Standing Rigs Species Overview

Louisiana’s coast is rich in history and biological diversity. It also is home to thousands of oilrigs and platforms that help support our nation’s need for fuel. A secondary benefit of having these rigs offshore is the amazing ecosystem that forms around and on each one. Depending on the location and depth of the rig, the “ball of life” that forms is incredible. Rigs that are in shallower coastal areas become home to schools of mangrove and red snapper, redfish, cobia, tripletail and many more.
As you move to deeper rigs in cobalt blue water, the species list includes yellowfin and blackfin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, blue marlin, sailfish. These prized game fish are all attracted to the many types of bait that call the rigs home. The legs, pipes and hardware of the rigs themselves become reef habitat and many grouper, snapper and jacks take up residence. Sometimes the hardest part of fishing oilrigs is deciding what to fish for first. If one structure is not producing, another is not too far away.

Offshore Rigs are giant structures either fixed to the bottom on legs or tethered to deeper waters with a myriad of cables and pipes. Both are often in clean, blue water and become an oasis for offshore game fish because they hold baitfish and are a base for a food chain. Many species of game fish frequent the rigs and it varies greatly with the location, depth and water quality at the time. A variety of tuna, billfish, and grouper and snapper frequent the rigs in addition to dolphin and wahoo.