rigdiver, my hat is off to you if you dive with the hell divers. I have seen some of their fish (78 pound amberjacks!, 133 pound stingray, etc.) those guys are awesome! i dive with the aqua aces, i just joined a few months ago. I am learning alot by diving with them, but you diving with the hell divers, man, you are diving with some really brave divers. diving with them will certainly give you an edge and encourage you to go deeper and bigger. i think that it is great that you are able to freedive the rigs. you are right when you say that it is not even close to diving in waters like florida, caribbean, etc. i think alot of the freedivers on this site would be surprised at how chalenging it is in the gulf, especially when the river is up and there is no blue water for miles. i certainly agree that most of those guys would not come up with many fish. i know i would only see spade and trigger fish if i freedove. i am having a great time diving to 100+ feet and fighting these huge fish in water that has a current and is not so clear. it is a real challenge and adventure! we are heading out this weekend, and i am hoping to shoot my first lemon fish, as well as shooting a bigger amberjack so i can share him with some friends. once again, i am new to spearing, and not ready to freedive, which most of you understand, and i appreciate it. if i were in florida in clear 40 foot water, i would consider diving down to shoot a fish, but not offsohre at the rigs. there is no way i could do that. besides, you always have at least 2 foot seas. ever try to relax before ascending while floating in 3 foot seas, kicking against a current while holding on to a barnacle encrusted rig leg, hoping not to be slammed into it while planning to submerge through water that you cant see through! boy i have respect for someone who can do that. remember, it is real easy to dive down and come up and never see the rig. then you could be pulled out to sea. i am not ready for that nightmare! sorry for the long post, but if you can freedive in the gulf, you are the man, if you can freedive in florida you are a good freediver. by the way, i am not the man for that challenge. if yo disagree with me, maybe you can take a trip with rig, i would like to hear you opinion as to the differences in freediving both areas. just a thought. big c