Rig Diving, Biloxi MS

[rigdvr]

Alright guys, this is your formal invitation to dive the Gulf of Mexico's famous rigs for Red Snapper, Cobia, Amberjack, Grouper and who knows what else. It would just be nice to meet some other freedivers!(getting tired of tanks)If anyone is interested just get in touch and we can figure trip logistics out.

[rigdvr]

p.s.-the blue water has moved in close(for us)and we are seeing lots of dolphin(mahi)and even some wahoo around...not sure how long that will last!

[Iyadiver]

Why am I being 36 hours away by flight or US$ 1,400 away at High season, or US$ 1,000 away at low season ?

If anybody never try a rig hunting........... you must try. Sometime is like swimming in a Sea World Aquarium.


Damn. I wish I know Captain Kirk.

"Scotty beam me up to this rig, better yet put me at 30 feet "


Have fun Rig,
IYA

[rigdvr]

Sorry IYA, wish you could make it...it has been like a giant aquarium lately...great vis, tons of fish. The fish have been coming up lately, even on the deep rigs! I'll send some pics soon.

[Iyadiver]

Rig,

I been looking at the www for those fishing charter and spearfishing on the rigs ( some I think in Texas ), your kind of rig is bigger than those I dove. Your kind of rigs are in an Ocean, my kind of rigs are in the Java Sea which is only like 1/4 as good or most likely less than yours in terms of marine life. Average max depth only 120 feeet.

The best rig I dove ever was an abandoned one in South China Sea, some 12 hours at 22 knots cruising speed NE from Singapore.......... the area is still part of Indonesia but it should give you a better geography. My country stretches so long East to West, we get Indian Ocean on the South, Pacific on the East, and many more of our own seas. Unfortunately gun wise I was not prepared when I visited that fish heavenly rigs. Damn ....I was on a cruising plan and spearfishing was not the priority. 3 JBLs lost all 3 shafts in 10 minutes of the first dive, no cables back then, all regular JBL nylon. The type of fishes are only Giant Trevally and some other jack family, plus those stupid barracuda. At least I managed to dive in to the school of Barracuda and be in the position being circled inside them like how most photographers try to photo barracuda.

Where I live is the best part of the country, in terms infrastructure...hell this is the capital of the country...but in terms of the marine life....... I am swimming in one of the world's biggest garbage filled sea.

U R a captain, power boat or sailling yacht ?

When I go with my client/friends, I become an "informal" captain, engineer and navigator. I guess we have a few things in common.

Do post some photos here please....make me drool....please.

IYA

[ivan]

hi guys

Arnt the rigs really good for cobia AHHHHHH my dream fish ive only ever seen one and never speared one any tips on where else to find them I heard wrecks are good spots is this true.

cheers

ps what guns do you guys use I just ordered a rob allen 150cm barrel gun hope its good

[rigdvr]

Yea the rigs are loaded with cobia...got 4 today. No monsters but no complaints. Ivan, wrecks are very good, any kind of structure will hold cobia, even anchored boats. IYA, our rigs run the spectrum....some are in 30 ft. while others sit in almost 3000ft. I am a charter boaty captain so I spend too many days on the water and not in it! Still no takers on gettting together for a trip out there?(NOT a charter trip...a fun trip!)

[ivan]

hi rigdvr

You speared 4 cobia in one day and ive only ever seen one thats not fair hey Ive got some questions to ask there are 3 wrecks I know of in my area I will describe them the first is in 25ft of water I havent dived there cos I just found out not long ago, second is a wreck in around 63ft of water havent dived this but have lined fished it, third is in 100ft of water I havent dived it cos of depth but ive lined fished it and caught a fair few cobia im led to believe that cobia live in deep water eg 100ft so I cannot dive that deep with a gun, do you burely or use flashers to get em or do they just show up when you dive to the bottom.

cheers

[Iyadiver]

Rig,

I read a lot on the rig fish quality. I used to buy Sportfishing Magazine and Saltwater Sportsmen, the US rigs in fact is one of the few places people get record fishes, US and world records.

Yummy...yummyy. Lucky I don't like shooting Cobia, if not 4 of them is about as far as my drool bowl can take.

I seen cobia most on FAD and they were following a big ugly brown/black Stingray. For some stupid reason we the locals don't like the cobia meat.........in the US they sell top dollars. Must be different tounge

Even u don't spend enough time in the water, looking at people catch tons of fish already turn me on big time.



Ivan,

Do becareful freediving a wreck. Try cable instead of regular shooting line. With ur average 50 feet vis, a 60 feet deep wreck should look like a next door neighbour and sure fun to dive.
I so far used scuba on wrecks cause I am a lousy 20/25 feet freediver. Also my wrecks mainly lie in very hostile water, you can't freedive it safely. All no shallower than 120 feet and one max out at 170 feet. Visibility anything from 10-30 feet max, 10 feet at 95% of the time plus a very special sugar type of blurred vision underwater... I don't know how to describe it in English.
I am trying to learn freediving now and the fish is sure less wary this way.... I love it. If you are diving the fame GB reef, you are 1000% luckier than most people, especially me

IYA

[rigdvr]

Ivan,
in my experience you never know where a cobia will show up. The ones I got the other day were on a shallow rig in 30 ft of water. Most often they apraoch from behind and scare the shit out of me! They are very curious and can be attracted with noise. We rev our engines when we tie up to a spot and they will often come up to the surface to see whats going on. When you get one, others will follow so a nearby buddy is a plus to pick another one off. Anyway....have fun

[ivan]

hi IYADIVER and Rigdvr

IYADIVER

Im a shallow diver to the deepest ive been is 80ft with body boarding fins Cobia here on the GBR are regarded as poor eating too but I want to spear one for there rareness the main worry is giant Tiger Sharks are regularly sughted on the deep wrecks.

Rigdvr

Wish I was as lucky as you with finding the Cobia by the way do you dive deep to get them sometimes

cheers

[icarus pacific]

Rigman,
PM me with some infor as to dates, places to crash and all. Anderson and I could probably show if we can schedule the doings.

sven

[rigdvr]

Sounds good to me...I'd like to get Bladerunner down and initiate him into the ocean sometime as well!

[BladeRunner]

LOL Hey I will come down sometime in the future I promise you that Rig for sure but I need some more time in the fins and behind my gun before pulling off an open water job like that.
If I did go with you guys the only way I would be coming back would be in a body bag. I will
go with ya one of these days but not now, I don't want to look like real greeny when I decide to head down your way for some hunting!

But believe me I'm grinding at the bit to experience freediving and spearfishing just like this!!!

BladeRunner Out

[rigdvr]

Good deal Blade...until then "Carp"-e Diem!