, I even dropped a sand dollar in the box for Jerry's Squids -- for the halibut.

Well, the place was crowded. We were packed in like sardines. They were all there to listen to the big band sounds of Tommy Dorsal --what sole. Tommy was rockin' the place with a very popular tuna -- "Salmon Chanted Evening." And the stage was surrounded by screaming groupers - probably there to see the bass player. One of them was this cute little yellowtail. And she's giving ME the eye, so I figure, this is my chance for a little fun - you know -- a piece of Pisces. But she said things I just couldn't fathom. She was too deep, and seemed to be under a lot of pressure.

Boy, could she drink. She drank like a... she drank A LOT... I said, "What's your sign?" She said, "Aquarium" I said, "GREAT!!! Let's get tanked!" I invited her up to my place for a little midnight bait. I said, "C'mon baby, it'll only take a few minnows." She threw me that same old line, "Not tonight -- I got a haddock." And she wasn't kiddin' either, 'cuz in came the biggest, meanest looking haddock I'd ever seen come down the pike. He was covered with mussels. He came over to me, he said, "Listen shrimp -- don't you come trolling around here."

What a crab! This guy was steamed -- I could see the anchor in his eyes. I turned to him, I said, "Abalone -- You're just being shellfish." Well, I knew it was going to be trouble, and so did Gil, 'cuz he was already on the phone to the cods. The haddock hits me with a sucker punch. I catch him with a left hook, he eels over- it was a fluke, but there he was, lying on the deck, flat as a mackerel, kelpless. I said, "Forget the cods, Gil, this guy's gonna need a sturgeon."

Well, the yellowtail was impressed with the way I landed her boyfriend. She came over to me, she said, "Hey big boy, you're really a game fish. What's your name?" I said, "Marlin." Well from then on, we had a whale of a time. I took her to dinner, I took her to dance, I bought her a bouquet of flounders, and then I went home with her. And what did I get for my trouble? A case of the clams.

labor day catch

2008-09-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Shore diving - a nice, little pocket between Laguna Beach and Crystal Cove. Though the viz was poor and the surge high, I set out anyway. I was diving around 30 feet, skimming the sandy bottom for halibut and found no sign of life. I ventured over to the nearby rocks, and the viz opened up to about seven feet. I saw a school of about 20 Calico on the side of a big rock - a sight I've never seen before. I snuck around the back to see if I could pick off a big one, but they were all too little. I kept diving... finally, a large sand bass made its way toward me, and I sat still and waited for it to turn. It finally did ever so slightly, right in front of my gun, and I fired. I gave it dimples - in and out right behind its mouth and through the gills. He was mad!
As soon as I pulled up my catch under water, two seals came to investigate. I headed back in, saw a nice-sized leopard shark, and called it a day.
A delicious eight-pound bass. It ain't YT, but it fed my family the next two days, and it sure was tasty.

- TJ

we got our fish anyway

2008-08-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

After you guys dropping out like flies, we tried to leave to find out the channel was close until a Navy Ship at the ammunition pier departs. After waiting an hour we finally got permission by the harbor patrol to proceed through the channel. Just out of the harbor I tried to accelerate and found out the boat would not get on plane. No power....tried to troubleshoot it ourselves... for another hour then decided to put the boat back onto the trailer and take it to Maurer Marine to get it fixed. They claimed they found the problem (Gasket at the fuel filter), we launched again, went out, same problem. This was not a good day. We decided to proceed anyway at 8 Knots, it took 4 hrs to get to Catalina, arrived there at 18:00 to find murky water everrywhere... Definitively not a good day.

After trying little Farnsworth and Church rock and seeing nothing, as last resort we try the open water in front of the Seal Nursery beach - just on the line separating the clear water from the cloudy water, sending Link first to check things out. All of a sudden we see his gun floating so we jumped into our wet suits and quickly shot a YT each. By that time it was dark and Link shot another one just before getting out of the water. Saturday morning no sightings....

