On a whim we managed a dive a couple days ago (ahead of the latest snowstorm) after work. It was quite nice, with very clear water and spectacular late-day lighting. I took my monofin since this spot drops off quickly and I was thinking deeper dives. But I also wanted to get some pictures in the awesome lighting.
Water Temp was 36f and the air was probably low 40sF.
Immediately I encountered a Gizzard Shad in shallow water. It looked awesome against the textures of the surface and the rocky breakwall so I tried to get shots from below. Normally I can swim right along with the shad - they move fast and change direction often but don't generally bolt of you are right in with them. With the monofin it was impossible to swim and hold the camera steady at the same time. I was also weighted for neutral at about 25 ft and the depth was 12-15. The result of all that was that I had to stop swimming to take a picture - but hurry because I'd pop to the surface like a cork. I did most of the dives on half a lungful - to mitigate the weight problem - but would have to reposition myself frequently, with a lot of effort, after each shot - to do multiple shots per dive. After herding the poor shad around for awhile I was exhausted and nauseatingly hot. Got a couple nice shots though.
Next I headed out along the interesting bottom contours to a deeper area. I took a decent surface interval but it was fairly active. The water was clear enough, even in the late day lighting, that I could see bass resting on the bottom 40+ feet down. I did a few recon dives then a nice 1:20 dive to about 44 feet and crawled up on a big smallmouth sleeping there. It was a very easy dive. Next I spotted a burbot, one of my fav subjects, and did a series of three dives with irresponsible surface intervals trying to get pictures of it. I thought it was in maybe 35 feet of water. The burbot's response to my sticking a camera in it's face was to simply turn it's back. Got some good ones though. The dives all felt stupidly short.
On the way down to the burbot I spotted a good-sized northern pike laying on the bottom in deeper water. It's markings were interesting - head, back and tail yellow, but it's sides were starting to turn the darker adult grey with white spots. I made an attempt but after four dives with short intervals I was pushing it and turned back - inwardly admonishing myself for being pathetically out of shape.
Turns out the burbot dives were each over a minute at 53 feet. I turned back at that depth on the pike, so it must have been around 65.
I felt pretty good about those dives - since none of them was pushing the envelope and the intervals were all 2 minutes or under. The monofin is a crude tool for photography though. I have to use my hands much more for nuanced maneuvers and it is a nightmare for steady tracking while in motion, but I sure like how it gets me up and down.
Water Temp was 36f and the air was probably low 40sF.
Immediately I encountered a Gizzard Shad in shallow water. It looked awesome against the textures of the surface and the rocky breakwall so I tried to get shots from below. Normally I can swim right along with the shad - they move fast and change direction often but don't generally bolt of you are right in with them. With the monofin it was impossible to swim and hold the camera steady at the same time. I was also weighted for neutral at about 25 ft and the depth was 12-15. The result of all that was that I had to stop swimming to take a picture - but hurry because I'd pop to the surface like a cork. I did most of the dives on half a lungful - to mitigate the weight problem - but would have to reposition myself frequently, with a lot of effort, after each shot - to do multiple shots per dive. After herding the poor shad around for awhile I was exhausted and nauseatingly hot. Got a couple nice shots though.
Next I headed out along the interesting bottom contours to a deeper area. I took a decent surface interval but it was fairly active. The water was clear enough, even in the late day lighting, that I could see bass resting on the bottom 40+ feet down. I did a few recon dives then a nice 1:20 dive to about 44 feet and crawled up on a big smallmouth sleeping there. It was a very easy dive. Next I spotted a burbot, one of my fav subjects, and did a series of three dives with irresponsible surface intervals trying to get pictures of it. I thought it was in maybe 35 feet of water. The burbot's response to my sticking a camera in it's face was to simply turn it's back. Got some good ones though. The dives all felt stupidly short.
On the way down to the burbot I spotted a good-sized northern pike laying on the bottom in deeper water. It's markings were interesting - head, back and tail yellow, but it's sides were starting to turn the darker adult grey with white spots. I made an attempt but after four dives with short intervals I was pushing it and turned back - inwardly admonishing myself for being pathetically out of shape.
Turns out the burbot dives were each over a minute at 53 feet. I turned back at that depth on the pike, so it must have been around 65.
I felt pretty good about those dives - since none of them was pushing the envelope and the intervals were all 2 minutes or under. The monofin is a crude tool for photography though. I have to use my hands much more for nuanced maneuvers and it is a nightmare for steady tracking while in motion, but I sure like how it gets me up and down.
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