# Oil Rig Trip Oct 3-4



## macala (Oct 4, 2007)

I had a crew of four (Anna / Ruth from Atlanta) and ( Jack / Jeff from Sarasota). We had planned this trip a few months ago and I could not believe our luck on a good weather window. Friday and Saturday was our only option and seas were forecasted for 1-2. :letsparty We catch bait at the pass and we pick up 15 small hardtails off the buoys. We also cast netted about 100 small menhadens. We arrive at the Marlin rig at dark and we meet up with our friend Meagans Choice and another cat boat. I think we all ended up with a few nice yft and we all really had to earn these fish. we Live baited and chunked with fresh blackfin tuna all night and went 3 for 6. We had a nice fish on for an hour before the hook pulled. Around midnight the dolphins showed up and the bite died down. I was marking the yft around 60-120 feet and when the dolphins arrived, they went down to 150- 250 feet down.




























I really wanted a swordfish so instead of waiting for the yft to come back up, we run 20 miles to my sword spot. First hour we get a hit and after a 20 min fight, it's a 4 ft hammerhead shark. :banghead We release it and set the lines out again. I'm so tired at this point I fall into deep sleep. Around 4:00 am, I wake up with one of the reels slowly clicking off one second apart. I get up and the line is under the boat on the opposite side. The swordfishmust have come up on the surface while we were asleep and now was sounding straight down deeeeep. We fight this fish for an hour and half and none of us are tired anymore. He leaped out of the water half into the fight and then sounded off 200 feet of line again. As we boated the sword, the sun came up and all we could think of were grilled steaks for dinner. :hungry 





































After we clean up all the blood off the boat and us, we head back to the Marlin Rig. This is when we encounter one of the biggest surprises of our fishing trip. I see a huge explosion on the starboard side and think for a second that I saw a bluefin boil. I get closer and realize that it's a whale enjoying the sunrise. We get close and enjoy each other for 15 mins before he sounded down. What a cool moment!! We were so close, we smelled his breath. It stunk like old squid. How cool is that. Enjoyed the pictures.














































The oil rigs are in clean blue water right now. I did see a nice weed line 10 miles south of the steps. I had a great crew and it's so nice having 2 captains on the boat as crew members. All I did was drive the boat. It's like a fishing vacation when you have captains fishing on the boat with you. I had a blast.

Jeff Choe


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

great post.....nice job on the sword.....


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

excellent report.


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## 401 Cay (Sep 30, 2007)

Great report Jeff! How much fuel are you typically burning on your trips? I know you have a nice bladder setup.. Great pics.. thanks for sharing!


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## hebegb (Oct 6, 2007)

WOW!



very nice report and great catch :bowdown


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## Huntinman (Aug 12, 2008)

Hell of a trip!!! great pics and congrats on the sword!!


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## macala (Oct 4, 2007)

> *401 Cay (10/6/2008)*Great report Jeff! How much fuel are you typically burning on your trips? I know you have a nice bladder setup.. Great pics.. thanks for sharing!


From our house in Gulf Breeze to the Marlin Rig - Steps - back to Marlin Rig - trolling 4+ hours, we ran 304 s miles and burned 167 gals.I usually cruise 4300 rpms at 31 mph.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Totally Cool! Love it when it ALL comes together! :clap

MScontender


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

great fish, great report and great pic's!!!:bowdown:clap:letsdrink


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Great job! congrats on the sword, your definitely in for some good eating.


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## DISANTO (Oct 1, 2007)

Excellent post and pics! Thanks.


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

Fantastic trip and a fantastic report. Thanks for sharing. :clap


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## Coryphaena (Oct 2, 2007)

What a great read, and awesome pictures! Congrats on a super trip & catch, and to see a sperm whale too- what a treat. :bowdown:clap:bowdown


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

Nicecatch, great trip!


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## The Maintenance Shoppe (Nov 5, 2007)

Very nice job Jeff.


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## spinealigner (Jun 24, 2008)

Awesome report. Burning 167 gallons, I am assuming that you brought additional tanks or have more than the typical 180 glacier bay fuel capacity. I also have the canyon runner 26' and fish out of Destin. Have always wanted to make a run like that.

Great job.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Sweet man! One of these days I am going to get to the rigs too. I also live in Gulf Breze, and have a 26 foot Pro Cat.

Soon....very soon.

Thanx for the good pics!


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## OBsession (Feb 13, 2008)

Great post Jeff, wish you would havegiven us a shout out on that whale though, I would love to see one up close. Witin the limits of the law of course. We had agreat trip on Megan's Choice too. Tim


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## PMACDIDDY (Jul 13, 2008)

Greeat report and pics. What a nice group of fish. I don't know how you got any sleep.


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## Marine Scout (Nov 18, 2007)

Oh man!! Those are great pictures of the whale. that had to be

a real blast!!! Wonderful!!!:bowdown:bowdown:bowdown


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## Doogiesar (Oct 4, 2007)

Looks like a great time. Congrats on the swordfish. What a sight the whale must have been. Thanks for the pictures and report.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

Both a nice read and great pictures.:clap:clap:clap


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