Hog spots in the keys??

[Izzoriffe]

Howdy yall, I just started spearfishing in the keys. All thought for years I would captain the boat for people and be the team player, I find my self in the water wondering were are all the Hog I used to see as the captain. I took a F.I.I. freediving course for safety reasons and overall performance. I have a good riffe paduk comp 2 gun and freediving gear. I am a good shot for just starting, but I have not been having luck finding a good hog spots were my parents have there house in the keys. Our house is near tavernier creek. I know some good fishing spots, but spearfishing spots I feel im striking out. I've gone to pickels reef and I havent done well with finding hogs. The norm I find in the keys is to drag someone behind the boat like a giant rapla looking for hogs. Just wanted to know if there are spots with hogs that I am not going to or if there are spots that have not been over fished. Im sure people wont give up there spots like that, but I will at least tell you Im conscious of conservation and I do not go over my limit. Hope someone will just maybe say check around this area or this reef is not bad lol. :friday:friday
Thanks for any replys and have a safe and fun fishing day. :friday

 

[cdavis]

Better to get some info from those who dive that area now, but, from what I've seen, towing doesn't work very well in that area anymore. The 30 ft gorgonian beds that were once so productive are mostly gone due to pollution and the hogs have been blasted into oblivion. The patch reefs are no better. The spur and groove is a little too deep for good spotting from the surface on most days.


I'd try some aspetto, laying on the bottom, on the outside edge of the spur and groove, 50-60 ft. Let the fish come to you. That doesn't require as much vis and is productive further down the keys. If you have the depth and bottom time, deeper is always better, lots of wreaks out there.

Connor