Report by: Captain Fred

spear extravaganza

2008-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

We didn't take that many pictures because Jordan spent half the trip puking from a head cold. I guilted him into going. We also didn't get very many fish. I believe the count was three Bonito and one Sheephead. Tyson got a bonito, Jordan got a bonito and I got a bonito and the Sheephead. We had never seen so many sea lions before and were constantly being watched or harrassed by one. Tyson practically wouldn't leave the boat for fear of being raped by a Sea Lion. The seas were rough to and from the island and our fearless leader nearly didn't get us to the island as his orienteering was a little off and the captain and the first mate couldn't figure out how to get the GPS to work. The water was colder than expected but we still got some good scenery in the kelp on the backside.

Santa Barbara Island backside

The Prince and First Mate lunch break

Contraband

Cooling off

First Mate with camo face paint

Sheephead population control

Jason Shaka

Jordan underwater acrobatics

Captain spends over $400 on gas... ouch

Report by:
Jason Sneddon

Open Tourney

2008-07-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Anyone interested? We have some time to think about this, but FDH may want to represent...

http://www.picassoamerica.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=57&products_id=197

OS Kelp

2008-06-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the FDH crew headed out from North San Diego County in hopes for ghosts and yellows. Fred and Link went out with some friends while FDH scooped up Ryan and Doug, our favorite Fathomier, to join us on the Fishmaster. The two vessels launched simultaneously, and the race to the kelp was on!

A happy seaman
A rocket scientist joins us... Doug was able to show us a few pointers while tolerating our juvenile shenanigans...Both vessels united temporarily to discuss our findings, or lack thereof. While Jordan was inspecting one of JBL's latest guns, he slipped and scrambled, and finally ended up in the water fully clothed. He claims he did it on purpose to liven things up and garnish the morale, but we know better.
We all enjoyed watching an episode of Jordan vs. Ocean
Fred, Guy, and sons wishing they were amongst the seamen on our poop deck

A couple of young Calico went the way of the grave in style, and the local kelp paddies made for excellent hunting structure, but the visibility was so poor (even for WSB) that we ended the dive early and took up paddle boarding.

-TJ

The Day Tom Missed Out :(

2008-05-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I dont have much to say. The day was perfect minus my best mate Tom! SUCKS! You should have been there Tommy boy it was your day.

GWS?

2008-05-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Four crew members were off to West End Catalina in search for... this story is getting old - it seems we are always in search for White Sea Bass. Well, we were a little closer this time, so keep reading...
An unspoken truth: the first one in the water gets the biggest fish. Jordan started putting his suit on before we left the harbor, and when Jordan grabbed the wheel to drive, Tom secretly slid into his suit -the race to be first was on!
On our way out, we were treated with a large school of dolphin, so big it must have covered about 2 or 3 football fields! We slowed down and went right through the school. A lot of them started swimming alongside the boat and directly beneath us.

They were jumping and feeding and swimming about. It was a beautiful spectacle.

Here we are holding tight onto Jason's legs, so as to acquaint himself with our seawater, mammal friends.
Our first stop was backside of the West end. The conditions were less than poor - viz was no more than four feet and murky and the current and surge were strong. Jordan and Tom were silently uneasy, but dove for a good twenty minutes. Tom ran into a Calico that had just eaten about three anchovies, and was in no condition to escape - Tom capitalized! We headed back to the boat and begged Fred to take us to more friendly waters.

Second stop was on the front side. Conditions were slightly better, but still kelpy, 5 or so feet of viz, murky, and quite eerie. After about 25 minutes of diving, Tom was diving fairly close to shore in 30 ft deep water, when he ran into an unexpected predator. Tom was silently cruising through the kelp at 15 feet, hoping to run into a prized WSB, when he glanced left to find a large grey/white fish making its way through the kelp just three feet away. Tom lined up to take a shot thinking it was a White Sea Bass due to its similar color pattern. The body of the fish was unusually large in size, and Tom was beginning to think he'd land a new world record. He continued to turn and adjust to locate the head of the fish, but wasn't able to since it kept swimming steadily forward. Finally, the tail came into sight, and this was the shocker - it was not a flat and wide tail like he'd been hoping - it was a lot like a shark's tail instead. This took a couple of seconds to register... when it did, Tom just about soiled his wetsuit while swimming to the top with his gun pointed in the direction of the shark. Quickly, Tom located the boat and furiously scurried off, constantly scoping around him to ensure no sharks were following. Jordan made his way over to the boat where we thoroughly discussed the situation.

