rig diving/spearfishing in louisiana

[toadfish]

Thanks guys for the info. and the tip on www.rodnreel.com. I've been looking for some charts of the area. Do you have any recommendations for some printed charts too?

If I can find some rigs that have pretty consistent good visibility, those are the ones I want to dive. I live 8 hours away so when I make the trip, I will be SOL if I can't dive or the weather's bad.

-toadfish

 

[wmag3]

Just stumbled upon your thread and sorry if this info is a little late but maybe it will help you with planning for next summer. My friends and I routinly dive the South Timbalier blocks and have had great success with both water clairity and fish. We normally depart from either grand isle or fourchon (fourchon will save you time and gas) and head south west until we hit rigs in about 120' of water. The rigs we usually dive are about 50 miles from fourchon however you can find some great rigs in deep enough water without going much past 30 miles. I find the water clairity usually gets better the futher west you go however it can depend from day to day.
You can find block maps with all of the blocks off of LA at any Wal-Mart in LA.
Also, finding good water can be sort of hit or miss - I have been down on rigs were the murk layer didn't break for 70' and was so bad that we completly lost the rig while trying to surface and on the next dive less than a mile away there was only a 15' murk layer wtih 50' vis. below.
I do suggest that if your are going to make your first trip you hook up with somebody who is experienced, but don't miss out - it is all Humberto makes it out to be and some

 

[thomassie]

Toadfish
I usually spearfish out of grand isle but had the chance to dive out of cypermore point(30 min. from morgan city) last week and it was great. We shot our limit of big snapper with ease. This area has much more snapper than anywhere from vience to grande isle. It is a 50 mile run to 100 ft. of water but it is worth it. With a rig block map and gps you should have no problems getting out there.

What kind of boat are you planning to go in?

Thomassie

 

[Finnatic]

Dive Log 7/24/04 Timbalier 245: Murk layer to 26 ft, then 70ft vis. Light surface chop, surface temp 90's, water temp 82.Current 1 knot, less at depth within the rig structure. Catch of the day: Amberjack, red snapper, strawberry grouper. Notable Marine life: baby yellow tang, sharpnose puffer, about a dozen 3-5' barracuda.

http://www.thedixiedivers.org/

 

[louisianadiver]

Hi,

I'm looking for some information on spearfishing the oil platforms in Louisiana. I've read and thoroughly enjoyed Helldiver's Rodeo and I want to get in on the action. I've been fishing around the platforms before, but never diving. According to the book, you could possibly be in 50 feet of muck before the visibility gets good. The rigs I've fished before were not even in 50 feet of water. Searching the web, I haven't found much information on dive charters, etc. Ideally, I would like to leave out of Houma/Morgan City/Berwick area and head straight out to the rigs. Has anyone been diving here before and could possibly give me some tips?

Thanks in advance,
Toadfish

Hi Toadfish. The murk layer is the result of freshwater runoff from the Mississippi River or Atchafalaya Basin and it usually dissipates in late summer. The layer of relatively fresh water is blown by the wind, and finding clear surface water is often a matter of luck regardless of where you go. It might be a good idea to call an established New Orleans shop such as Harry's and take a few trips with them to get your feet wet. I also enjoyed The Helldiver's Rodeo, but please don't take it as a dive guide. Humberto seldom lets fact get in the way of his entertainment. While the stories in the book have a basis in fact, most of them have been somewhat embellished. -Clay

 

[Deep South Charters]

Hey, I offer dive trips out of Cypremort Point, thats south of Lafayette