Collecting Trip

qy7400

Active member
Hi Everyone,

The clubs annual collecting trip will be Saturday September 21st, low tides at 3PM. So far many are commenting this has been a great year for tropical strays.

Directions to the collecting spot, Swan Beach, are on the clubs website.

Hope you can make it.
 
Thanks for letting us know! My husband and I are planning to come up from the Pittsburgh club to join you all this year, and we can't wait!

Does anyone want to meet up and go diving in the morning before the seining begins? We've been told that there is some decent diving/ tropicals to be collected off of the Ponquogue Bridge. Any info. would be appreciated!
 
The bridge is a good dive, just be sure to be on time for the tide. Have to be setting out just as high slack is starting. Once you see the fish turning in the other direction it's time to head in. When the tide starts running you can be in for an interesting ride under there
 
Thanks for letting us know! My husband and I are planning to come up from the Pittsburgh club to join you all this year, and we can't wait!

Does anyone want to meet up and go diving in the morning before the seining begins? We've been told that there is some decent diving/ tropicals to be collected off of the Ponquogue Bridge. Any info. would be appreciated!

Spent most of diving life under that bridge. Check the time of high tide, as this location gets very strong currents. I always liked starting my dive on the west side of the bridge a bit before high slack. You can stay below the rock piles and be sheltered from the worst of the current on the incoming tide. When the current slacks you have about 15 to 20 minutes of slack to explore under the bridge pilings and around the deep end of the bridge. When the water starts to cloud up a bit, it's time head for the beach on the east side of the bridge. Once you get past the pilings, you'll be sheltered and can explore along the bulkheading of the roadway until your either too tired or out of air. Should you get caught in the current on the outgoing tide, don't fight it, just ride it out till dissipates a bit and then you can swim into the beach. You'll just end up about a 1/2 mile walk from the parking lot ;)

BTW diving that bridge this time of the year is as good diving down here in Miami :)
 
Thanks, Bill! What mil wetsuit do you recommend for this time of year? Also, do you ever collect using scuba? If so, I'd be interested in learning about your collecting gear and technique. From the looks of your avatar, you seem to know what you are talking about!
 
I use a 7mm. Collecting at the bridge will be best using scuba. Essentially chase around fish underwater with a net.
 
Just so you don't go home disappointed. We don't get a lot of reef compatible fish around here. Come for the fun of collecting, not to fill your fish tank.
 
Just so you don't go home disappointed. We don't get a lot of reef compatible fish around here. Come for the fun of collecting, not to fill your fish tank.

So I've heard! I didn't expect to get much for my 135 reef tank. But fortunately I have a 70 gallon tank that is a FOWLR system which could use some fish as well as a 40 gallon sitting with water and not much else that could go in any direction I choose depending on what turns up in the net!:fish2:
 

Joe, that link is very misleading. First time I came to a LIRA collecting trip I drove into someone's yard and thought I was the first one there! That's where the "A" on the above map puts you.

In reality, we're not "close to Peconic Rd.," we're down at the end of Peconic Rd.

I won't be coming this year, but our Pennsylvania guests on this thread will be staying with me, and I directed them to drive to Peconic Rd. and make a hairpin turn to get to the collecting site.

George
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The problem is the beach has no address so people kept asking for one to plug into the GPS, that was the best I could get.

Peconic Rd is where we finish but not where we start, Joe parks the truck there so it's easier to load/unload the nets. One of the neighbors has complained to us in the past when people park on the road as the ramp is for Southhampton residents only.

Once Montauk highway and the beach meet it's really hard to miss us though.
 
i remember getting really lost last year and not being able to find it.... any possibility to leave a contact in case we get lost? also was going to ask what to bring as far as buckets and nets and whatevs.. forgive the last min questions, i would hate to miss out on this again...
 
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