The consensus was that this was not a fish, but rather a shark. We identified it by process of elimination, and the decision was made that this was none other than a juvenile Great White ranging in length of 7-8 ft. Frederic continued dressing himself with wetsuit, belt, and gun and headed off to that exact spot, while Jordan, Jason, and Tom decided Fred needed some alone time in the water.

While the rest of us were gathering our thoughts and nerves, we let the boat drift with the current while Fred was drift diving and scaring all the sea bass out of the water with his preceded reputation as a WSB killer. He did have a sea bass sighting, but wasn't in position to fire.

We packed up and headed South East for one more stop. This was a fun dive with plenty of five plus pound Calico hiding in their holes. Jordan was in the zone and nailed a healthy Kelp Bass and an unlucky male Sheephead.
Jordan treated us to a nice meal of roasted weeny. You can see Fred in the background showing us youngsters the art of stealthy hunting.
The sun was shining, and the air was warmer than what we have been experiencing lately - it was a welcomed climate change in deed.
Happy hunters - we live to see another shark.

-TJ

working out the kinks

2008-04-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

We are up and running again! Mr. Calico and Capitan put in a lot of hours and sweat into renovating the trailer, and now we are finally able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Usually, the first day of the season for the Freedive Hunters is considered to be a trial run, even though we always hope for Yellowtail or the scarce White Sea Bass (deep down, we know those chances are slim to none).

It was an early start to the day, and most of the crew was expectantly unprepared. Line needed crimping, spears needed sharpening, weight belts needed adjusting, masks and snorkels needed reuniting, boat needed last minute TLC, etc.

This week's fearless crew: Frederic, Jordan, Tom, Jason S., Orion, and Eric.

Fred's critique on Jordan's technique: "Jordan managed to pull the boat out of the driveway without demolishing the neighbor CMU Wall. The launching technique still needs work. The idea is to launch the boat in the water as opposed to launching the boat on the dry part of the ramp (As John "The Magnificent" is rumored to have done in Mexico). Jordan also brilliantly performed the back up of the boat back into the drive way with 1/2" to spare on the wall side."
Cozy in the cabin.
Hercules distributed his famous flapjacks, and the crew was ready to dive.
Can you tell who is who amongst the many camo Yazbeck suits?
Remember the unspoken rule of respect regarding Captain Frederic: you speak when spoken to, and you may never make direct eye contact with him.

No fish pictures this time. We each had a go at a Kelp Bass, and Eric annihilated an entire school of Sheephead. There were baby Yellowtail sightings - too small to shoot at, but exciting to see. Diving conditions were decent - we enjoyed about 10-15 feet of visibility in most spots, and the water was a chilly 55-56 degrees. It was almost warmer in the water than being on the boat in a wet suit with the cold air blowing. Needless to say, the diving was fun. We are now ready for warmer waters and bigger Yellowtail.

We are getting good at this boating stuff.
Look at all the FDH shirts! When are we diving next?
Frederic's report of the savory Calico he consumed later that night:
"Calico was lightly steamed and served with a Tarragon/Lime/Butter sauce on a bed of spinach sauté with garlic. Autopsy revealed the following: Its last meal shortly before the fatal encounter was octopus. It has some kind of learning disability as it had been shot before."

-TJ

frosh/soph shenanigans

2008-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Double kayak + Tom + Jordan = Disaster!!!

If there were only a video camera rolling... we would speed up the pace and add hilarious fast-playing piano music - we would be You Tube stars!!!

It was amateur hour at San Clemente. Darren spoke of WSB and reef structure, so we set out.

Our first launch attempt: We loaded the kayak and strapped down the gear as best we could. Darren, BSB Exterminator, quietly removed all his gear from the kayak before we launched (Good move. He had a rough kayak experience a year or two back, and he knew what was about to go down). Jordan grabbed the front handle of the kayak, and Tom grabbed the rear handle. We thought we timed the rolling wave sets perfectly... we charged! As soon as we hit the water, my foot got trapped in the fish hook hanging off the back, I tripped and dove head first in the water. In the mean time, the kayak was turning sideways and trapping Jordan between itself and a crashing wave. Jordan went under, the kayak toppled, and gear went everywhere. We scrambled and gathered up the floating gear as quickly as we could. No lost gear at that time, but the Honzo sword's shaft was damaged - my gun was pinched between Jordan's leg and the kayak, and the shaft was totaled; the tip of the gun was split and chipped. D'oh!

