oFFSHORE tRIP

[jsuber]

I weas sent this by a friend in Tennessee. I guess they were down this way fishing. What kind of fish is that big one.

[Tom Keels]

Warsaw grouper.

[Ron Wilson]

I didn't know you could keep those Warsaws?

Wonder what that big fish tasted like?

[jsuber]

One per vessel per day

[wevans]

I don't think he would fit in the livewell on the Redneck hell, I don't think he would fit in the boat

[tin can]

I don't think he would fit in the livewell on the Redneck hell, I don't think he would fit in the boat

One day you're gonna hook one that size and it's gonna be GAME ON!

[Tidedancer]

WOW!! That is one big a$$ fish

[noleflyfisher]

That fish was caught on a hardtail on rig in Louisiana. I believe it's the pending state record at 359lbs.

[CATCH 22]

I wonder how many of those Gags that thing eats in a day

[MudDucker]

I've had one on.....brought him up to the boat, he took one look at the boat and decided he was in the wrong place. Hardly looked like his tail was moving, but the rod nearly exploded before the line gave. Dang BIG FISH!

[mjsigns]

Make a heck of a bunch of steaks from that fish

[Perch Jerker]

What kind of fish is that big one.

..a dang nice'un.

[Boat_Full]

Here's some more pics of it. The second page shows the fillets.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thre ... ightmode=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GAJOEY]

must have used a chainsaw to fillet that one

[jsuber]

FISH TIPS SCALES AT 359.1 POUNDS!
Record-Setting Fish Caught South of Fourchon

Posted: Nov 12, 2007 07:40 PM EST

Updated: Nov 23, 2007 07:19 PM EST


A fisherman usually uses his hands to describe how big of a catch he's landed. J.J. Tabor would have to borrow every hand in his hometown of Thibodaux to describe the grouper he caught near an oil rig off the Louisiana coast, 70 miles south of Fourchon. It's taller than he is and weighs considerably more.

A state biologist confirms the fish is a warsaw grouper that weighed in at 359.1 pounds, just three-quarters of a pound above the old Louisiana state record for that type of fish.

Tabor says he was fishing in about 400 feet of water Saturday evening when he got the bite of his life. "The bait was a live hardtail," Tabor said. "When we hooked up, I thought I had hit the bottom until I felt the big head shake."

Tabor was fishing with his father, John, and a friend from Baton Rouge, Joey Rodrique. "I manned the steering wheel and steered the boat away from the rig so we could get it away," Rodrigue said.

"I hate to say it but I was snoring pretty good until I heard all the ruckus come up," John Tabor said. "Then I went to the back of the boat to lend a hand. But J.J. had the pole and Joey had the boat under control so I was just a witness to the fact."

"I put myself in a harness and just had to lay back and fight," J.J. Tabor said. "It was about a 15 or 20 minute fight."

J.J. Tabor, who is a medical student, keeps the location of his catch close to his fishing vest. "It's J.J.'s secret," Rodrigue said. "I don't even know where I was. He blindfolds us on the way out."

Tabor says he was using a 250-pound weight line. He cleaned the fish late Monday afternoon outside his father's auto repair shop in Thibodaux. The first filet he cut weighed 53 pounds. "We'll split it up," he said. "I'll make some phone calls and try to get rid of it fresh. The rest, we'll vacuum pack it and cook it later."

Tabor says he believes the fish is about 33 years old. To be sure, he removed the fish's otolith, the inner ear bone, and will send it to a university in Florida where researchers can help determine the age of the fish. He hopes to get the results in about four weeks.

Reporter: Robb Hays, WAFB.COM