19 replies to this topic

[Sean Phillips]

What's up guys, this isnt so much collecting as observing but this is the best area I could find to post this in. So I am an avid SCUBA diver and go on about 30 dives per year. Where I live diving season is 5 months max but after the "polar vortex" this year it may be even shorter since water needs to warm up to about 50 F before I start diving. But anyways, I dive ina lot of places but the closest one to me is a private quarry called Strawberry Quarry just outside of Volant, PA (near Slippery Rock). It's a very rough, confusing, unforgiving (on your car), dirt road to get from the entrance on the road to the access points. About two thirds of my local dive club doesn't even dive it beacuse they are so spoiled with the luxury of Reef diving and the like. I am probably the most devoted local diver in my club now that I think about it and I prefer local to tropical . But back to the quarry, it has absolutely no uttilities whatsoever, no dive shop, no bathrooms, not even any portajohns. Water ranges from 54-78 F in the Summer time and visibility is anywhere from 5-15 feet. The quarry has a few species of fish in. I remember my first dive there my instructor said the only species in the entire quarry where bluegill, LMBs, and black crappie. I have since found that to be a lie. I am the only diver there who really pays attention to the specific species of fish and have not even discovered all the species yet. So far I have recorded seeing the followinf fish: Bluegill, LMBs, Black Crappies, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish, Yellow Bullheads, and various species of minnows that are to small and to fast for a diver to ID without assistance.

As soon as you enter the quarry the water is about 1 foot deep and slowly increases depth as you go out. For the first about 7 feet out it is just dirt, no plants or gravel. Small bluegills (3-6") tend to hang around that area.

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Edited by Everything Fish, 23 March 2014 - 12:58 PM.

[Sean Phillips]

As you go farther out (about 10 feet out) the subsrate starts to be a mix of dirt and gravel and a few feet out from that, plants start to get in the mix. This is where the Bluegills nest at when spawning and there is almost always just a random 10" LMB cruising around (think it's the same one every time) who is very friednly to divers and follows you around. The first picture is a picture of him/her watching me from the "plant-gravel line".

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[Sean Phillips]

Once you get about 15 feet out, the substrate is not visible and it is about 90% covered with some type of plant (feel free to ID, it's in the picture). There aren't many Bluegill out here but there are several LMBs that cruise around.

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[Sean Phillips]

At about 25-30 feet out, the depth starts to drop pretty quickly to about 10-15 feet deep. The bottom is still plants, there aren't many fish out here at all, other than a few random gills and bass.

[Sean Phillips]

After dropping off, it really starts to depend on where in the quarry you are. If you are on the very Left end, the bottom becomes a silt substrate that you CAN get lost in if you stir it up with plants resting on it. Although, if you are careful not to stir it up, there are quite a few nice sized LMBs (16" about). If you go a little inshore from that point, still on the same part of the quarry, there are these very tall plants and several brushpiles that decent sized Crappies and LMBs hang out on.

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[Sean Phillips]

After the drop off in the middle section of the quarry, the bottom becomes ALL silt and the depth is about 30 feet. It would appear boring to a first time diver there but local dive shops have put in training platforms for dive training and quite a bit of Blugill, and Crappies hang on them. One time there was even a Yellow Bullhead that we could get about a foot from. I got to close and it tried to bite my fin (the fish was sick sadly).

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[Sean Phillips]

Now, after the drop off on the right side of the quarry, the scenery becomes VERY beautiful. It becomes a sort of valley that drops of to about 23 feet depth. Visibility increases to about 20 feet and some divers have said 50 feet on very good days. Each side is flooded with plants, Bluegills, and LMBs. As you get closer to the end of the right side the depth decreases to about 15 feet at the end. The end is also a sort of cove with entire schools of bluegill. This is also the only part of the quarry with Northern Pike in it (they are VERY hard to find, even down there). There are also a good bit of turtles that enjoy hanging around divers.

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[Sean Phillips]

And that's about it for the quarry, feel free to dive it yourself. If you're ever in the area and want to dive it then PM and I'll tell you the gate code and give directions.

Feel free to comment about it!

Also, if you guys like seeing this kind if thing, I can make a few more reports from places I dove last year until I can get out this year to get some new material.

Edited by Everything Fish, 23 March 2014 - 01:24 PM.

[Isaac Szabo]

Cool stuff. Looks like fun. If you haven't done it already, you may enjoy snorkeling a local stream this spring (April/May would probably be good). Look for a spot with riffles 1-2 feet deep. You should see some very colorful darters and minnows. For those of us who enjoy observing our native freshwater fish underwater, much of the interesting stuff is in shallow water streams.

[Sean Phillips]

Cool stuff. Looks like fun. If you haven't done it already, you may enjoy snorkeling a local stream this spring (April/May would probably be good). Look for a spot with riffles 1-2 feet deep. You should see some very colorful darters and minnows. For those of us who enjoy observing our native freshwater fish underwater, much of the interesting stuff is in shallow water streams.

That's something I'm working on doing this spring. Only problem is there is so many fishermen on my local creek at that time and I could only imagine how angry they'd get if some guy came snorkeling into their favorite fishing pool and scared all the fish away.

[Sean Phillips]

I like reading them

Thanks!

[Michael Wolfe]

That's something I'm working on doing this spring. Only problem is there is so many fishermen on my local creek at that time and I could only imagine how angry they'd get if some guy came snorkeling into their favorite fishing pool and scared all the fish away.

Snorkeling does not scare the fish away! If you walk in a stream then yes, they will be afraid (you look like a huge heron). But when you are laying in the water, they seem more curious than anything else. Darters peek out at you. Shiners follow behind you many times hoping that you will stir up something good to eat. Sunfish actually seem to approach you.

And we are not talking about the pools... we are talking about the riffles. Look around and find some clear water, you will be impressed at the small, colorful, active fish that are there.

[Sean Phillips]

Oh, I would have never known he difference . I need to find someone to snorkel with me to (no way anyone in my dive club is that devoted to natives). Still doesn't change the fact that fishermen no matter what will be saying "get the he!! Out of my fishing spot!!!"

[Sean Phillips]

You'd be surprised how few people you'll see. Almost every time I've gone in a stream (which is admittedly not often), there hasn't been anyone else around. There's very little fishing, picnicking, anything. Nowadays, people don't really go outside much.
But definitely do take a friend with you. It's much less awkward. Also, buy a fishing license, laminate it, and have it on you (not in the car).

Yeah, it's terrible how addicted people are to electronics nowadays (as I'm typing this on my phone ) I'm 15 and haven't touched a video game in months, just a waste of time IMO, rather look at my tanks and fish. Although my local creek gets a lot of attention you're right I'm sure I can find at least a few spots with no people. I'll also just snorkel anywhere in the creek, not just riffles. Pretty much anywhere I can get my head underwater and it's not silt on the bottom. I can get a friend to come with me. Don't even need a lisensce yet because I'm only 15

[mattknepley]

Cool stuff! Please do keep it coming. That murky water makes for some cool pics, love that lmb in post 5.

[Sean Phillips]

Cool stuff! Please do keep it coming. That murky water makes for some cool pics, love that lmb in post 5.

Thing was a beast when I saw it, about 24"! I'll make another one in an hour or so so keep an eye out.