# MSviking offshore 5/31-6/2



## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Fished offshore this past Sunday night through Tuesday evening. Idled out Sunday night to Ensco 8506 with all intentions of live baiting at dawn. Upon arrival at 8506 the current was as strong as I have ever seen offshore, a solid 5-6 knt west to east current. This current would make locating or catching live bait impossible. So we headed back north looking for the “break”in current. Found it about 20 mile to the north of the rig. Unfortunately is was a well defined break, more of a gradual change. This allowed for an ocean of scattered grass.

We fished this rough edge towards Blind Faith on Monday. We hooked the marlin in the pics below around 10 AM. The fish was super acrobatic and fired up. After dumping maybe half the 50W going away from the boat he made a 180 back towards the boat. Unfortunately the big bow in the line started picking up scattered grass and this broke the line. Even though we lost the fish, it was still a super exciting 10-15 min.

Over the next day and half we hit Thunderhorse, Blind Faith, Black Rhino (which ran us off), West Capricorn and Nakika. Scattered grass was everywhere making trolling almost impossible. The only bait we marked was at Nakika and it was not thick. I was surprised that we did not see a single tuna sky or mark any blackfin at any of the rigs.

Wound up catching a few wahoo and maybe a ½ dozen mahi mahi to round things out. Weather was awesome!


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Awesome pics, as usual!


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## lookinlagit (Aug 3, 2009)

Tough break on the blue great pics though, Not monday morning quarterbacking here by any means but a quick look at the hilton current layer would have shown the 8506 was in swift current, anywhere near the main loop current has been fast this year.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Is there anything illegal about fishing in the ocean close to a rig since you were run off.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Man those are sweet pics!!! My most vivid fish memory was a big ole poon that I hooked it skied and then was gone!!!! So I'd be stoked just to hook that marlin!!! 

Curious on the rig too, not that I'll ever get to get out and fish em.....just curious?


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

I had been watching that intense current on Hilton's all week, was hoping to find a really nice break to fish as the boats there the previous week did very well. I knew the current had moved north was just hoping it was fishable.

As to the laws regarding fishing around a rig, it's my understanding that if you are under 100' you are allowed to fish as close as you want. Sometimes rigs will be polite and tell you they have divers in the water or are doing some experiment and ask you to leave. I always do, this time they just said stay at least 500 meters from the rig with no explanation. I probably could have kept fishing, but just chose to move on.

Robert


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## marlin77 (May 8, 2014)

Mill pond


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## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

The rigs will ask you to leave if they are doing diving operations or running explosives. We were asked to leave Petronius last year (give them a 5mi berth) as they were diving.


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## fishsticker (Jan 11, 2009)

Nice weather even though fishing sounded tough. Saw the current on Hilton's and it looked strong. Better luck next time Robert. Crazy lightning pic.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks for the report and the pics were great. Congrats on the blue hookup and the hooters.


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## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

Very nice pictures. Good report.
Whyme


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## SnapperSlapper (Feb 13, 2009)

Congrats Robert on a great, fun trip.


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## GAHUNTER (Jan 30, 2008)

Great action photos! Are they stills from a video? I'm never quick enough on the shutter to capture the apex of a leap. Usually, I just get the splash!

The fish looks like its got something hanging out of gills in two of the shots. Remora maybe?


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## 301bLLC (Nov 23, 2013)

Thanks for the report. I'm glad you chose not to go the rigs...we looked for you though.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

The pics were taken with a Nikon D7100 DSLR, not stills from a video. If I had not been pulling double duty chasing the fish with the boat I would have gotten more pics as he spent a ton a time in the air.

As the the thing under it's mouth, it's just his normal fins. They have a fin under their chin that looks exactly like a remora would, but it's natural appendage.


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

Very nice !


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## Frenchy (Oct 2, 2007)

Thank you for the great pictures and congrats on the blue.... kind of you to take the time to post and share your experience, it seems rare as of late to get reports in this section...Shall return the favor at some point later this summer when back home.


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## GAHUNTER (Jan 30, 2008)

Frenchy said:


> Thank you for the great pictures and congrats on the blue.... kind of you to take the time to post and share your experience, it seems rare as of late to get reports in this section...Shall return the favor at some point later this summer when back home.


Frenchy's right. Used to be, in the summer at least, you could come here after a weekend and catch up what's happening in the blue with three or four new reports ever two or three days. Now, I can't decide if no one is fishing, or is it just that no one _talking_!


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## OP-FOR (Jan 23, 2010)

I have two words, "wow!" And "jealous ". Great pictures. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Great post and pics. Thanks, Tight Lines!


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## bquared (May 25, 2011)

Great report Robert! Curious about the number of wahoo you landed and what they ate??? Hoping to go Sunday for a day trip. Thanks for any info and nice Blue on the line...pretty girl!


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## BlueWaterWarrior (May 28, 2015)

GAHUNTER said:


> Frenchy's right. Used to be, in the summer at least, you could come here after a weekend and catch up what's happening in the blue with three or four new reports ever two or three days. Now, I can't decide if no one is fishing, or is it just that no one _talking_!


Lot's of people over at the tournament in Biloxi, this weekend. I'm sure there will be some reports when they return.


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## matttheboatman (Aug 25, 2008)

*Loved those Marlin airborne shots*

It sounds to me like you could use a third hand on the bridge so you can get more awesome shots like that. I'm available most of the time! 

Matt


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## KBGAub (Aug 19, 2012)

Great report and good trip. Nice pics


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