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Post by tropicbird on Jun 9, 2024 19:08:28 GMT -5
Took my daughter and some friends out today. Got one dolphin in 400' then five more past 2000' over the canyon past the sword grounds. All 22"-24" peanuts. After this they wanted to go snorkeling. What I found disturbing was I didn't see a single bird, and I'm always looking. I've seen 20 different species of pelagic birds out there in June, including a couple of mega rarities, but today not even the common ones were around. Surface water temperature was 86 degrees. Some friends went out of Cape Canaveral yesterday and didn't find any birds until they got past the stream 90 miles out where the water temperature dropped to 80 degrees. There were hundreds of birds over schools of tuna and nice dolphin. They sent me a photo of a Wedge-tailed Shearwater, which is a Pacific species only seen once before in Florida. They also saw a pod of Pilot Whales and a False Killer Whale. Looks like all the life is where the food is. The stream off here is just too warm and devoid of life.
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Post by catseye on Jun 10, 2024 0:31:28 GMT -5
Since i have been a Scuba diver for fifty years in South Fla most of the life i have observed in the ocean is always on the bottom or half way down. Of course Dorado’s are caught or observed on the surface, but maybe the heat has driven them down to feed or just migrate past us. And if they are not on feeding on the surface they will obviously not attract any birds.
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Post by plastered on Jun 10, 2024 4:00:38 GMT -5
Same thing off PE no birds come in
to port and frigates flying all over the cut.
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Post by conchydong on Jun 10, 2024 7:40:21 GMT -5
Friday out of Hillsboro, no birds, no flying fish or any other sign. Ocean was beautifully calm though.
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Post by catseye on Jun 11, 2024 2:24:20 GMT -5
It seems the lack of birds is nothing new. When I was working in downtown Miami I use to have breakfast every morning with one of the famous Pier 5 captions at a small greasy spoon on Biscayne Blvd. This captain often told me that when the ocean was devoid of weeds, debris and birds he would say you probably could just shut down and drift and the fins would be attracted to the boat. I once brought up the old talked about technique of speeding newspaper out in the Gulf Stream to attract them. The captain replied that would probably work even better if you had the patience to just sit there and drift along with the paper spread
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Post by whitebacon on Jun 11, 2024 2:29:50 GMT -5
It seems the lack of birds is nothing new. When I was working in downtown Miami I use to have breakfast every morning with one of the famous Pier 5 captions at a small greasy spoon on Biscayne Blvd. This captain often told me that when the ocean was devoid of weeds, debris and birds he would say you probably could just shut down and drift and the fins would be attracted to the boat. I once brought up the old talked about technique of speeding newspaper out in the Gulf Stream to attract them. The captain replied that would probably work even better if you had the patience to just sit there and drift along with the paper spread Good story, and good memories for you! Great stuff! |
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Post by whitebacon on Jun 11, 2024 2:41:18 GMT -5
Since i have been a Scuba diver for fifty years in South Fla most of the life i have observed in the ocean is always on the bottom or half way down. Of course Dorado’s are caught or observed on the surface, but maybe the heat has driven them down to feed or just migrate past us. And if they are not on feeding on the surface they will obviously not attract any birds. Have to argue your last point, with all due respect. Dolphins/mahi don't attract bait. Nor do their feeding habits. Bait, whether sardines, threadfins, cigar minnows, whatever, attract birds 365/24/7. Bait attract birds, and predatory fish. Not the other way around. Migratory surface pelagics follow the bait. The bait doesn't follow them. |
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Post by catseye on Jun 11, 2024 15:30:31 GMT -5
I think you mis read my post. I never posted that doradoes attract "Bait" What i posted is that when they are feeding this activity attracts "Birds".
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Post by tropicbird on Jun 11, 2024 16:57:07 GMT -5
I have not had a single day in June where I didn't find at least a few birds offshore. This is the month with the most diversity and abundance of pelagic birds, but on Sunday there wasn't a single one.
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Post by conchydong on Jun 12, 2024 6:12:48 GMT -5
I have not had a single day in June where I didn't find at least a few birds offshore. This is the month with the most diversity and abundance of pelagic birds, but on Sunday there wasn't a single one. That is somewhat disturbing. |
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