First off, what did the water look like? Did you see any bait? If you come across grass and there's no bait, you might be wasting your time. I've never seen a Marlin eat a salad, know what I mean? If you get to a rig and don't see bait, move on. Check out some marine charts like Hilton's or Roffs if you're heading out. I figure you can spend $300 in gas looking for blue water, or$45 before you ever leave the dock and find it just the same. Also, talk with some people from the forum ahead of time and ask if anyone has been to the rigs you're considering. First hand reports are a wonderful thing! Also, what kind of spread are you pulling? Are you targeting billfish, tuna, wahoo? You may be pulling the wrong combo of stuff for what it is you're after. When we head offshore, even if we don't have access to a recent chart, try to think about what the winds have been doing . If it's been NE winds for several days, chances are good that nasty water may be pushed to the W. This time of year bait is vital. Even if it's blackfin tuna. Some people see blackfin tuna at the edge and drive right past them muttering about how blackfin are a waste of time. And that may be so, but why drive past fish to catch fish? Last I checked, YFT, Marlin and other pelagics eat BFT!! And if they're on the surface it only means1 of 2 things: they are eating baitfish, or they are being eaten by something bigger!! Hope all of this helps some.
Bob