The first of two dive trips to Oahe Reservoir in South Dakota was a great success, with over 40 fish harvested and some exciting tailrace diving, as well.
On Friday, July 31st, 17 divers from Husker Divers converged on Steamboat's Skin and Scuba shop in Pierre, South Dakota. The shop, owned by Caleb and Josh Gilkerson, is a scuba shop,
kayaking outfitter, hunting outfitter, and all around go-to spot for outdoorsmen from far and wide.
The first dive of the trip took place Friday afternoon in the tailrace, which is the water being let out of the dam. Those participating stepped off the pontoon boats into the current, dropped to the bottom at around 26 feet, and were carried downstream, watching sturgeon, drum, and even a burbot lurking behind a boulder flash by.
On Saturday the divers loaded up and headed for Spring Creek, one of the marinas on Oahe. Four platform boats loaded with divers and gear dispersed around the area, the boats captained by Caleb, Josh, and their crew. Each boat carried 4-5 divers and their gear and went to a different area of the lake to try their luck at harvesting some fish. It was the first time spearfishing for a few of the divers, but it didn't take long for them to learn the ropes, and soon the fish started filling the live wells.
All four boats met back at the marina for a tasty shore lunch of pheasant sandwiches, chips, and drinks whipped up by Steamboat's staff. After the break it was back to the fishing. At the end of the day, Steamboat's crew hauled the catch away for cleaning, then brought the filets back to the Spring Creek marina restaurant to cook up for the hungry divers.
Later Saturday night, it was time for a night dive in the tailrace. The divers stepped off the pontoon boats into the black water in pairs, with a dive flag equipped with a strobe for visibility on the surface. Dropping down, the current wasn't felt at all, but once the divers' lights hit the bottom, it was obvious the current was ripping along. Right away the hundreds of white catfish seen on this dive started appearing in the beam of the divers' lights. These fish were present along the entire route of the dive; with every single sweep of a light they could be seen, facing into the current. A few sturgeon were around too, and one set of divers said they spotted another burbot, but the fast current prevented any stopping for a closer look. This 3/4 mile drift dive was a real thrill ride, and each person who participated loved every second of it.
On Sunday, it was back to the fishing. Some of the divers were able to harvest their limit of walleye, and many bass were harvested, as well. The live wells and coolers were full of fish, and once again, Caleb, Josh, and crew cleaned all the fish. They fileted them, put them in bags, and even vacuum packed the filets. Every diver on the trip received a bag of filets, and Caleb made sure that divers who'd harvested an especially big or otherwise unique fish got to take that fish home with him or her.
All the divers had a great time spearfishing, diving the tailrace, and just spending time with other divers. The meals were good, Steamboat's staff was extremely professional and friendly, and it was just an all-around fantastic trip. A second trip to Oahe is taking off this weekend, and those divers are certainly in for as fun and exciting an experience as the first group.
If you're interested in participating in one of next year's Husker Divers trips to Oahe, see Joe or Donna Tyler at the dive shop, or give them a call at 402-420-6338 or e-mail huskerdivers@prodigy.net. You do not need to be a super experienced diver to participate in this trip. If you're a certified Open Water Diver, you're welcome. You will need to own or rent your equipment, and Husker Divers has some spearguns to rent.
On Friday, July 31st, 17 divers from Husker Divers converged on Steamboat's Skin and Scuba shop in Pierre, South Dakota. The shop, owned by Caleb and Josh Gilkerson, is a scuba shop,
kayaking outfitter, hunting outfitter, and all around go-to spot for outdoorsmen from far and wide.The first dive of the trip took place Friday afternoon in the tailrace, which is the water being let out of the dam. Those participating stepped off the pontoon boats into the current, dropped to the bottom at around 26 feet, and were carried downstream, watching sturgeon, drum, and even a burbot lurking behind a boulder flash by.
On Saturday the divers loaded up and headed for Spring Creek, one of the marinas on Oahe. Four platform boats loaded with divers and gear dispersed around the area, the boats captained by Caleb, Josh, and their crew. Each boat carried 4-5 divers and their gear and went to a different area of the lake to try their luck at harvesting some fish. It was the first time spearfishing for a few of the divers, but it didn't take long for them to learn the ropes, and soon the fish started filling the live wells.
All four boats met back at the marina for a tasty shore lunch of pheasant sandwiches, chips, and drinks whipped up by Steamboat's staff. After the break it was back to the fishing. At the end of the day, Steamboat's crew hauled the catch away for cleaning, then brought the filets back to the Spring Creek marina restaurant to cook up for the hungry divers.
Later Saturday night, it was time for a night dive in the tailrace. The divers stepped off the pontoon boats into the black water in pairs, with a dive flag equipped with a strobe for visibility on the surface. Dropping down, the current wasn't felt at all, but once the divers' lights hit the bottom, it was obvious the current was ripping along. Right away the hundreds of white catfish seen on this dive started appearing in the beam of the divers' lights. These fish were present along the entire route of the dive; with every single sweep of a light they could be seen, facing into the current. A few sturgeon were around too, and one set of divers said they spotted another burbot, but the fast current prevented any stopping for a closer look. This 3/4 mile drift dive was a real thrill ride, and each person who participated loved every second of it.
On Sunday, it was back to the fishing. Some of the divers were able to harvest their limit of walleye, and many bass were harvested, as well. The live wells and coolers were full of fish, and once again, Caleb, Josh, and crew cleaned all the fish. They fileted them, put them in bags, and even vacuum packed the filets. Every diver on the trip received a bag of filets, and Caleb made sure that divers who'd harvested an especially big or otherwise unique fish got to take that fish home with him or her.
All the divers had a great time spearfishing, diving the tailrace, and just spending time with other divers. The meals were good, Steamboat's staff was extremely professional and friendly, and it was just an all-around fantastic trip. A second trip to Oahe is taking off this weekend, and those divers are certainly in for as fun and exciting an experience as the first group.
If you're interested in participating in one of next year's Husker Divers trips to Oahe, see Joe or Donna Tyler at the dive shop, or give them a call at 402-420-6338 or e-mail huskerdivers@prodigy.net. You do not need to be a super experienced diver to participate in this trip. If you're a certified Open Water Diver, you're welcome. You will need to own or rent your equipment, and Husker Divers has some spearguns to rent.
No comments:
Post a Comment