Curious about rigs outside of cameron.
 

the very few times I've boated all the way down to the jetties I've noticed rigs not to far away. Always thought about making a run to them but not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze ya know. Are the close rigs outside of jetties and down toward holly beach good for anything other then big reds and specs?

I'm not the best source for info on this, but I went out for my first rig trip last year and caught a 30 pound ling in the first hour I was there. Weather chased us shortly after, but we had two others break off. We were about 7 miles out.

Reds, Specks, triple tail, cobia in the summer and early fall and, don't discount the sheepshead;)

All possible on the close rigs? How do you know where they are all at? Just by sight?

Caught lots of Spanish Mackerel around them too, never know what might be around.

x2.....if you are in a Bay boat..Pick your days and have a blast....:D

You can buy rig maps that show all the blocks and rigs within the block by name/number. I have not relied upon one in many years so I can not attest to the currency of the information as rigs are being removed from service quite regularly. GPS mapping software will also have the same information but the frequency of updates may influence accuracy. If you are in a small boat (bay boat) you can catch all of the above mentioned species and never lose sight of land.....so a map is not needed but a compass/gps is recommended as you don't want to get caught out in fog in the early spring or fall.

Ya I was thinking of playing around on the rigs south of Cameron between sabine and Cameron.

I've fished those rigs toward the west...off of Johnson's Bayou (always called them the Johnson's Bayou rigs;)). I have caught some nice trout on them in the summer and with some live shrimp have also enticed the triple tail out for a bite.

thanks guys. I might give a a try on a nice calm day

Nice bro nice. I'd love to catch one. Was that on the Johnson bayou rigs or somewhere else?

Have caught cobia, spanish mackerel, specks, reds, triple tail, spade fish, shark, and who knows what else. Calm days and when the water is right, it can be a blast because you never know what you will catch. Hell, i remember my dad catching a bonita out there before!

One summer in the WC 110 area we watched tarpon hitting a school of bait fish. I have caught snapper there in the winter too.

Great reports guys. I've often wondered about those rigs and what they might hold. Might be worth a calm day kayak trip!

Let me know when you go.....so I can get my camera......love to see you water skiing behind a 50# ling:D

I've always wanted to try it, but never been out on a calm enough day with small chance of thunderstorms.

Attachment 83953Attachment 83954
It was nice that day at the short rigs

I once saw a 15 ft aluminum boat at WC 215. Granted it was August and not a ripple on the gulf but I have seen it go to 8 to 12 ft seas in a second and the jetties on an out going XXX tide at the same time. Anyone who has navigated the jetties under those conditions knows what I am talking about. If you go in a kayak have a mother ship with you. Things change out there quick in the summer. The gulf is life or death.

Daaaaat boy

What techniques bait do u guys recommend our there Jigs or bait down low

sweet catch....got to love the bugs on the windshield.. from the marsh traveling down hwy 82 at night....

both....caroline rig with live bait and artificial bait....

Good advice. Thankfully I wouldn't be navigating between the jetties as I would launch at the beach on the east side near the jetty facility. I've cruised up and down the jetty and caught pretty good; but you're right, if and when that wind suddenly picks up, it's not so much fun...downright scary.

Yep

more questions
 

Re: rigs out of cameron jetties
What are the max depths trout can be found in, and what are the depths around the rigs you've mentioned? (These are the two things that came to mind after reading the thread.)

Also, what is the best scenario for a safe run through the jetties out toward rigs? I've had to turn around once I got to the jetties before as the water moving through there was pretty big. Granted, it was probably not as bad once you make it through, but is it best to try to hit it on an incoming tide? Outgoing? What makes the seas too big to go through the pass in, say a 22' bay boat?

Caught big white trout in 120 ft.

When the tide is going out at X mph and the wind is from the S at Y mph, the effective air speed moving against the water is X + Y, so it can make for some big rollers in the pass.

If the winds are light enough to have 1-2ft seas or less in the 0-20 nm offshore forcast (assuming it is accurate:rolleyes:) then you will be able to make it out Calc. Pass in spite of the tide phase if you exit the pass through the cut out in the jetty (about 150yds from the end of the rocks). It might be a little rough but in a 22ft. boat you will be fine. I find that the worst seas will be at the end of the jetty and out a couple of hundred yards on an outgoing tide. You will find steep faced waves as well as standing waves. If the wind is strong enough from the south to make the cut-out impassable then you will likely not be able to run in/fish in the seas at the rigs. JME....YMMV

I've seen some Hella rollers there when a big outgoing tide meets a stiff south wind.

I've fished the West Cam/East Cam close production platforms sometimes during the summer. I am not talking about the stacked drilling rigs that you can see from the jetties but the platforms 7 or 8 miles Southeast of that. Its probably a 13 to 15 mile run from the Cameron Jetties but a lot closer if you go out of the mouth of the Mermentau. I never tried fishing the stacked jackups or simi's but have heard they hold some fish. The first set of platforms you come to in the West Cam block out of the Cameron Jetties is in about 35' of water and will hold some trout occasionally but I have found it very hit and miss. When they are there and biting its pretty fast and furious. They can be hard to locate and in the heat of the summer will most likely be directly under the platform itself. I always start on the up current side of the rig but have found them down current as well. I never really fish with live bait out there. If they are biting they will hit damn near anything, but I have had the best luck with 4" gulp shrimp rigged on anywhere from a 3/8 oz to a 1 oz. jig head. I have noticed fish go deeper as the water heats up. I've found them 5-15' down in May/June and on bottom in July/August. If I start catching Jack Crevalle I move on to another rig. If the platform is manned, I try and ask one of the operators where they are at and they usually tell me. I am still learning how to fish out there and admit I'm not the most experienced hand. But I have had a fair amount of success. If the fish are there they are pretty easy to put in the boat.

how deep is the water at those rigs you can see from the jetties?

30

OK Thanks

So fishing the bottom with a C rig, is no big deal, or a moderate jig retrival to place the bait at about 15 -20

Thanks!!

Back when I use to fly helicopters for the CG I remember something about tieing off to rigs was a BIG NO NO, are you guys just anchoring down to maintain pos?

In late summer you want 3\8 oz head and work slow like plastic worm fishing the bottom. If you get it too high up the Jacks & macks will tear you up.

Thank you Sir!

Never fished Rigs, Im going to have to give this a shot!! my 13 yr old son will dig it!

Old Roughneck
 

Caught a 7 foot hammerhead out there one time.