Trip to Neptune & Marlin - June 17, 2017© Photos Posted by Mark Miller © Hi-Res Source
This was a trip with Omar Vasquez who brought the crew. Oscar from Gautemala, Alex from Los Angeles, David Knight currently in North Carolina but from Ocean Springs and his son Aden came for his first deep sea trip. We started headed out to meet fellow DWM members Bob the Pirate and Gulf South Outdoors at the Cutoff Rigs and stopped a few places along the way but not finding much activity. Muddy water on top, no bait, and no red snapper due to the recent derby fishing. We stopped at 2 shrimp boats catching a nice shark, getting a bag of chum, and a bag of squid. Upon arriving at the Cutoffs we found no TV crew from Gulf South Outdoors and a report from the Pirate, Scarface, and J-Hook, who reported visibility of 10 feet top to bottom. Later they recanted the vis report but it caused us to head out to search for clear water at Omar's Favorite Rig, the
Neptune Spar VK826 (Beer Can Rig) which is in 1930 feet of water.
The water was still muddy on top and had some current but Omar and Oscar went in for a try. I dropped them on the upcurrent side so they could drift into the rig and Omar came up with a nice Almaco Jack. Oscar came up with a Mangrove and a Scamp Grouper. I then went in since Omar reported the water visibility opened up. I went straight down instead of swimming to the rig thinking it would open up and I could swim to it. However, I had difficulties with my regulator leaking water in and caught distracted and caught up in the current. The water never opened enough to see the rig and I was swept away and surfaced a long way from the platform. Afterward we went 4 miles further to the
Marlin Platform in 3,254 feet of water where Oscar and I made a dive. In hindsight, I wish I had taken my picture camera, but I went with a speargun and my GoPro. Oscar shot a Scamp and a lesser Amberjack and I came up empty. From there we went Northeast and hit a red snapper spot on the way in. Oscar did some freediving and went 3 for 3 on them. The first shot was amazing as it was straight down between the eyes. We headed in after a very long exciting day that encompassed 230 miles, 127 gallons of fuel, and 15.5 hours.
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