Corpusfishing.com

gunbuyer · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:35 am Post subject: Went Offshore Yesterday

Went offshore yesterday with Skipper out to 40 miles. It started out a bit cold... The water was green the whole way. I was planning to stop at the two 30 mile rigs outside of packery but they are both completely GONE... I kept heading out and North a bit and got to some other rigs. Fished some caught some caught one spanish mackeral and some snapper. For some reason I thought it was TUna time out there but apparently I was wrong. We trolled a weed line looking for maybe a wahoo but nothing. I tried to dive but froze after only 30 seconds. THe buoy said 69 degrees water well it was 61 according to my depth finder probably in the low 50's 100 feet down... Went in to the short rigs and limited out on snapper and went home by 2:00pm seas were FLAT!

mikedehart · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:18 pm Post subject:

Hey gunbuyer. Hopefully you could answer/help me out with a question. I recently bought a 24.5' Bay Stealth. Can I run it out to fish some oil rigs? I have been deep sea fishing maybe a 6 time including the Scat Cat. THat tells you my experience.. not much.

What do I need to know, and equipment should I have before I venture out? Im not looking for fishing hot spots... Where is the best place to check the swells.. how big of swells a 24 ft boat could handle..
Thanks in advance.
Mike

mikedehart · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:22 pm Post subject:

I would love any advice I could get from anyone on this.

gunbuyer · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:27 pm Post subject:

to check the swells... http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42020

I would recommend going on days 2.0 feet or less at least to start. Going out in that boat in bigger seas depends on your crew. I am in a 21foot boston whaler offshore style now but I also have been out in my 15 foot boston whaler 30 miles numerous times!!

Start with the short rigs and see how you how your boat handles and see how you crew handles too! They are only about 4 miles out. Once the weather warms up you can troll around and catch kings and look for ling around the rigs. On a flat day during snapper season haul butt to the rigs 35 out and limit on snapper and look for Mahi... Make sure you have a VHF at minimal for the far rigs and I would recommend an EPIRB. If you can get another single engine boat to go along when you take you far trip... You will have cell phone reception at the short rigs. Also I recommend a tow boat us or sea tow membership!!!!! If your boat has a fuel range of 100 miles then I wouldnt go past 30 or 35 miles out just in case the seas picked up... It is alot of fun but be safe and make sure you have a stout crew. I have weather 4-6 ft seas in a 22 pathfinder and we made it... It was rough cold and wet but it was fun and we caught tuna!!!!!

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:30 pm Post subject:

The size of the swells matters much less than your knowledge and ability, and the seaworthiness of your boat. The hottest boat in the world is only as good as it's bilge pumps and batteries and who's on the wheel and throttles! These things taken as a whole on the PLUS side will dramatically lower the size of boat that may be needed. The opposite is true for all!!!

I'm not being a smarta$$ here friend, just the truth. Even if the swell is relatively small, a strong ebb tide and/or strong onshore wind can turn those into walled up breakers at the jetty entrances, while 100-200 yards out it's nothing. Wink

_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

gunbuyer · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:58 pm Post subject:

Landlocked beach bum is 100% right but you will never learn if you dont try.... Alot of people around here are scared of the gulf mainly due to there inexperience. I am not saying that about Landlocked beachbum just about the general population.
Just go to the short ones first and TIME your entrance to the jetties if the waves did get BIG! Unless it is 4+ the jetties arent much of a problem here.
I have gotten stuck in a nasty storm that came out of no where in FL in my 15BW one time and it wasnt even that rough but the waves were so choppy it was crazy only like 4 foot but very dangerous. On that same note I have been in 5-7's swell in that same boat no problems....
Timing the exit and entrance of jetties is key and remember never turn around once you are heading in or out.... I have never seen this but I heard people actually try to turn around and flip there boats in the jetty. Seems silly but I guess it happens.
I bet your 24ft boat could cruise through 2 footers at 20mph pretty comfortably. I would go with you one time to help you out once it is warmer and I have the gear. I like bay fishing but offshore is the ticket but comes at a hefty $$$$!!!
Make sure you have all equipment to be legal because the game warden will definitely pull you over on the way in. I always have my stuff but I also ALWAYS get stopped!!!!!!!!!

mikedehart · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:30 pm Post subject:

That is the info. I'm looking for. The last thing I want to do is run out there and do something stupid. Thank You both for the info. I have taken her outside the Packery about 100 yards and fished for a while. That just gave me the itch to keep going. But I need to be ready.

I will get the equipment yall sugested and find a crew. Gunbuyer I'd like to take you up on that offer later this year/summer. Just pm me so we can work out the details.

If anyone else has more to add, please do. Thanks again.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:30 am Post subject:

I didn't say and certainly didn't mean NOT to go out, only what to be careful of and watch for. Experience in anything is always the best teacher, but saving others from making costly and/or life threatening mistakes can only be a good thing.

I take my puny little 15' 11" aluminum "Panfisher" out in conditions that many guys with much bigger V hulls don't, but I know my limits, have many years of wave reading experience from surfing, sailing and fishing, and have faith in my gear. We've been through this before y'all.

Even if you stay smart and don't get sideways in the steeper and/or breaking stuff, you can still ship a LOT of water just from one wave over the bow or transom. If you're not in a boat with a self draining "rooster"pit or sole, that's where the bilge pumps come in. It doesn't take that much water to make many boats handle like a bus with four flat tires, and THEN you can really get into trouble!!!!! Shocked

That's why I harp on HIGH CAPACITY pumps that can get 50 gallon of water out of the boat very quickly: All the time that water is in the boat making handling difficult is the time when one is the most vulnerable. And before the "my boat is non sinkable" guys start bashing me...................................... I don't want to be flipped or swamped EVEN IF the boat won't sink!!!!!! Wink

Tyler.......................................... man, I can't believe that a fishing forum where folks talk about boats will censor the only word that properly describes the running area inside the boat!!! Wink

_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

mikedehart · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:06 am Post subject:

Landlocked, I understood what you were talking about and thanks for the info. I want to KNOW what Im doing before I head out. I knew this was one of the places to get good solid information. And maybe a few jokes on the way. Laughing

Hopefully Ill have some awsome pics to share in the near future..

Hey whats this I hear about snook in the bay? I was talking to a marine biologist and he said that snook in the bay is a sign of a healthy bay system/fishery. Mr. Green

Skipper · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:24 pm Post subject:

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:20 pm Post subject:

10-4 on that........wish that I lived closer. Freaking inflation is gonna KILL me on gasoline come the June offshore trip, but I wouldn't miss it for the world!!!
_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:46 pm Post subject: