2nd of August - Venice, Louisiana

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Took the wife, her friend and two kids (12 years old) rig diving on Saturday, August 2. Calm seas with scattered thunder storms @ Main Pass 139 and Main Pass 299. Fifteen feet of moderate to heavy murk on the surface with decent viz underneath. Dark conditions under the rig due to cloud cover and murk. Some small grouper at MP 139 deep, no snapper or amberjack. Schoolie size AJ's at 75 feet and a decent school of cobia swimming at MP299. also saw some small grouper at 299. Unfortunately, I was the tour guide for the kids and the wife and her friend and didn't have my gun for most of the dives, and when I did I stayed shallow with the kids.

[Dive4Blood]

How was the current? Are the rigs you dove on ones that are closer to shore that get hit often? Making a twelve hour roadtrip to Venice next weekend, and your report is making me VERY nervous if that is what I am to expect fishwise. Diving with Xtreme Chaters BTW.

AJ Suarez

[ROCK BOTTOM]

I was diving with a group of newbies. It was my wife and her friend's second dive on at the rigs and I had my two children with me. I picked two rigs that had good structure(cross members) at thirty feet. We stayed within the children's comfort zone. There are plenty of fish out there and you should have a fine time killing them. I swam in a school of nine cobia and twenty 30 to 40 pound AJ's. These rigs certainly aren't the ones I would dive with my buddies although those rigs aren't very far away.

I saw some decent (20#) grouper right at the 100 foot mark but didn't pursue them or any thing else below 75 feet. Xtreme will definately put you on some slammin' fish. Lots of AJs, Grouper, Snapper and cobia. I also shot a Barracuda in the 45# range yesterday to show my 4 year old who was on the boat.

Current was a little stiffer than I have seen it in a few weeks, but my 12 year old daughter didn't mind.

Definitely post you results.

[Dive4Blood]

I'm feeling better now, thanks. If we get on the fish, you can expect the mother of all dive reports with pics, and I will definitely link it on the Florida Sportsman forum. Guaranteed to get all their frumpy manginas in a tizzy. All the guys (Reef Raider, Bubblejunkie, Merk, Seastalker, Shooter Dan, and myself) are pretty pumped up to slay on the mighty reefs of steel. Standing by.

AJ Suarez

[LSUBigL]

Rock Bottom,

Thanks for the report. I typically dive the Main Pass Rigs, although my last few trips have been to MP 72. We shot some nice snapper there a few weeks ago. I'm thinking of going back there this weekend to dive and wondered about how the rigs were holding so I appreciate the report.

Have you ever dove the 7 mile rigs out of Southeast Pass?

Thanks,
Lyon

[LSUBigL]

AJ,

Please do post your report I am going with Xtreme charters in September, on the recommendation of some fellow coonass divers. I think that they typically go much futher out than Main Pass 299, which is only 18 miles from shore. I expect that you will be diving in much deeper rigs beyond the rip or close to it.

DEFINITELY include a detailed report.

Thanks,
Lyon

[ROCK BOTTOM]

LSUBigL,

I made one drop on a single pipe just north of MP299 and shot a few snapper in the 10# range. The snapper have been hit or miss for me to the east lately. Earlier this summer we could sit on a school and limit out on one dive with fish up to 20+#. Troy (Xtreme) has some rigs that are still producing for him from what I have been told. I have been diving the Main Pass area primarily because of the water conditions (water clarity and the prevailing wind on the weekends that I get the opportunity to go.) I have heard some good things about the water in West Delta and south of the river lately but have not had a chance to see for myself.

I blew up my starboard engine coming in to the Jump Saturday and will be bumming a ride this weekend. Maybe I can coerce whoever I go with to head to the south and look for some gorilla sized AJ's.

Also, the cobia are starting to show up in some respectable numbers. My wife, twelve year old daughter and I were swimming with nine thirty pounders and a school of reef donkey on Saturday but I didn't have my gun. Typical, they were no where to be found on my next dive so I settled on the jacks.

[ROCK BOTTOM]

D4B,

You might like to check out www.rodnreel.com

It has some great reports and pics of the local fishing action in Louisiana. Reports are color coded. Offshore is dark blue, inshore light blue, diving is yellow.

I am hoping to have my boat back in my slip directly across the dock from the Kingfish but I f***ed up my starboard engine last Saturday. How many days are you diving in Venice? Hope you guys F em up.

