# Flower Gardens 2012



## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

We loaded up the White Knight (soon to be GoManGo) on Wednesday evening with a crew of GoManGo, Nine Lives, Jolie Fisher, and a friends son Coby Snyder along with myself. We pointed the boat towards the Gardens to dive and fish further to the east. Had a great time with nice weather, beautiful water, and nice fish in the box. We had a slow first day thursday but made up for it on friday. We made easy work of our 20 fish grouper limit as well as about 40 bonus beeliners, 6 nice size porgy's and a few other miscellaneous reef fish. We caught tons of nice 12# to 15# snapper and AJ's that where all released. Of the grouper, we had 3 nice gags with a stud that Brian caught that went 52#! We also had 1 yellow fin grouper, 1 Warsaw about 80#, and the rest all being scamp and yellow mouth. We were boarded by the coast guard on Thursday morning as we entered the sanctuary boundary. They did a full coast guard inspection then where on there way. We also where contacted by the NOAA boat the Manta and gave them fish samples for ciguera toxin poison studies. They where really nice and gave us a tour of the Manta as well as a hot meal of beef stew. To top off the fishing we made 6 great dives. Swam with a Manta ray and got to see the coral spawn at night. Here are a few pictures, hope you enjoy.


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

More Pictures:


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

More Pictures:


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## saltwater4life (Aug 5, 2010)

awesome report! and way to go filling the ice chests and freezers!

S4L


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Still More:


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## Konan (Jul 13, 2009)

sweet pics


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## piratelight (May 2, 2008)

Your pictures alway look so nice! 


Sent from my eyephone


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

More:


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## [email protected] Sportfishing (Jun 10, 2005)

Nice report Rory. Great looking boat too. Is that a Blackfin or Bertram?


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## FISH TAILS (Jan 17, 2005)

Those are some nice photos and a great report!! Looks like the new GoManGo did a great job keeping you out on the water thanks for sharing.:cheers:


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## chad (Sep 7, 2006)

Great pics!


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## livegoodlife (May 27, 2012)

There are two things that I can't enjoy more. First, live update on BT trip. Second, fish pictures...Keep up the good work R....


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Wow!! those are some amazing pictures there , from fishing prospective & diving . looks like an awesome trip.


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## WestEnd1 (Jul 26, 2012)

Sweet pics, thanks for posting. Nice meat haul as well. Water looked awesome


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Awesome!!


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## Hydrocat (Jun 30, 2004)

Those are great pics and fish; what an awesome couple of days!


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## ding-a-ling (Jul 29, 2005)

Great pics and trip. With the spread of lionfish in other parts of the Gulf, I was wondering if you all saw any at the Gardens while diving (or have heard of them reported out there). Seems like they are getting way out of control in the Keys, etc.


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## Ex Boat Capt. Carp (Jul 19, 2011)

Awsome pictures for sure, way to go!!! FISH ON!!!


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

ding-a-ling said:


> Great pics and trip. With the spread of lionfish in other parts of the Gulf, I was wondering if you all saw any at the Gardens while diving (or have heard of them reported out there). Seems like they are getting way out of control in the Keys, etc.


We did not see any on our dives. The divers aboard the research vessel Manta saw 3. They caught 1 and are bringing it back to Galveston. A little one about 3" long. They had it on the boat when we were aboard. They named it Woodstock.


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## CobraO (Aug 27, 2009)

Awesome photos and great report. Thank you for sharing!


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## Yams (Jul 16, 2008)

Great report and pictures. Beautiful boat. Out of curiosity, how deep is the water over the Flower Gardens? How deep was it where you guys dive?


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## stammster - temporary (Jul 20, 2009)

Boarded by the coasties as you entered the Gardens...humm. Did they ask you if you had any spearguns?


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## jgale (Mar 4, 2011)

Awesome trip and even better pics!


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

stammster said:


> Boarded by the coasties as you entered the Gardens...humm. Did they ask you if you had any spearguns?


No, but it would not have mattered as none of us on board spearfish therefore we did not have one on the boat. They were very nice, did there complete inspection and where on there way. We were checked by the cutter Heron out of Sabine Pass. They said that they normally didn't mess with recreational fishermen buy they just had not seen many boats so they decided to check us.


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## LHandler (Aug 22, 2011)

Beautiful mix of grouper! Love the photos with the sun setting in the background!


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## Jonas Grumby (Apr 3, 2005)

I am interested to know the outcome of the ciguatera testing.


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## Ms.BlindDate (Jun 19, 2012)

*Pictures*

Fabulous post and your pictures make me want to get back into diving again.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

awesome pictures as usual! that's a stud gag too!



Scott


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

luna sea II said:


> awesome pictures as usual! that's a stud gag too!
> 
> Scott


Yes sir, when it floated everyone went ****, another Warsaw! I said no way, that's a big a## gag!


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Very nice as always Rory!! You always have great pics bro... Those pics are ever better than last years trip... Very cool ... Capt. Ahab


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## FishingFanatic96 (Jan 5, 2012)

Congrats on having a great trip. Those are some sweet photos also!


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## angler_joe (Feb 17, 2008)

Very Nice assortment of Grouper there. Thanks for sharing! :cheers:


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## JB Offshore (Jul 6, 2011)

Very cool pictures and great fish.


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## Over The Top (Aug 8, 2005)

*Thank you for the Pics*

Thank you for taking the time to share your trip. Great pics.


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## doughboy361 (Mar 5, 2010)

Like!!


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Great report and a load of fish.. Awesome pics, Congrats!


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## Calmday (Jul 7, 2005)

Great report and pics. The manta and coral spawn are awesome.


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## crawfishking (Apr 23, 2007)

Awesome trip! Awesome pics! That would be awesome! What are the red colored grouper in your pics?


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Calmday said:


> Great report and pics. The manta and coral spawn are awesome.


The manta ray was awesome. The fist dive I missed seeing it I was looking down and my brother said it swam not more than 10' over the top of me. The coral spawn is pretty awesome as well. We have caught it 3 of the past years. Pretty cool as it is something most people will never experience. They didn't even know that the coral spawned untill about 15 years ago.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

Awesome report and pics!


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

crawfishking said:


> Awesome trip! Awesome pics! That would be awesome! What are the red colored grouper in your pics?


The smaller one with the red dots is a red hind. The other in the sunset picture is a yellowfin grouper.


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

[email protected] Sportfishing said:


> Nice report Rory. Great looking boat too. Is that a Blackfin or Bertram?


It is a 36' Bertram Moppie. Brian upgraded from his whaler.


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## crawfishking (Apr 23, 2007)

Thanks, those are beautiful fish! I've never had the sac to eat FG grouper. Wish I did!


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Yams said:


> Great report and pictures. Beautiful boat. Out of curiosity, how deep is the water over the Flower Gardens? How deep was it where you guys dive?


It is 65' to 80' on the reef cap. The Flower Garden Banks are coral reefs that sit on top of salt domes. It drops off to abor 300' around the cap. We grouper fish off to the south east in about 350' to 400'. It is very hard to try and fish on the big coral heads. As you can see in the dive pictures it is pretty snaggy.


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## coyote (Jun 25, 2007)

*Awesome report and supper pics! *
*I want to go one day.*


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

crawfishking said:


> Thanks, those are beautiful fish! I've never had the sac to eat FG grouper. Wish I did!


I've been eating fis from the banks out east for years without a problem. Not saying that I couldn't have a problem though. Some time back capt Stout of the Possesion Limit brought back a bunch of different species of fish to be tested and all of them had some amount of ciguara toxin of I remember correctly. The Manta took samples of a couple of scamp, beeliner, and a sandtile. They are going to give us the results.


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## Wompam (Mar 6, 2012)

*Congrats*

Beautiful


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## SSN (Jul 8, 2010)

Sweet pics, the Manta is an awesome boat its docked at Texas a&m galveston, got to go on it when i was working down at the docks on campus


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## Omanj (May 21, 2004)

Great photos of a great trip! Seeing those pictures reminds me of a couple of trips I made while I was in high school. My dad had a friend with a shrimp boat that took my family and two other families out for three days and two nights to the Flower Gardens. We had a manta ray swim up to our stern and hung around for awhile as if he were showing off his twenty foot wing spread. We also had schools of black jacks that I got to hit some top waters at night, along with barracudas and so many of the different varieties of groupers like you caught. We also caught some big african pompano up to 25 pounds, saucer eye porgies, a 15 pound snapper that was entirely black, a parrot fish, queen trigger fish and an ocean talley. It is truly an amazing place.


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## dinner time (Apr 4, 2011)

Beeeeeautlful!!!


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Man the more I look at those pics the better they get... Tell Bryan the boat looks great for me and congrats on the new ride... Capt. Ahab


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## [email protected] (Jun 27, 2012)

Killer trip Rory!


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## pomakai (Jun 7, 2012)

so nice. looks like yall had a great time.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

Jonas Grumby said:


> I am interested to know the outcome of the ciguatera testing.


x2. Hasn't been an update in a long time. I wondered if they put that out just to keep people from fishing, but then I am a conspiracy theorist.


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## Bottom-Feeder (Jun 29, 2010)

Wow, those are some great pictures!


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## CAT TALES (Aug 21, 2009)

Great trip! Great Pics! I need to get out there and do that myself!! Good Job Guys!


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## Miles2Fish (Dec 2, 2008)

Great report and pics! I used to work the Flower Garden boats and the coarla spawn is something I have been lucky enough to witness 4 times! Including both mantas and whale sharks,,,that is one of my favorite places on the planet.....thanks for the memories!


