How about we get together and do an offshore trip in 2015. I have an awesome connection in Venice la. If you are interested post here.

I am always looking to fish.  Info?

No details yet except. I fish Venice la. A couple of times a year.  Good lodging and great captain. The boat goes to $ 1200 per day plus fuel. I figure $800.00 per day for fuel.
5 guys splitting that plus lodging comes out to about $500.00 per day per person.  We could meet up and fish 2 days for about 1k each. I have never been and not filled the huge boxes with fish up to 200 lbs.

It would be fun and we have about 6 months to organize.

Jim

Eta: the target fish is yellowfin tuna.

I would be all about it

That's 2. Need 3 more.

If you have a couple / few folks that are up to trailering theirs center consoles down 21ft + you could wolf-pack the rigs from late-afternoon till the next morning. You may be familiar, but the State of Louisiana actually has guidelines on fishing the rigs in the gulf from hailing a couple miles out for clearance to approach, giving supply ships priority, etc.. Just need a watch when others are sleeping, and a sheperds hook to hook on to a rig while resting.

You could call it 'guidelines' but it's no biggie to throw a rig hook onto one of the cross beams of a platform. You just have to give the supply boats the right away, and I can tell you from working in this industry, you have a very small chance of running into a supply boat the same time you are fishing near a deep water platform. Also, tuna do not always hang close to the platforms.

Venice is a great place to fish out of, but don't talk people into towing their 21' center console boats down there to go tuna fishing. Not enough boat for the distance you have to travel to get into tuna water, even though you are protected when running the Mississippi. Ever seen the wake that a 500' cargo ship puts out?.  

But the OP has the right idea, hire a guide boat and you will all have much more fun. The action is hot right now and it's NOT coming from the rigs and platforms. The rip-line has been only 10-15 miles out over the past few weeks. Made a trip 2 weeks ago and loaded up on Mahi Mahi, 1 tuna, and hooked into 2 blue marlin. Those bull dolphin (Mahi Mahi) are a blast to catch and eat better than yellowfin, IMO.

Right now we are trolling the rip, pulling Stretch 30s, Islanders or Rapalas to pick up anything from blue marlin, Mahi Mahi, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna. Sometimes the mahi will be still long enough and you can sight cast to them. Talk about a blast!