Second launch attempt: We loaded the kayak yet again and secured the gear a little better. Calico in front, Jedi in back - we charged again. This time Jordan hit the drop off where the sand stops and went under. I kept running forward, and I too hit the drop off and went under. We had a floating, unattended kayak; we scrambled yet again with oncoming waves in sight. Jordan flops on top of the kayak like a seal and falls off the other side. I make an attempt and secure my seat on top and start paddling over the oncoming waves in fear we'd have a repeat tumbling. I make it over and wait for Jordy to swim out to me - no way am I heading back into danger. We made it out this time!

We had a hard time finding the reef where the alleged White Sea Bass dwell, and Darren is determined to find it, so he swims off on his own leaving the two unsupervised amateurs on the kayak. Jordan gets in the water and swims around and figures he wants to dive a bit. He swims to the front of the kayak where the fins are strapped down, unties the cords, and frees up all four fins. The fins start slipping into the water quickly - this alarms Jordan, and he quickly scrambles to gather up the sinking fins. He is able to grab three and notices the fourth is sinking like a brick of concrete, in a hurry to join Davy Jones' locker. Jordan tried with all his might to swim after it - keep in mind he is holding three fins in his arms (none on his feet to help swim) and has a weight belt around is waste. It sinks too fast, and the fin vanishes into the deep. I am unable to jump off and help, because I was holding the two guns and paddles, so all I could do is watch - where's the video camera?
We are beyond angry at this point - an inoperable gun, a lost fin, and shattered hopes, but the losses are not over. We decide to pack it in, and Darren offers to buy us breakfast at Pipes to boost our spirits. We approach shore and notice the swell has picked up a bit. We get closer and closer. We are as patient as we can be at this point, waiting for the right moment, timing the sets, waiting, waiting... ok, now!!! We paddle hard into shore. As soon as we commit, I look behind us and a huge wave out of nowhere approaches fast. It nails us before we're able to make it. We get toppled and gear goes everywhere; we scramble and grab whatever we can in our reach and make our way to the sand out of the ocean's evil grasp. We must have made ten trips to the shallows and back to sand within a minute and completely exhausted and out of breath, collecting as much gear as we possibly could. We were able to collect most of our possessions, but the ocean claimed my mask, stringer, bent gun shaft, and Jordan's fin. Total damage = $420, but memories and the experience gained are priceless.

-TJ

puerto rico's finest

2008-04-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mr. Calico and The Jedi headed to the Atlantic for a rendezvous with Puerto Rico's finest spear fisherman, Roberto Reyes - his credentials can be found at http://www.puertoricofreedivers.com/.

We got a late start the morning March 13. Beto took us to a private launch - he blind-folded us, so we wouldn't remember the way. First stop was a nearby buoy - 20-25 ft deep dive, where we'd dive for chummers which we'd later use to try to lure in the larger fish in deeper waters. The water was warmer than we could imagine, but the merk was thick. No catches the first dive.

Notice Mr. Calico wearing his newly acquired FDH shirt below.

Second chummer fish stop yielded nicer returns. At the bottom, I snuck up on a large fish, not knowing what it was, and nailed it. My reel was buzzing underwater - the fish took off and zipped around the large buoy structure. I followed it around the structure under water, then quickly swam up to get boat help in fear my line would run out, and the fish would fight enough to drag me under. I swam to the boat just in time to hand off my gun to Beto. The line ran out, and the fish continued to fight. We finally worked it up gently and loaded it onto the boat - a barracuda! These grow much bigger in PR from what I'm used to in So Cal, and I'm told these barracuda are often double this in size.
It was a fun start to the day, and I headed out for more. The next dive - a permit! Of course, I didn't know what it was until Beto had a look at it. He says, that these are a prized, delicious fish. I was surprised to feel this fish's strength under water - this 6 pounder felt more like a 20 pounder due to its pulling strength. Beto says they grow much larger than this - must be a gorilla of a fight with one of those bigger ones.
During this same dive, Mr. Calico made quick work of a curious tarpon. In the merk, this fish just happened to be so curious as to approach Mr. Calico head on, the fish turned slightly, the gun fired, and the fight was on.
Puerto Rico offered the warmest waters I've ever experienced and visibility that cannot compare. Too bad it's such a long flight over there... just one tip for travels to PR - DON'T FLY AMERICAN AIRLINES!!!

