On June 2, a 36-hour long-range bottom fishing trip out of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, aboard Captain Joey Maciasz's 44-foot catamaran "Timbuktu" produced an unparalleled result. Six anglers, with Captain Noah Callais assisting, secured three pending Louisiana state record fish, an extraordinary achievement in offshore angling.
Port Fourchon, Louisiana's southernmost port, is a renowned jump-off point for Gulf fishing. Its waters, rich with offshore oil and gas rigs, create artificial reefs fostering spectacular habitat for diverse gamefish. Maciasz navigated the "Timbuktu," propelled by four Yamaha 350s, 180 miles southwest to 300 feet of water. The crew’s long-standing pursuit of a record cubera snapper finally materialized.
During the extensive trip, a variety of bottom species were encountered. Notably, angler Tyler Nelson released a 25-pound black trevally, a fish of potential state record size, but not typically sought for consumption. Other catches included a 75-pound cubera snapper, multiple queen snapper, various grouper, and released amberjacks.
The crucial two-hour window for record catches arrived at dawn. Utilizing live hardtail baits, anglers deployed 50-pound class Talica Shimano reels spooled with 80-pound test braided line and 250-pound test leaders. This heavy-duty tackle was essential for battling powerful, deep-dwelling fish. Despite losing some large fish to the oil rig structures, three pending state-record specimens were successfully brought aboard.
Jake Peterson landed a 109.5-pound black grouper, expected to surpass the previous 105-pound Louisiana record. Jason Diver’s 30.5-pound dog snapper is also poised to eclipse its respective Louisiana record. The most significant catch was Captain Maciasz's own 131.2-pound cubera snapper, a pending state record that narrowly missed an IGFA all-tackle record for Atlantic cubera snapper (124.75 pounds, 2007) due to a technicality.
Maciasz clarified the IGFA rule: while "All our fish were caught with only one angler on the rod," the use of boat rod holders rather than fighting chair rod holders disqualified the catch for IGFA recognition. This distinction is permissible for state records but not under strict IGFA rules. Maciasz, unaware of this detail at the time, expressed disappointment regarding the IGFA miss but remains proud of the Louisiana state record. He acknowledged the unique nature of the achievement, stating they would "never replicate it again — catching a state-record 131.2-pound cubera snapper, a 109.5-pound black grouper and a 30.5-pound dog snapper all in the same trip."