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

StarlinMarlin said:


> I've been eating fis from the banks out east for years without a problem. Not saying that I couldn't have a problem though. Some time back capt Stout of the Possesion Limit brought back a bunch of different species of fish to be tested and all of them had some amount of ciguara toxin of I remember correctly. The Manta took samples of a couple of scamp, beeliner, and a sandtile. They are going to give us the results.


We spent two weeks at Treasure Key fishing and diving in the mid 90's and the locals told us the fish was safe from the reef we fished. I was the only one that ate some amberjack (the others were scared to) and I got that stuff.

Spent 2-3 months messed up with recurring problems for a year. Be careful.


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## nelson6500 (Jun 8, 2007)

Rory,

Awesome pics and report Bro, Did they have results for the ciguera toxin ?

Matt


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## Gold Nuggett (Sep 29, 2010)

Dive pictures show great summer visibility.
Thanks for sharing.
Do you have an on-board compressor or were they brought 
tanks?


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## lowrey04 (Jun 24, 2008)

StarlinMarlin said:


> I've been eating fis from the banks out east for years without a problem. Not saying that I couldn't have a problem though. Some time back capt Stout of the Possesion Limit brought back a bunch of different species of fish to be tested and all of them had some amount of ciguara toxin of I remember correctly. The Manta took samples of a couple of scamp, beeliner, and a sandtile. They are going to give us the results.


Killer trip.

We had a gag from out there last year that was positive, three people were sick for a week. The scamps and yellowfin were fine. Luck of the draw I guess.

Great pics


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

lowrey04 said:


> Killer trip.
> 
> We had a gag from out there last year that was positive, three people were sick for a week. The scamps and yellowfin were fine. Luck of the draw I guess.
> 
> Great pics


Have they got a treatment now? Back when i got it it had to runs its course.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

That's why they call them GAGS Lol...


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Cool little clip of the Manta Ray on the surface.


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

StarlinMarlin said:


> Cool little clip of the Manta Ray on the surface.


Very cool Rory.... Capt. Ahab


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## Wompam (Mar 6, 2012)

StarlinMarlin said:


> Cool little clip of the Manta Ray on the surface.


BEAUTIFUL:brew2:


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## FISH TAILS (Jan 17, 2005)

That thing is awesome really cool to have video of it from above!


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## jewfish (Feb 16, 2005)

*manta*

Not robbing thread, Your manta has me wanting to share one I was swimming near when I wa in Yap three years ago
Your pics are amazing, Coral Spawn was nicely captured


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

jewfish said:


> Not robbing thread, Your manta has me wanting to share one I was swimming near when I wa in Yap three years ago
> Your pics are amazing, Coral Spawn was nicely captured


Cool photo!


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## FISH TAILS (Jan 17, 2005)

That thing is awesome!! I would love to be that close to one in the water!


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## tank8677 (Apr 20, 2010)

wow amazing pics, great report!!!


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

Very cool


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

Great report and pictures, thanks for posting!


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## 2wahoo (May 21, 2004)

Man, very cool stuff!


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## Chasin Tail (Aug 14, 2010)

Awesome pics


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

broadonrod said:


> Man the more I look at those pics the better they get... Tell Bryan the boat looks great for me and congrats on the new ride... Capt. Ahab


Thanks Brett, you know I like taking pictures. Brian really likes the boat other than the cruise speed, LOL.


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Gold Nuggett said:


> Dive pictures show great summer visibility.
> Thanks for sharing.
> Do you have an on-board compressor or were they brought
> tanks?


The water visibility was great. I've had better but can't complain. I had problems with the strobe so the daytime pictures don't have good color but I figured it out for the night time shots. We take 5 tanks and fill them with a gas powered dive compressor.


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## Slow Boat (Jun 12, 2011)

Those are some of the best grouper pictures I've seen but I've never seen a grouper more beautiful than when it's breaded and fried nice and crispy on my plate. Or maybe on a sesame seed bun with a glob of tartar sauce and couple leaves of lettuce and slices of tomato...


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

Jonas Grumby said:


> I am interested to know the outcome of the ciguatera testing.


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

Great pictorial of yalls trip...










 *Yall Dunn GoouD!*









​


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## Need2fish123 (Jul 22, 2012)

Nice pictures.Thanks for sharing.


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## hansmaester (Feb 26, 2006)

StarlinMarlin said:


> I've been eating fis from the banks out east for years without a problem. Not saying that I couldn't have a problem though. Some time back capt Stout of the Possesion Limit brought back a bunch of different species of fish to be tested and all of them had some amount of ciguara toxin of I remember correctly. The Manta took samples of a couple of scamp, beeliner, and a sandtile. They are going to give us the results.


StarlinMarlin, just be careful with those big Gags. I got a light case of Cig poisoning after eating a small sample of a 40 lb Gag caught in approx 250 to 300' to the south of WFG bank. When it was tested by A&M the sample was very positive.


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