-TJ

last call for lobster

2008-03-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

March 19th, the last day of lobster season, I decided to head out one last time to try and capture some bugs. I booked a dive trip aboard the Conception out of Santa Barbara. I arrived at the boat at 1 a.m., loaded my gear and found a bunk. There were 21 other divers on the boat so getting a spot was a feat in itself. At dawn I went up on deck and saw that we had made it to Santa Rosa Island. I’ve been on many trips where the destination was either Santa Rosa or San Miguel and we weren’t able to make it due to weather, so at the sight of Santa Rosa I knew the day was off to a good start.

Our first of four dives started at 7 a.m. I jumped in and spent about ten minutes around the boat in search of good structure (i.e. reef or lobster habitat). There wasn’t a lot of it, so I decided to make the long swim in towards shore. I knew that if there were still lobsters in the shallows in Laguna Beach, there must be some in the shallows of the islands. There were—I found some excellent structure with an abundance of lobsters. I didn’t have much time, since I spent most of my air (I was scuba diving, not freediving) just getting to my desired destination. I had about fifteen minutes to go for as many lobsters as I could. I was able to bag three on this dive.

The next dive I decided to head into the shallows again and was able to grab another three. The third dive I couldn’t find any good habitat and came up empty handed. The last and final dive of the day I was determined to get my seventh lobster for the day, which would be the limit (I’d never had a limit). Fortunately I found a good place where I knew there had to be lobster. I had about fifteen minutes of air left, again, and I grabbed a lobster but upon measuring it, discovered that it was just barely short. Then a minute later I grabbed another and it was legal by ¼ of an inch. I had accomplished my goal and started back on my mile long swim back to the boat. After getting all my gear off I was able to grab some lunch and head down to take a nap during the three hour ride home. Even though lobster season is over for six months I’m stoked for the spring and summer to come to go after some wsb and yellows. Fish on!

Written by:
Darren Harline, BSB Exterminator

Boat Update

2008-02-26T17:03:00.001-08:00

Captain Frederic and First Mate Jordan have been diligently working every weekend on the Fishmaster - specifically, its trailer. Some of the weight-bearing beams, among other items, needed some TLC. After a lot of man hours and elbow grease, the trailer should be in tip-top shape to carry the crew's vessel to far away harbors with ease. With the boat's inaccessibility, the crew has become somewhat restless - especially since lobster season is soon coming to a close.

Enjoy the clip below, and we'll be back to hunting SoCal waters asap!

-TJ

I caught you a delicious bass...

2008-01-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

The fog was thick as we journeyed from Huntington Harbor to East End Catalina. Captain Frederic was on high alert watch, so as to not run into other boats and objects. We were again in search of the legendary WSB, but knew our chances were slim in these cold, Winter months. We headed straight for Synagogue Rock, but instead of settling for poor viz, the crew decided to back track an RCH to try our luck at Seal Beach. Here, we enjoyed about 15 feet of visibility with sightings of monstrous Calico, as well as lots of the usual - Sheephead, Opali, Perch, etc. Mr. Calico led the morning onslaught as we each speared a good size Calico; Thomas snatched up a few spiny bugs to boot. Link was able to join us after a 5-month hiatus - his studies as a high school senior have yielded a whopping GPA of 4.25. We are hoping he lands a top-notch education and career, so he can support the crew's demanding diving adventures. The water was a chilly 53 degrees and forced Link out early. The kelp forest and rocky structure allowed for interesting finds, and some of the largest Sheephead and Calico the crew has seen for a long time. The seals made sure we knew they were there, as they frequently swam close by.

Jordan posing in his new European 7mm

Fish of the day - Calico!

Delicious bass...

Next stop was near the Quarry kelp beds. The water seemed a bit colder, and the fish were scarce, so we packed it up early and headed home. Frederic showed us amateurs how to hunt Calico as he nonchalantly loaded the boat with a big bass. He also gave us a lesson on the proper technique of filleting a fish.

providing for our families...

Zoom in and look at the smorgasbord of sea lions

Fillet a fish like a black belt:

even Mr. Calico is impressed

of the shat family...