[Dive4Blood]

Diving this Sat and Sun. Isn't their 43' Syntez overnighter boat called the Mac Daddy?

[ROCK BOTTOM]

D4B,

It's the same boat. You will have a great trip(I'm using my positive waves). Also, check out www.towersoflife.com and XFC's web site(more great shit.)

[LSUBigL]

Rock Bottom,

Sorry to hear about the engine. That sux. At least you were already in the Jump. Earlier this year, my friend's boat lost an engine when we were 31 miles from shore...and the camp was 20 miles inland. At 7 mph, 51 miles is a slow ride. Worst part was that we ran out of beer with 2 hours left.

I'm headed out on September 27 with Troy Wetzel of Xtreme. Any idea where he'll be taking us?

Big L

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Big L,

No clue where Troy has been heading lately. We usually pass him on the fly heading out and don't see him again until we pass him on the way back in.

I think I will buy a set of wheel for the boat that are large enough to push the boat onto plane with only one engine. With counter rotating engines I will need one for each engine depending on which one goes down. Two hundred horses should be enough to get my 25 Parker up.

I have a mechanic coming Thursday to look at the engine so I may only miss this weekend but....

Just got beeped mid sentence with an offer to go on another boat on Saturday from Fourchon. I will keep you posted.

[LSUBigL]

yeah, that was our problem. One 150 wasn't enough to get the Robalo out of the hole. Had he not slowed down when the first engine went out, we could have kept our plane and made it in a lot quicker.

Pretty soon I'm gonna be trying to convince my dad and brother to upgrade from the bay boat to an open water craft of some kind. If you have any suggestions on boats, let me know. matter of fact, that should be another forum on this site...Boats!

If you ever need an extra diver to split costs, let me know. I'm always game.

Good luck this weekend. I'll be fishing but probably not diving.

Big L

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Big L,

Just talked to the mechanic. Big hole in the piston and six dry plugs. He hasn't diagnosed it yet but it is obvious that the engine wasn't getting enough oil.

I usually dive with my club buddies but always have room for someone new. Give me a shout next time you plan on comming to NO area. I have a camp in Venice and I keep my boat in the water at Venice Marina.

On the subject of boats, I love my 2501 Parker Center Console. It is 9'6" wide with two large fish boxes. The deck box in the bow will take several 100+# yellowfin and the one built into the transom is 9'x3'x1'. I have stuffed four 75# wahoo into it. It sports a 29 gallon live well, 200 gallons of fuel, fresh and saltwater washdown, radar, custom Birdsall leaning post and a custom oversized t-top. No pulpit and a low bow rail allows me to really utilize the huge bow to fish mangroves at the rigs, cast to cobia on the rip, provides additional chunking room for the yellowfin or to enter the water closer to the rig while scuba diving.

I can carry sixteen tanks, four men and their gear and two SSI 220 quart ice chests and still run 30+ knots.

I bought my Parker from The Boat House in Marathon, Florida and trailered it to Venice. Eighteen hours from the Keys in a Tropical Storm to fish in Venice in some slick calm weather.

I don't recommend the d***head in Houma, Louisiana who sells these boats. He wanted me to buy last years model that he was stuck with. I wanted something customized for my needs.

[LSUBigL]

RB,

That sounds like an awesome boat! I'm gonna look for pictures online to check it out.

I've been slowly working my dad on the idea of getting a camp down in Venice and investing in a larger boat. One problem is that I would have a hard time convincing my fiancee to let me buy a camp or a boat that's 7 hours from Houston, so first I think I'm going to need to find gainful employment in Louisiana. That's a big hurdle.

The other big issue is around the eroding Coastal Wetlands. I get Louisiana Sportsman, and the latest issue has an interesting article about this HUUUUUUGE problem. I've always known it was an issue, but it was good to get some facts and figures to fully grasp the depth of the problem facing Louisiana. Keeping this in mind, I've realized that long term real estate investments (15-30 years) in South Louisiana may not be the smartest move, until our state's leaders prove they have a plan and the money to make sure that the real estate will still be there!

but I digress.

I appreciate your gracious offer to go fishing, and I'll start scanning my calendar for available weekends. I'd love to learn from some more seasoned veterans on the right and wrong ways to spear fish.

Do you plan your trips around the tides? I've found that diving in a weak tide is a lot more enjoyable around the MP rigs. maybe further out it's not as much of a factor.

Big L