# Winter Rig Fishing



## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

We are wanting to make an oil rig trip out of Pensacola if the weather holds out for us this weekend. It will be my second rig trip and everybody else on the trips first. My crew are pretty good fishermen just have never been to the rigs before. I really want to put them on some yellowfin. Do the tactics change during the winter months for tuna or just chunk on the up current side of the rig and keep some small to medium live hardtails out in the chunk line. We made bait at Petronis last time, does it hold hardtails year around or will they leave when the water cools off? Will the blackfin still be there like they were back in early October?

What about Wahoo? Are they starting to hold on the rigs yet? Troll diving plugs a few hundred feet off the rig and watch the bottom machine set to show the top 300' for them? 

Do the rigs still hold marlin and dolphin during the winter? Just wondering if we run across a small weedline is it worth it to put out a regular spread.

Sorry for all the questions I just want to be as prepared as I can. Thanks in advance for helping someone trying to learn about rig fishing!


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

Tuna tactics are the same . Mark em then go to work . Wahoo are at the shallow water rigs 200' - 600' mostly west . Not many marlin and dolphin but always possible . I would pass on the weed line . Black fins are always around . Bait can be hit or miss. JMO


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

We are toying with the idea of going as well. I actually prefer this time of year as the crowds are gone and fish remain. While we always try to catch live bait, day in and day out chunking works as well as anything. While we always prefer to catch blackfin at the rigs for chunk, sometimes that can be hard to do, especially in the daytime. Therefore we almost always take a 25# flat of pogies to chunk with just in case. Unless the current is ripping the pogies will work well. If the current is ripping the pogies will not sink nearly as well as the red meat of a blackfin. But then hopefully the pogies will put a blackfin or two in the boat to use as bait.

50-80 lb flourocarbon leader & a 6/0 circle hook is all you need to chunk with. Ideally you will either see tuna busting or mark them on your bottom machine. If not, either run to another rig or give it a shot anyway.

No doubt the marlin stay at the rigs year round. If tuna and bait are present, Marlin will be there as well. Having said that we all but quit trolling for marlin this time of year. If we are wanting to a shot at a billfish, it will be on live bait around a rig.

Good luck. If you do get out and you see us out there give us a shout.


Robert


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

MSViking said:


> We are toying with the idea of going as well. I actually prefer this time of year as the crowds are gone and fish remain. While we always try to catch live bait, day in and day out chunking works as well as anything. While we always prefer to catch blackfin at the rigs for chunk, sometimes that can be hard to do, especially in the daytime. Therefore we almost always take a 25# flat of pogies to chunk with just in case. Unless the current is ripping the ponies will work well. If the current is ripping the pogies will not sink nearly as well as the red meat of a blackfin. But then hopefully the pogies will put a blackfin or two in the boat to use as bait.
> 
> 50-80 lb flourocarbon leader & a 6/0 circle hook is all you need to chunk with. Ideally you will either see tuna busting or mark them on your bottom machine. If not, either run to another rig or give it a shot anyway.
> 
> ...


Where do you get one of the flats at? Ive got a lot of spare bait in my bait cooler in Mexico Beach but Im not going to head down that way before we leave for Pensacola. We saw you at Horn Mtn on my last rig trip. 

Basically I don't want to go out there unprepared for the winter fishing as compared to summer or fall fishing.


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

According to Hiltons the SST is still atleast 70 starting around the steps and south. 

So if I come across a weedline for the most part just pass it up. Would it be worth trolling divers around the Petronis and Beer Can for wahoo at all?


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## FishFighter92 (Jul 10, 2012)

I am headed out Wahoo fishing on Friday. I'll report back with how it went that evening. I wish we were going Tuna fishing, but the Friday trip is looking great!


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## Lady J (Jul 14, 2013)

I am looking to go out tomorrow in an area that would hold some wahoo as well as doing some deep drop. The thread mentions going West to some of the platforms that are 200-600'. I would appreciate anyone that could point me into a grid square that might accommodate my fishing desires. Thx.....


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Most bait & tackle stores will carry 25# boxes or flats as they call them of frozen pogies. I buy mine at J&M tackle or Sam's in Orange Beach.

In my opinion and it's just that, my opinion, I don't do much weed line trolling this time of year as I prefer to concentrate on the tuna.

As to trolling the shallower rigs for Wahoo, I know they have huge success doing this this time of year off Venice but I have never really tried that here, again I prefer focusing on tuna at the deeper rigs. I assume the wahoo are around venice due to migration patterns as well as bait concentration, not sure how that plays out in the more western rigs.

If you are looking for shallow stand up rigs out of OB, all you have to do is head SW and you will find them. You can pick up a Hilton's chart at any tackle store and they will have them marked. Unless we are snapper fishing we always hit what we call the Twin Spans and it's surrounding rigs as it is in route to the Marlin and Ram Powel etc. out of Orange Beach. It's in 300 or so feet and about 55 miles SW of Orange Beach. There are closer and shallower rigs, we just don't fish them often.

Forecast is shaping up for a nice weekend. Looks like we will be out around the Marlin, Ram or Horn Mt. Saturday night.

Robert


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## FishFighter92 (Jul 10, 2012)

If anyone needs one more for Saturday to Sunday let me know! Would love to get in on the winter tuna action.


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

Okay since not really trolling for marlin, dolphin or wahoo, what's a good tuna spread? A yozuri Bonita and a Russell lure or stretch 30 on the corners and a bird/squid chain off the riggers and a jet head or squid chain with a green machine way way back? Also can throw a ilander/ballyhoo combo in there too.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

syrupdawg said:


> Okay since not really trolling for marlin, dolphin or wahoo, what's a good tuna spread? A yozuri Bonita and a Russell lure or stretch 30 on the corners and a bird/squid chain off the riggers and a jet head or squid chain with a green machine way way back? Also can throw a ilander/ballyhoo combo in there too.


I prefer naked !! But a small shirt in front doesn't hurt. Spreader bars are always a good thing as well as a bird up front of the hoo.


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