-TJ

First Dive of the Year

2008-01-02T17:02:00.001-08:00

The crew welcomed a new year and a new hunter into the club- Jason Crowder. Mr. Calico brought party poppers to bring in the new year as we ventured out of Long Beach Harbor. The appetite for White Sea Bass was fierce as we traveled to Palos Verdes. The crew was also anxious to try out some of their new gear Santa had gifted them just a few days prior.

Capitan wasn't planning on joining us, but he couldn't resist as he gazed upon all the guns, gear, and brie cheese. The thought of White Sea Bass and lobster even got him in the water. He lured a decent size Calico onto his spear and reminded us all why he is Captain.

Ben was the first one in the water. Everyone was moving a little slower than usual... maybe the 53 degree water had something to do with it. Here's Jordan helping Ben get zipped up in his new suit. Mr. Calico has some competition now with his little brother, but Jason better start picking on bigger fish if he wants a shot at the title.
The lobster were abundant and biting. Tommy landed a few bugs.
Unfortunately, there were zero sightings of the alleged WSB; the Freedive Hunters are beginning to think these fish are make-believe. The viz was poor - maybe 5 ft, but opened up to 10ft closer to shore. The Hunters agreed we'd like to dive this spot again- the kelp forest was beautiful and will probably yield WSB in the future. We ended our dive with Jordan's thick burgers right there on the poop deck. It was a great first dive to start off '08.

-TJ

Turkey Dive

2007-11-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

With turkey in our bellies and pumpkin pie running through our veins, no fish were safe. Freedive Hunters were three: Darren, Jordan, and Tom. We tried a new spot today at Crystal Cove. The viz was spotty at best, til we reached the kelp beds, then it opened up to a hazy 10 ft. Mr. Calico murdered an unlucky juvenile calico, and we took 3 bugs home with us for a yummy post-Thanksgiving supper. The dive spot has potential with better viz. We'll definitely try our luck there again soon.

-TJ

Local Dive

2007-11-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

It was an early lobster dive for two of the Freedive Hunters this morning. The viz was a cloudy 8-10 ft. Though there were signs of lobster life, Darren and Tom left empty handed. There were lots of shorts and a few of legal size, but they were just too hard to get. Tom located a couple scallops and was able to out muscle one from its kung fu grip. Overall, it was a pretty uneventful dive. Lobster season is in full swing, so we're hoping to get in on the action in the coming weeks.

Darren catches a monster on opening night 10/28/07.
-TJ

Poop Rock & WOP Garden

2007-11-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

There were talks of strong Santa Ana winds this weekend, but Captain Frederic called nature's bluff and we dove Catalina anyway. First stop, Poop Rock- named for its famous brown trout. Bottom dive from the boat was about 55 feet, which Jordan and Fred experienced firsthand chasing after dropped slings. Schools of Bonito were circling constantly, but their cautious behavior made for challenging spearing. The yellow tail were running too, but these one-footers didn't merit our best efforts; we hoped for the arrival of their bigger brothers & sisters to no avail. After much frustration and missed opportunities, Tom speared three bonito. Jordan assassinated two calico; this was only the beginning -he later wiped out an entire school at WOP Garden - they don't call him "Mr. Calico" for nothing. After a bit of free diving, Darren grabbed his tank and headed for the rocks in search for lobster. His efforts yielded a beautiful bug. The viz at Poop Rock was decent, but a little cloudy.

There is no happiness compared to that which is experienced on the poop deck.

Look at these smiles!

Next stop -WOP Garden, aka Olive Garden - it is always a spectacle. There is so much wildlife. The excitement of the feeding frenzy of thousands of mackerel on sardine attracted the rest of the creatures - eels, lobster, octopus, calico, rock fish, whisker do's, whisker don'ts, etc. Jordan and Fred were able to hook a few mackerel as they were lured with the shiny end of their spears. Jason got the tank to explore the garden with ease. Darren and Tom headed to the beach in search for lobster. Tom was able to grab a bug, and Fred convinced a large Bonito it was time to meet the end of his spear. After Jordan demolished a couple hundred years worth of Calico, he snatched up a couple bugs and called it a day. This is one of the crew's favorite spots to dive.

The way home was a little bumpy from the wind. Darren drove the entire way home. Here is Captain Frederic manning his vessel.

The crew is happy and hungry.

The Fish Master!

-TJ