Thanksgiving has come and gone and with hunting season
upon us it seemed unlikely that spearfishing would be in
the plan until spring. At least that has been the scenario
for the past couple of years with Jack and myself. When
the water gets cold we like to hit the woods, looking for
game and generally enjoying the call of the wild.

Saturday night we got the wild hair to go diving, so we
planned for the following night, Sunday, Dec. 1st.

Jack's brother, Trip joined us at Perdido Pass soon
after dark. The current was still coming in with the
rising tide. Jack and Trip donned their nice 7 mm
wetsuits, while I layered a couple of 3 mm with
short sleeves and no hood. The air temp was 50 degrees
with a water temp of 63. It was warmer in the water.

We walked out to the far side of the jetty and made our
entry and to our surprise began taking flounder right
a way. The visibility was estimated to be 3-5 ft.

There was lots of fish activity to suite various menus.
We saw a large octopus hidden in some rocks and two
types of rays, as well as sheepshead, small snapper,
red fish, mullet, blow fish, squid, blue fish, plenty
of bait fish, lots of sea nettles and urchins.

The three of us worked the beachside of the jetty out
to the channel. I assumed we were going to circle the
point and head back on the inside of the jetty so I rode
the current around the tip to the backside. After swimming
for about 50 yards, I noticed that I was alone. Jack and
Trip had stayed on the other side. I resigned myself
to make a leisurely trip back in with the whole place
to my self. About half way in, Jack jumps in over the
rocks and does a pass in review with his fish. You know
how your buddy swims in front of you so you can see all
his fish hanging from his fish clip. He had shot some stud
flounders and that was his way of rubbing it in. :-)

He gets my attention long enough to tell me he is going
to head on in. I acknowledge and he's off. Now I know
he's just going to dog me some more by getting to the
honey hole first but I'm having fun and am proud for him.
We meet again further up the jetty.

Jack comes along on a big red fish and immediately turns
his light away while at the same time cocking his polespear.
Just as he is about to end the dive and surface for air he shines
his light back on the fish and takes a shot straight down through
the top of the fish. At this point he has to pin the fish down to
the bottom and get his hands in it's gills to aim it back to the
surface in the nick of time to breathe. He does so and adds one
more to his clip. Jack's luck was apparently going too well,
I heard him call out for me to "look out" and a fin blade comes
sailing my way. He has broken a fin and is now swimming with
one long fin and one about 3" longer than his fin pocket.

I swim along the seawall and pick up another flounder or two.
By the end of the night we have shot nearly a dozen flounders
and a big red fish. I use up the last of the film in my underwater
camera to take a picture topside. It's cold in the night air as
we make the walk back to the parking lot. Jack and Trip carry
on about how comfortable they are in their suits as I'm on the
verge of hypothermia. They have a big laugh as I return obscenities.

We get into a farting contest back at the vehicles with Trip winning
out by a poot but I take the prize when we go in a convenience
store and I rip one off that could be heard throughout the place.
Trip was laughing so hard he couldn't even talk. Just another
fun filled night with the Stickmen.

My Raptor dive computer registered 60 dives tonight.

Happy Holidays,

Mike Wade
Stickmen Freedivers
Mobile, Alabama