Gulf of Mexico AmberJack

Had to go home again to New Orleans recently for a very quick trip to deal with some family stuff...

Was lucky enough to get out to the rigs again with some friends.

Unfortunately conditions were even worse than last time...

Finally found a rig with some decent water under the murk, and dropped down and laid on a crossbar at ~30 feet.

Big AmberJack came in and I shot it right in the face with my Pathos Carbon 120. 

Thought I had stoned it cuz it kinda rolled over, but before I got to the surface it had woke up and started fighting...hard.

Once I got to the surface the viz was pretty much zero and I was really worried it would wrap me up in the shooting line cuz I couldn't see it at all...

Eventually worked it up and got my hand in its gills but it still beat me up pretty good with its tail before I could swim it back to the boat. My buddy got a little cellphone vid which shows how strong the fish was...



After we got it in the boat and took a few pics I was BEAT...from the fight, and the flight in the night before.

Decided to call it quits and drink some beer and let my buddies do some hook and line fishing on the way back in.

My phone was uncharged and in truck so don't have the usual amount of pics, but here are some my buddy took....fish went ~45 pounds and is my 2nd biggest fish speared so far.

All meat gifted to friends and family. 

Looking forward to the next time already, and reeeeeally hope I get better conditions when I get back out there!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

ps...yes I dove in my long sleeve shirt and pants. Need to invest in a 1.5mm suit...that water is HOT!!! 

Awesome! Way to hang on, and finish it off at the boat.

Nice Jim

That's why they call them Pez Fuerte in Mexico 

Congrats bro......looks like you fell over board 

Wow...diving in street clothe!  You're da man Jim.  Nice fighting video, glad you didn't get hit from the "tail dance" 

How far out are the oil rigs from shore?

Fish on the West coast are afraid of Big Jim. Now the ones in the Gulf are becoming afraid. I wonder how soon the fish on the East coast will be afraid. 😂😂😂

Thanks guys!

HoJo the rigs start very close to shore...but the Mississippi river dumps a ton of dirty river water right there...the further out you go the clearer the water is...

The rigs we hit were off the east side of the river mouth and not super far out, and had to dive at least 25 feet down through the dirty murky river water to get to where you could see anything...

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Thanks, Jim. It's been 50 years since the last time I fished the Gulf there, never at any of the rigs. Next time I return to the South, I hope to get redfish and alligator gar off my bucket list.

Nice warm water gear Mr. GQ....way to showing that fish who's boss.

Just got one more pic sent from my buddy...such beautiful fish. 

Bought plane tix last night to go home for Christmas and New Years...will see if weather let's us get out again. 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Animal style!

Along with that 1.5 wet suit you'll need a GoPro mount for your gun.
Wearing a hoodie in those warm waters to support your GoPro is no bueno.
You'll over heat fast brother.

You crazy yahoo. That's bad ass.