Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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dphershman
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Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by dphershman »

Yesterday my buddy Mark Nayer and I got up early to hit the slack at Fox Island East Wall. We don't dive this spot very often as the currents have to be favorable and there's always the 'climb of death' getting back to the parking lot at the end.

The walls here are a crumbly gravel much like those along Day Island but with a bit less clay. We began with a cruise along the main wall at about 40 feet, then when we hit the end we dropped down to the ledges below at about 65-70 feet.

To our surprise we spotted a huge Lumpsucker (bigger than a golf ball) clinging to the side of the ledges at about 65 feet. I'm used to seeing these guys in the eel grass at Redondo and other places, so finding one here was quite a surprise. Clearly this fellow was pretty adept at holding on to that wall, as the the currents really cook along here.

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Image

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Dan
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fmerkel
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by fmerkel »

Super picture. I've seen them occasionally at Day Is. but never heard of one on Fox Is. E.
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Gdog
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Gdog »

Awesome! Ive never seen lumpies there either
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Scubie Doo »

Great find. I saw a huge yellow one there about 6 years ago :)

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Scubak
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Scubak »

Wow Dan! That is a great find and a large one!!!
Great pics and thanks for sharing!
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Scubie Doo »

Dan,

I’m curious. Was yours at the top of the wall?

SD


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ScubaJess
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by ScubaJess »

That's so cool! I found a nice huge red one at 66 feet at Fox Island West Wall last year. It's always so exciting to see Lumpies in unexpected locations. :)
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dphershman
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by dphershman »

Scubie Doo wrote:Dan,

I’m curious. Was yours at the top of the wall?

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No, it was down at the lower shelves, at 65 feet.
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dphershman
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by dphershman »

Scubie Doo wrote:Great find. I saw a huge yellow one there about 6 years ago :)

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I wonder why they live down there? doesn't seem to be much in the way of food, but clearly they are doing well.
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Cmjstealth
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Cmjstealth »

Jealous of your pictures. Every one of my lumpsucker encounters involve uncooperative fish in murky and partially obscured locations.

How do you get them to pose and face the camera so nicely? Are there special lumpsucker treats I'm not aware of? :-)
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by Scubie Doo »

Cmjstealth wrote:Jealous of your pictures. Every one of my lumpsucker encounters involve uncooperative fish in murky and partially obscured locations.

How do you get them to pose and face the camera so nicely? Are there special lumpsucker treats I'm not aware of? :-)
Thanks. One word “patience”. Okay two words... “luck”.

I believe the bigger the lumpy the more cooperative they are as well.


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Re: Lumpsucker on Fox Island East Wall

Post by RoxnDox »

dphershman wrote:
Scubie Doo wrote:Great find. I saw a huge yellow one there about 6 years ago :)

Image


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I wonder why they live down there? doesn't seem to be much in the way of food, but clearly they are doing well.
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