Fishing the Oil rigs (GOM)

[TXHUNT3R]

Just put a deposit down on my new to me boat, a Laguna 210-SC . The previous owner took it to the rigs to fish alot when seas weren't too rough.

I know nothing about fishing the rigs and can't wait to give it a go.

Looking for some info on where to go and how to fish the rigs.

How do you fish them? Bait / tackle? This will be new to me

Thanks!

[glen]

Not sure where you fish out of but if you are in the POC area Id be more than happy to run my boat out next to yours and kinda walk you through some stuff. Look for high pressure and forecast to show 0-2 foot seas. I troll, drift, and bottom fish. I sight cast to cobia and dorado a lot also. Best advice I can give you is buy an EPIRB

[Brazos Hunter]

I am educating myself on the same now. I'm working on a deal to get a little boat and close on a little place in Seadrift in a couple weeks.

Following!


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[TXHUNT3R]

Not sure where you fish out of but if you are in the POC area Id be more than happy to run my boat out next to yours and kinda walk you through some stuff. Look for high pressure and forecast to show 0-2 foot seas. I troll, drift, and bottom fish. I sight cast to cobia and dorado a lot also. Best advice I can give you is buy an EPIRB

Thank you for the offer!! I might just do that one day. I am still a few weeks out from even getting my new boat Right now I fish down around Galveston Bay.

Googled that EPIRB thing, that is awesome! Thanks!

[Muddy Bud]

Not sure where you fish out of but if you are in the POC area Id be more than happy to run my boat out next to yours and kinda walk you through some stuff. Look for high pressure and forecast to show 0-2 foot seas. I troll, drift, and bottom fish. I sight cast to cobia and dorado a lot also. Best advice I can give you is buy an EPIRB

This is your best bet. If you can get some one else to go with in there boat is ideal. Strongly agree on the EPIRB. Focus on your safety equipment first. A marine grade radio or atleast a hand held VHF also. Trolling is a lot funnier IMO. If your tied up to a platform and fishing on bottom that turns into work at some point. Get a quick release hook with a buoy on it.

That way you can unhook from it quickly and pull away from the platform when you hook a big cobia or AJ. Buy lots and lots of tackle.

[TXHUNT3R]

This is your best bet. If you can get some one else to go with in there boat is ideal. Strongly agree on the EPIRB. Focus on your safety equipment first. A marine grade radio or atleast a hand held VHF also. Trolling is a lot funnier IMO. If your tied up to a platform and fishing on bottom that turns into work at some point. Get a quick release hook with a buoy on it.

That way you can unhook from it quickly and pull away from the platform when you hook a big cobia or AJ. Buy lots and lots of tackle.

The boat I am getting is ready to roll out to the rigs. Radio with big antenna, dual batteries should one go bead. 56Gal fuel tank.

Only thing I won't be getting is that EPIRB in the deal. Will need to get that

[TXHUNT3R]

This is your best bet. If you can get some one else to go with in there boat is ideal. Strongly agree on the EPIRB. Focus on your safety equipment first. A marine grade radio or atleast a hand held VHF also. Trolling is a lot funnier IMO. If your tied up to a platform and fishing on bottom that turns into work at some point. Get a quick release hook with a buoy on it.

That way you can unhook from it quickly and pull away from the platform when you hook a big cobia or AJ. Buy lots and lots of tackle.

Thank you for the info.

Shoot I need to start buying tackle now so the wife doesn't see it hit the account all at once... hahaha

[Muddy Bud]

Dang I thought I was the only one who did that.

[RiverRat1]

Which one of these two boats needs fuel money? I'd go along

[TXHUNT3R]

Which one of these two boats needs fuel money? I'd go along

Only if you bring Jhill or no deal!!!!!!!

[TxAgBowHntr]

I'm assuming you mean platforms...rigs move. Just a pet peeve of mine.

Unfortunately they are coming out A LOT faster than getting put in...but we do reef some in place, so once you get on some good ones make to mark them, because they may not be there next year.


JWB '04

[bloodtrailer28]

When bottom fishing the rigs I prefer to drift the outside of the legs instead of tying directly up to the rig. Not near the work and we seem to find bigger snapper grouper ect on the outside part of the legs. Good luck and be safe. If you see any shrimp boats out you can troll around them and catchs kings and cobia.

[TXHUNT3R]

Thanks for the input thus far.

As far as gear. I am set up for bay (shallow) and fresh water so very light tackle.

What is the minimum you would go with?

Just taking a guess. Big spinning rod/reel and 50lb test line???

[TXHUNT3R]

I'm assuming you mean platforms...rigs move. Just a pet peeve of mine.

Unfortunately they are coming out A LOT faster than getting put in...but we do reef some in place, so once you get on some good ones make to mark them, because they may not be there next year.


JWB '04

lol yes, the platforms. I work in O&G and realize what they are, just more common term "the rigs"

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

With 56 gallons of fuel at around 2 miles a gallon (I'm guessing) there is not much room for trolling. This is how I fish since I only run about 45 miles out of POC.

Drift the rigs when I get there. I throw whole sardines or fresh mullet into/under the rig with no weight and crank them across the surface fast. If something is there you will know on the first cast. After doing this around the rig, I would move up and tie on the down current side. Set a couple drift lines and start bottom dropping. Work the entire water column. Might be vermilion or yellow tails there. After this I move on working other rigs.

On the way back in I will hit the weed lines. Top waters, jigs, drift lines with no weight and some with small weights. I will cast and drift. I am usually tired and sore after a couple weed lines so I just head back in about 3pm.

Casting I use 40lb test, bottom I use 50lb test. I tie a chicken rig w/ fluorocarbon of 50-80lb test Weight at bottom under hooks 4-8 ounces. Hooks are 5/0 to 7/0 circle hooks. No stainless. Drift lines are 5/0-7/0 j-hooks with wire. I prefer 60-80lb wire. Wire on jigs for trolling. Mono on topwaters. You will needs lots of leader material, hooks and lead. Jigs are the next thing I loose most.